Legalities of electric fences in PA

[Trimming]

We are going to be adding several strands of electric fencing to our existing 3 board/wire fencing. Mainly to keep things out of of the pasture.

I’ve ask the little local police department these questions, but they haven’t been much help. I’m in PA.

Do I legally need to put signs saying electric fence?

If I must have signs, what is the minimum size and placement required?

If signs are required, does every strand of electric fence need to be identified?

Is there a limit to the number of strands I can put up?

Is there a limit to the height off the ground for the first strand?

If these questions are addressed somewhere else, could you tell me the search terms to use? I haven’t found much so far.

I’ve read through the zoning stuff for our township, but it does not address electric fences. I have searched the Penn State ag extension website and haven’t found anything yet.

Should I make a trip to the state police barracks to ask?

Thank you!

[pluvinel]

I would check with the Penn State Extension Service. What are you worried about?

[Marla_100]

Each state has their own laws and then each county or municipality may also have their own. So check with them.

Here in Fl. the state law is very specific. Signs must be posted, I believe) every 50 ft.

[trubandloki]

I too would start with someone (not just the website) at the ag extension. If they do not know the specifics of the law in your area they will likely know who to send you to that does.

[clanter]

@trubandloki

I too would start with someone (not just the website) at the ag extension. If they do not know the specifics of the law in your area they will likely know who to send you to that does.

Pennsylvania defers to the local municipal authorities regarding fencing restrictions

[gumtree]

I live in SE Chester County. Lots of horse farms in the greater Unionville area. I’ve never seen a "warning’ sign. Never gave any thought to it. The vast majority of fencing around here, the majority of horse farms I have ever been on is board fencing anyway. Some, a lot may have a hot wire on the top rail.

As Clanter said, the state as William Penn outlined in his charter gives Townships (municipalities) a lot of discretion as to how they want to run things. But as more and more subdivisions have been built in/around farms. Which can and does change voter demographics/mindsets in small “farming” townships. Which bitch about farms, smell, activities, common practices. Complained that the pig farm they moved next to is hurting their property values etc and want it shut down and or demand the owners run it as a park for them. The state passed a law know as The Right to Farm. It restricts Township supervisors from enacting laws, changing zoning that infringes, restricts on and or makes it difficult, more expensive to “farm”. There have been a number of Townships that have been taken to task by the state in recent years.

As far as I am concerned. If some bone head walks on, trespasses on somebody’s farm and gets zapped so be it. Assuming the fence charger is of the standard voltage and style that has been tested and approved for the purpose and is non life threatening. Now, if someone installs a electric fence that is used in Jurassic Park to keep a T-Rex in its paddock. I would like to think that should be sign posted.

You should be able to get the answer by calling your Township. Most have all their rules and regs on their website. But have not found one that is cross indexed, has search ability. PITA to go through it page by page. Subparagraph by subparagraph.

There are lots of “laws” written that are only enforced when someone complains. I just saw/learned about a PA law that makes it illegal to mow/discharge the grass clippings on to a public roadway. The police would have a field day handing out tickets around my neck of the grass mowing woods. The state should point this out to the contractors they hire to mow.

[clanter]

Now, if someone installs a electric fence that is used in Jurassic Park to keep a T-Rex in its paddock. I would like to think that should be sign posted.

at least when I was doing government prison work the “electric” killer fences were not used or even legal… the only sites I worked on that had the Jurassic Park killer fences were the US Treasury, the complex I worked on had four fence lines the inter two are fully killer types with a dead zone in between of smoothly raked sand (there is also a 1 stainless steel continuous one piece cable that runs around this complex). The other places were the storage bunkers for nuclear weapons and cruise missiles

[TCA_Arabians]

Our old ranch was in a county that required electric fence if you kept a stallion. That had to be posted. I made several signs per page on my computer and had them laminated with punch holes in the corners to hang them. And, a good idea whether the law requires it or not so you limit liability You’ll likely find the code in either the building codes or ag codes for your area. I’d just call them for the specific code cite - if there is one.

[cutter99]

I lived in PA for 46 years, owned two farms and rented a third farm, plus did feed sales covering about 2/3 of the state as my sales territory, so I have been on TONS of farms in PA. I’m not sure I have ever seen signage warning of electric fencing, nor have I ever posted any myself. I have also been on plenty of other farms, like dairy, beef, poultry, and hog farms. Again, no signage.

You may actually open yourself up to more liability by putting a sign up than by not having a sign at all.

[SnicklefritzG]

I’m in the same area as Gumtree, and I’ve never seen a warning sign either. In fact, I don’t recall having seen a warning sign anywhere I’ve lived.

[Trimming]

Thanks for the responses guys. I appreciate it.

Without going into too much detail (you never know who read these things) we are having problem with people several houses away coming onto our property, leaning on the fence, encouraging the animals to come over to them, etc. The man is not a very nice person, and I get the feeling he is the type who, if told not to do that, would retaliate by doing something to the animals. You should hear him scream at the woman who lives there and the children. He even screams at the dogs and their chickens. The children have no manners and think everything belongs to them.

I would like to make the fence ‘self-teaching’ the next time they lean on it, or god forbid, attempt to climb over. They also have large dogs who frequently escape from their yard and intimate the houses around them. If an electric fence helped prevent them from coming under/over/through the fence, even better.

The only gates to the pasture are on the other side of the property. There are no gates on the side closest to their property. I have the appropriate ‘equine risk’ signs by two of the gates. There is no reason anyone should be entering the pasture anywhere else other than the gates. I also have small farm coverage added to our homeowners insurance and an umbrella policy. But I’d rather not have to use either of them.

I’m glad to hear those of you who are/were in PA haven’t see signs.

I’ll give our zoning officer a call and ask.

[Marla_100]

The first thing I did when re-fencing my pastures was to REMOVE the back gates to neighboring properties. I had no

reasons for neighboring properties to have access to my horse pastures.

The absentee owners of the McMansion behind me put two starved, neglected horses on the acreage to eat the little

bit of grass around the home. I put up 2 strands of hot wire to keep those horses from enticing my horses to play and

mess around over the fence.

McMansion owners were foreclosed on and sold the place to some city slickers from out of state. City slickers

were part-timers for several years and had another of their neighbors oversee their place when gone. Neighbors

brought over small boy 4-5 yrs. old, unsupervised, and decided to climb my hot-wired fence. I yelled to him and he ignored me. Got zapped and

screamed and cried. Visions of a lawsuit.

I immediately checked my local laws regarding hot wire, as a result of this incident. I posted signs every 50 ft.

along that back fencing and haven’t had a problem since.

[poltroon]

In the situation you describe OP, I’d be inclined to add a sign when I added the electric. Sometimes they even come free with the fencing.

[TCA_Arabians]

Having hit a hot wire three times myself (spare me the slow learner jokes) - I can tell you it gets your attention. Once I did it with a wrench in my hand. My hand went numb. Once I did it watering - hit the hot wire with the stream of water and it traveled all the way up to my hand. Once, I was leaning over fixing something and thwacked my forehead. It hurts. I didn’t scream or cry. I swore at myself. I can see why a kid would scream. It hurts and it scares them. Mission accomplished.

[TheJenners]

I also have hit hot fence more than once. Since it is temporary, I’ve actually just used myself to test fence now and again. Not pleasant but yanno. Worse accidental one was when I hit a strand with the top of my head, wowza.

I vote for putting up the signs versus not. And also game cameras.

[JanM]

I agree with TheJenners, and also put up no trespassing signs on all fences at the distance required by your jurisdiction for trespassing charges to be filed.

[hosspuller]

A word to encourage local gov’t involvement for horse people. My area is farm friendly. But, the attempt to update some ordinances included a prohibition on current carrying and barbed /razor wire fences. Seems some of the new subdivision neighbors were fortifying their homes. :eek: Luckily, I was on the ordinance committee, and prompted a clause exempting animal containment.

[pluvinel]

@hosspuller

A word to encourage local gov’t involvement for horse people. My area is farm friendly. But, the attempt to update some ordinances included a prohibition on current carrying and barbed /razor wire fences. Seems some of the new subdivision neighbors were fortifying their homes. :eek: Luckily, I was on the ordinance committee, and prompted a clause exempting animal containment.

Yes to horse property owners getting involved…actually any large property owner should be very aware of local politics…And large means any tract larger than about 5 acres…you will be in some township’s gunsights.

And don’t trust that other “horse people” will have your back.

Just google the Newlin Township (PA) fiasco. That debacle was instigated by a local (somewhat well-known) horse vet.