{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-123","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Local Government § 13–123","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) The governing body of Harford County, by resolution or\nordinance, may provide for a comprehensive system for the regulation of dogs.\n(2) The resolution or ordinance may provide for:\n(i) the licensing and control of dogs;\n(ii) the establishment of separate dog control districts with\nseparate resolutions or ordinances applicable solely within each district;\n(iii) seizing and disposing of dogs found to be dangerous to\npersons and property; and\n(iv) reasonable penalties for a violation of a resolution or\nordinance enacted in accordance with this section.\n(b) (1) In Harford County, on or before December 31 of each year, a\nperson owning or keeping a dog shall apply to the county tax collector for a license for\nthe dog if the dog is at least 6 months old.\n(2) At the time of application, the applicant shall pay a fee of:\n(i) $1 for a license for a male or spayed female dog;\n(ii) $3 for a license for an unspayed female dog;\n(iii) $10 for a kennel license for a person owning or keeping 25\nor fewer dogs; or\n(iv) $20 for a kennel license for a person owning or keeping\nmore than 25 dogs.\n(3) Except as provided in § 13–108 of this subtitle, the licenses and\nfees required under this section are the only licenses and taxes required for owning\nor keeping a dog.\n(4) The governing body of Harford County shall prepare and supply\nthe form for a 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 December 31 of the year after issuance.\n(c) (1) In Harford 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 governing body of Harford County shall prepare and supply\ntags 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 governing body shall change the general shape of the tags\neach 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) In Harford County, a person may not own or keep a dog that\ndisturbs the peace of a neighborhood or is vicious and bites any individual.\n(2) The barking of a hunting dog in pursuit of game is not a\ndisturbance of the peace for the purpose of this subsection.\n(3) A person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection or a court\norder issued under paragraph (4) of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and\non conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $25 for each offense.\n(4) (i) The District Court in Harford County shall issue a\nsummons to the owner or keeper of a dog to appear before the District Court if a sworn\ncomplaint is received from a person alleging that the dog:\n1. disturbs the peace of a neighborhood in the county;\nor\n2. is vicious and has bitten an individual.\n(ii) After a finding that the dog disturbs the peace of a\nneighborhood or is vicious and has bitten an individual, the District Court may\nrequire the owner or keeper to surrender the dog to be euthanized in the most\nhumane manner possible or remove the dog permanently from the neighborhood.\n(iii) If the District Court requires the owner or keeper to\nsurrender the dog to be euthanized or removed in accordance with subparagraph (ii)\nof this paragraph, and the owner or keeper fails to comply, a police officer or an agent\nof the county shall seize the dog and cause it to be euthanized in the most humane\nmanner possible.\n(iv) The District Court may order the dog restrained or issue\nany other appropriate order.\n(e) (1) In Harford County, the owner of a female dog that is in heat may\nnot allow the dog to be outdoors either loose or on a leash.\n(2) A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor\nand on conviction is subject to:\n(i) for a first violation, a fine of $25; and\n(ii) for each subsequent violation, a fine of not less than $100\nand not exceeding $200.\n(f) The governing body of Harford County may designate persons to assist\nthe county tax collector to collect license fees and issue licenses and tags under this\nsubtitle.\n(g) In Harford County, a law enforcement officer who witnesses a violation\nof a resolution or an ordinance enacted in accordance with this section may issue a\ncitation for that violation and bring the violator before the District Court in Harford\nCounty.","path":["Article - Local Government"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=glg\u0026section=13-123","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:58Z","sha256":"80a7983ec9ce76e54dc118a215c20cc34e052ebd1f08263029b3b550eb7b27f7","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-122","next":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-124"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}