Howard County, Maryland

Sec. 17.301. – Rabies vaccinations; licenses and tags; fees.

(b) Dog and Cat Licenses. A dog or cat license is issued by the Department in accordance with this subsection.

(1) License required. Unless the animal is kept temporarily for sale at a commercial kennel or other commercial facility, an individual who owns or has custody of a dog or cat over the age of six months shall obtain a license for the animal from the Department within 30 days after establishing residency in the County or within 30 days after the animal reaches the age of six months.

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(e) Fees. Based upon recommendations from the Board, the Animal Control Administrator, and the Director, the County Council shall adopt a resolution approving a schedule of fees for animal control services and license fees that:

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(3) In order to encourage owners to have their animals altered, shall provide that the license fee for altered dogs and cats is lower than the fee for unaltered dogs and cats;

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(5) Shall provide that if every dog and cat in the person’s residence has been altered, there is a single license fee that covers the issuance of a license for each dog or cat owned by a person who, within his or her residence or in its immediate vicinity, owns or keeps three or more dogs or cats which are altered;

Sec. 17.311. – Adoption.

(c) Persons Not Eligible to Adopt. The following persons are not eligible to adopt an animal unless the Animal Matters Hearing Board permits them to do so upon appeal:

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(6) A person who has not complied with the spaying and neutering provisions of this subtitle in the prior adoption of an animal.

(d) Spaying/Neutering of Adopted Animals:

(1) Within a period to be specified by the Administrator, depending on the age, sex, health, and species of the animal, an adopted animal shall be spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian at the expense of the adopter.

(2) The Administrator may issue an adopter a cease and desist order and a civil citation for failure to spay or neuter an adopted animal within the specified period. The Administrator shall rescind the cease and desist order and civil citation if the adopter returns the adopted animal to the animal control facility or provides proof that the animal has been spayed or neutered prior to the payment due date specified on the citation. Each month the violation continues is a separate offense.

Sec. 17.314. – Contractual services.

(b) Spaying and neutering clinic:

(1) County clinic. The Chief of Police may establish a clinic at which citizens may have dogs and cats spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian. The Chief of Police may contract for spaying and neutering services to be performed by licensed veterinarians at their own places of business.

(2) Medical care. The spaying and neutering shall be performed in a humane manner. Each animal to be spayed shall receive a presurgical examination by the licensed veterinarian. The animal shall receive a rabies vaccination if proof of a current vaccination cannot be provided by the owner.

(3) Fees. The fee for neutering or spaying shall be determined by the Chief of Police. If a rabies vaccination is necessary, a separate fee shall be assessed.

(4) Ownership consent. The owner of the animal shall certify ownership or authority to seek the service and shall sign a consent to the surgery.

(5) Retrieval of animal. The owner shall retrieve the animal on a date specified by the clinic. Failure to retrieve the animal on the date specified may result in an additional charge for board. Any animal not retrieved within three working days after the specified date shall be deemed to be abandoned.