{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-129","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Local Government § 13–129","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) In St. Mary’s County, on or before June 30 of each year, a person\nowning or keeping a dog shall apply to the Animal Control Division of the Department\nof Emergency Services and Technology for a license for the dog if the dog is at least 6\nmonths 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 St. Mary’s County.\n(3) (i) The county commissioners shall appoint agents to collect\ndog and kennel license fees that are not paid by August 1 of each year.\n(ii) A penalty of $1.00 per license shall be assessed against dog\nowners whose dog or kennel license fees are not paid by August 1 each year.\n(4) Except as provided in § 13–108 of this subtitle, the licenses and\nfees required under this section shall be the only licenses and fees required for owning\nor keeping a dog.\n(5) The county commissioners shall prepare and supply the form for\na license issued under this subsection.\n(6) A dog license shall contain the date of issuance, a serial number,\nand a description of the dog licensed.\n(7) A license expires on June 30 of the year after issuance.\n(b) (1) In St. Mary’s County, the Animal Control Division of the\nDepartment of Emergency Services and Technology shall issue a tag with each dog\nlicense to a person owning or keeping a dog when the person pays the license fee for\nthe dog.\n(2) The County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County shall prepare\nand supply tags to the Animal Control Division of the Department of Emergency\nServices and Technology 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 (a) 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 general shape of the tags shall remain unchanged from year\nto 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 Animal Control Division of the Department of Emergency\nServices and Technology 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(c) (1) The County Commissioners may enact a local law to provide a\ncomprehensive system for the regulation, humane treatment, and keeping of\ndomestic animals and wild animals kept in captivity.\n(2) A local law enacted in accordance with this subsection may\ninclude a schedule of fines for designated violations.\n(3) A violation of a local law enacted in accordance with this\nsubsection is a civil infraction under § 12–804 of this article.\n(d) (1) The County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County may employ an\nanimal control officer.\n(2) The county shall determine the annual salary of the animal\ncontrol officer employed under this section.\n(3) An animal control officer employed under this section:\n(i) has all the powers of a peace officer; and\n(ii) shall seize and dispose of unlicensed dogs as prescribed by\nthe county commissioners.\n(e) (1) The County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County may provide an\nanimal shelter for the placement of dogs seized by animal control officers.\n(2) The county commissioners may enter into agreements with\nadjacent counties to establish an animal shelter to serve the counties.\n(3) The county commissioners may contract with an animal welfare\nsociety, a humane society, or any other qualified person to:\n(i) establish an animal shelter; or\n(ii) seize, dispose of, or euthanize stray, injured, or sick dogs.\n(4) (i) The County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County may pay\nany expenses arising from the operation of this subsection.\n(ii) Notwithstanding § 13–105(d) of this subtitle, the county\ncommissioners may use proceeds from dog license fees to:\n1. establish an animal shelter; or\n2. collect, dispose of, or euthanize stray, injured, or sick\ndogs.","path":["Article - Local Government"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=glg\u0026section=13-129","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:58Z","sha256":"473ca3796a5b099c1898ab3e43d54e36fdfe04501e0a2f7ab880fe2d074310fa","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-128","next":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-130"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}