Subtitle 4 – Animal Protection

customary and normal veterinary and agricultural husbandry practices, including dehorning, castration, tail docking, and limit feeding;

a laboratory where scientific research is carried out under regulation of a Maryland or federal agency;

an activity that may cause unavoidable physical pain to an animal, including food processing, pest elimination, animal training, and hunting, if the person performing the activity uses the most humane method reasonably available; or

normal human activities in which the infliction of pain to an animal is purely incidental and unavoidable.

In this section, “abandon” means to desert, forsake, or absolutely give up an animal without having secured another owner or custodian for the animal’s care.

No person may abandon any animal that the person owns, keeps, restrains, or confines, whether as a pet or for any other purpose.

If an animal has been impounded and is not reclaimed by its owner or custodian after having been impounded for 72 hours, the animal is considered to be abandoned and becomes the property of the City.

If a person releases and transfers ownership of an animal to the Office or to an animal shelter, that is not an abandonment.

If a feral cat caregiver releases a feral cat in accordance with an approved program to trap, alter, vaccinate, ear tip, and return feral cats, the feral cat is not considered abandoned.

teasing, torturing, tormenting, beating, killing, deliberately inciting, intentionally injuring, mutilating, intentionally hitting with a vehicle, overdriving, overloading, or otherwise abusing an animal;

subjecting an animal to conditions detrimental to its health and general welfare;

administering poison to an animal or knowingly placing or leaving any poisonous or other harmful substance with the intent to injure or kill any animal other than vermin;

inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on an animal or causing unnecessary injury, suffering, of death of an animal under the individual’s charge or custody;

leaving any domestic animal unattended in a parked, standing, or stopped vehicle in a manner that endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the animal;

confining, tethering, or allowing an animal to remain in outside areas during period of extreme weather without access to proper shelter;

hoarding, accumulating, or maintaining a number of animals in a single location, if the number of animals overwhelms a person’s ability to provide nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care or the person fails to acknowledge the deteriorating health of the animal or condition of the dwelling or facility; or

causing, arranging, permitting, or authorizing any of the actions listed in this section.

No person may:

No animal show may be conducted or held if any animal is induced or encouraged to perform through the use of any chemical, mechanical, electrical, or manual device that is likely to cause physical injury, pain, or suffering.

All equipment used on or by a performing animal must fit properly and be in good working condition.

No person may tether a dog under unsafe conditions, including harsh or extreme weather conditions, that endanger its health, safety, or welfare.

No person may tether a dog:

as a prize for or as an inducement to enter any contest, game, or other competition;

as an inducement to enter a place of amusement; or

as an incentive to enter into any business agreement.

kill, injure, molest, or attempt to kill, injure, or molest, in any way, any bird; or

destroy, remove, or attempt to destroy or remove, any box placed in any tree or other suitable place in the City for the use of these birds.