{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-122","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Local Government § 13–122","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) The County Commissioners of Garrett County, by ordinance, may\nprovide for a comprehensive system for the regulation of dogs and cats.\n(2) The ordinance may provide for:\n(i) the licensing and control of dogs and cats;\n(ii) seizing and disposing of unlicensed or dangerous dogs and\ncats; and\n(iii) civil or criminal penalties for a violation of an ordinance\nenacted in accordance with this section.\n(3) The county commissioners may provide that a violation of an\nordinance relating to dogs and cats shall be prosecuted in the same manner as\nprovided for municipal infractions under Title 6 of this article.\n(b) (1) In Garrett County, on or before July 1 of each year, a person\nowning or keeping a dog shall apply to the county tax collector for a license for the\ndog if the dog is at least 6 months old.\n(2) At the time of application, the applicant shall pay the fee for a dog\nor kennel license set by the County Commissioners of Garrett County.\n(3) Except as provided in § 13–108 of this subtitle, the licenses and\nfees required under this section are the only licenses and fees required for owning or\nkeeping a dog.\n(4) The county commissioners shall prepare and supply the form for\na license issued under this subsection.\n(5) A dog license shall contain the date of issuance, a serial number,\nand a description of the dog licensed.\n(6) A license expires on July 1 of the year after issuance.\n(c) (1) In Garrett County, the county tax collector shall issue a tag with\neach dog license to a person owning or keeping a dog when the person pays the license\nfee for the dog.\n(2) The County Commissioners of Garrett County shall prepare and\nsupply tags to the county tax collector each year.\n(3) The tags shall be:\n(i) composed of metal;\n(ii) imprinted with a serial number corresponding to the\nnumber on the license issued to the owner under subsection (b) of this section;\n(iii) imprinted with the calendar year for which the tag is\nissued;\n(iv) 1 inch or less in length; and\n(v) equipped with a substantial metal fastener.\n(4) The county commissioners shall change the general shape of the\ntags each year.\n(5) Tags supplied to owners of kennels shall contain the word\n“kennel”.\n(6) The person owning or keeping a dog shall attach the tag to a\nsubstantial collar and keep the collar and tag on the dog for which the license was\nissued at all times, except when the dog is:\n(i) confined in a kennel; or\n(ii) hunting under the charge of an attendant.\n(7) The county tax collector shall replace a lost tag on:\n(i) application by the person to whom the original license was\nissued;\n(ii) the production of the license; and\n(iii) payment of a fee of 25 cents.\n(d) (1) The County Commissioners of Garrett County may designate a\nregular or contract employee to provide animal control services.\n(2) The county commissioners may adopt an animal control\nordinance for:\n(i) licensing dogs, kennels, and pet shops;\n(ii) controlling rabid animals; and\n(iii) disposing of uncontrolled, vicious, or sick animals.\n(3) The county commissioners may adopt an animal control\nordinance to designate a private agency or unit of county government to:\n(i) enforce the ordinance adopted under paragraph (2) of this\nsubsection;\n(ii) maintain records regarding the licensing, impounding, and\ndisposing of animals coming into the custody of the private agency or unit of county\ngovernment; and\n(iii) enter into contracts or agreements to provide for the\ndisposal of animals.\n(4) The county commissioners may adopt an animal control\nordinance to provide for the designation of animal control shelters in the county.\n(5) (i) An animal control officer in Garrett County may issue and\ndeliver a citation to a person believed to be committing a violation of an animal control\nordinance.\n(ii) 1. The animal control officer shall keep a copy of the\ncitation.\n2. The citation shall bear a certification attesting to the\ntruth of the matters set forth in the citation.\n(iii) The citation shall contain:\n1. the name and address of the person charged;\n2. the nature of the violation;\n3. the location and time of the violation;\n4. the amount of the fine;\n5. the manner, location, and time in which the fine may\nbe paid; and\n6. a notice of the person’s right to elect to stand trial\nfor the violation.\n(6) (i) The county commissioners may adopt an animal control\nordinance to create a quasi–judicial animal control authority for the county to hold\npublic hearings to decide citations, complaints, and other controversies arising under\nthe animal control ordinance, other than those filed with the District Court.\n(ii) Hearings held under this subsection are subject to the right\nof a party to file a petition for judicial review in the circuit court.\n(iii) The county commissioners may adopt rules and\nregulations to govern hearings held under this subsection.\n(7) (i) A person who receives a citation under this section may\nelect to stand trial for the violation by filing with the animal control officer a notice\nof intention to stand trial at least 5 days before the date set forth in the citation for\nthe payment of fines.\n(ii) After receiving a notice of intention to stand trial, the\nanimal control officer shall forward the notice to the District Court, with a copy of the\ncitation.\n(iii) After receiving the citation and notice, the District Court\nshall schedule the case for trial and notify the defendant of the trial date.\n(iv) All fines, penalties, or forfeitures collected by the District\nCourt for violations of an ordinance adopted under this section shall be remitted to\nGarrett County.\n(v) In a proceeding before the District Court, a violation of an\nordinance adopted under this section shall be prosecuted in the same manner as a\nmunicipal infraction under Title 6 of this article.\n(vi) The county commissioners may authorize the County\nAttorney, the State’s Attorney, or another attorney to prosecute a violation of an\nordinance adopted under this section.\n(vii) If the District Court finds that a person has committed a\nviolation of an ordinance adopted under this section, the person is liable for the costs\nof the court proceedings.\n(8) (i) The county commissioners may adopt an animal control\nordinance to provide that each violation of an ordinance adopted under this section is\na misdemeanor and on conviction a person is subject to imprisonment not exceeding\n30 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.\n(ii) The county commissioners may:\n1. establish a schedule of additional fines for each\nviolation; and\n2. adopt procedures for the collection of fines.\n(iii) 1. If a person who receives a citation under this section\nfor a violation fails to pay the fine by the date of payment set forth on the citation and\nfails to file a notice of intention to stand trial, a notice of the violation shall be sent to\nthe person’s last known address.\n2. If the citation is not satisfied within 15 days after\nthe date the notice of violation is mailed, the person is subject to an additional fine\nnot exceeding twice the amount of the original fine.\n3. If the person who receives the citation does not pay\nthe citation by the 36th day after the notice of violation is mailed, the animal control\nofficer may request the District Court to adjudicate the violation.\n4. After the animal control officer requests\nadjudication, the District Court shall schedule the case for trial and summon the\ndefendant to appear.","path":["Article - Local Government"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=glg\u0026section=13-122","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:58Z","sha256":"1a0a116a566bb900bf5099aa9d04eba227a3b8587b3c7cee21033ab598a23fd3","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-121","next":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-123"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}