Due to a wind chill below 20 degrees and the snow expected for the weekend, The Animal Rescue League of Berks County has enacted the Code Blue Ordinance for the City of Reading for the following periods:
Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 7:00 PM – Friday, January 5, 2024, at 10:00 am, Saturday, January 6, 2024, from 7:00 am – 11:00 am, and Sunday, January 7, 2024, from 5:00 am – 8:00 am.
Per Bill #22, an amendment added to the City Code, Chapter 141, Part 2 Animals, Section 205 Caring for Animals in 2015, any person who owns, possesses, or has custody of a dog must bring the animal inside their residence for the duration of the code, except for supervised and necessary bathroom breaks and exercise. The temperature threshold for the City of Reading Code is a wind chill temperature of twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit (22° F) or below, or precipitation with temperatures below thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (32° F).
While these codes are enforceable only within the City of Reading, the recommendation applies to all pet owners in Berks County. “The cold temperatures predicted for our area are potentially life-threatening for animals left outside to fend for themselves. We hope residents take this threat seriously and bring their pets inside,” said Savannah Baller, Animal Protection Officer and Shelter Manager at the ARL.
Any person witnessing an unsupervised dog left outside in the elements within the City of Reading should call the Animal Rescue League of Berks County at 610-373-8830 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm or the non-emergency number for the City of Reading Police Department at (610) 655-6116.
