{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-134","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Local Government § 13–134","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) In Worcester 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 Worcester 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(b) (1) In Worcester County, the county tax collector shall issue a tag\nwith each dog license to a person owning or keeping a dog when the owner pays the\nlicense fee for the dog.\n(2) The County Commissioners of Worcester County shall prepare\nand supply 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 (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 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(c) (1) The County Commissioners of Worcester County may adopt rules\nand regulations, by resolution or ordinance, to provide for:\n(i) issuing dog licenses;\n(ii) keeping records of all sales of licenses;\n(iii) designating persons authorized to sell licenses; and\n(iv) seizing and disposing of dogs found running at large in the\ncounty.\n(2) Before the county commissioners adopt a rule or regulation in\naccordance with this subsection, a summary of the proposed rule, regulation,\nresolution, or ordinance shall be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation in\nthe county once each week for 2 successive weeks, to provide any person an\nopportunity to be heard.\n(3) The rules and regulations shall include standards and shall\noperate uniformly.\n(4) Subject to paragraph (5) of this subsection, the county\ncommissioners may delegate, by written contract, the enforcement of the rules and\nregulations.\n(5) (i) The county commissioners shall reserve the right to cancel\na written contract executed in accordance with paragraph (4) of this subsection.\n(ii) A cancellation under this paragraph:\n1. may be without notice or recourse, if the cancellation\nis for cause; or\n2. requires notice at least 30 days before cancellation,\nif the cancellation is without cause.\n(6) A person who violates a rule or regulation adopted in accordance\nwith this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine:\n(i) for a first offense, not exceeding $25; and\n(ii) for each subsequent offense, not exceeding $100.\n(d) (1) The County Commissioners of Worcester County may appoint\nanimal control officers.\n(2) An animal control officer appointed under this subsection:\n(i) has all the powers of a peace officer;\n(ii) may sell and issue dog licenses; and\n(iii) may seize and dispose of stray, injured, unlicensed,\ndiseased, or vicious dogs, in accordance with rules and regulations of the county\ncommissioners.\n(3) The county commissioners may provide for the compensation of\nan animal control officer appointed under this subsection.\n(e) (1) The County Commissioners of Worcester County may provide\nanimal shelters where dogs seized by an animal control officer may be placed.\n(2) The county commissioners may enter into an agreement with any\nadjacent county to establish an animal shelter to serve the counties.\n(3) Notwithstanding § 13–105(d) of this subtitle, the county\ncommissioners may use the proceeds from dog license fees to:\n(i) establish and maintain an animal shelter; and\n(ii) collect, care for, or euthanize dogs.","path":["Article - Local Government"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=glg\u0026section=13-134","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:58Z","sha256":"a343eef3fd54762b543208488a5a0722300c149367a0480da03a08510a8eac06","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-133","next":"us-md/md.-code-local-government-13-201"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}