{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-criminal-law-10-603","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Criminal Law § 10–603","heading":"","body":"Sections 10–601 through 10–608 and 10–626 of this subtitle do not apply to:\n(1) customary and normal veterinary and agricultural husbandry practices including dehorning, castration, tail docking, and limit feeding;\n(2) research conducted in accordance with protocols approved by an animal care and use committee, as required under the federal Animal Welfare Act or the federal Health Research Extension Act;\n(3) an activity that may cause unavoidable physical pain to an animal if the person performing the activity uses the most humane method reasonably available, including:\n(i) food processing;\n(ii) pest elimination;\n(iii) animal training; and\n(iv) any hunting or fishing activity completed in accordance with Title 4 or Title 10 of the Natural Resources Article or any regulations adopted under those titles; or\n(4) normal human activities in which the infliction of pain to an animal is purely incidental and unavoidable.","path":["Article - Criminal Law"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcr\u0026section=10-603","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:57:08Z","sha256":"a642bd42ad925bc4a086bade28c21f4df39a4fdc86d3275415a16f9cbec5c5b3","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-criminal-law-10-602","next":"us-md/md.-code-criminal-law-10-604"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}