# Part 1. Definitions and General Provisions

Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.

## Part 1. Definitions and General Provisions

### Sec. 3-149. Animal holding facility license

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-149 (2026)

No person may own or operate an animal holding facility in the County without an appropriate animal holding facility license for each location where the facility is in operation.

### Sec. 3-150. Animal holding facility license defined

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-150 (2026)

Animal holding facility license shall mean and refer to the license required to be obtained and held by any animal holding facility under this Subdivision, without regard to the type or types of facility licensed. The Department, subject to the provisions of this Subdivision, shall issue animal holding facility licenses which shall be denominated according to the type of facility licensed.

### Sec. 3-151. Application for animal holding center license

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-151 (2026)

(a) Every person required to obtain and hold an animal holding center license shall make application for an animal holding center license to the Department upon forms prescribed by the Director. The application shall be accompanied by an annual license fee as prescribed herein. A Use and Occupancy permit is required for each animal holding center.

(b) The applicant for an animal holding facility license shall make his application to the Department upon a form prescribed by the Director. The application shall be signed by the proprietor, if an individual, or by the president or vice president, if a corporation, or by a general partner, if a partnership. The application shall state the name and address of the individual applicant; name, location, and the business address of the animal holding facility; the name and home and business address of the manager or operator of the facility; the name and regular business address of the applicant; and the species and number of animals to be housed in the animal holding facility. The application shall also specify the type or types of animal holding facility for which a license is sought. The Administrator may promulgate regulations requiring additional information in the application.

(c) A combined license may be obtained when a person desires to operate more than one type of animal holding facility at the same location. The applicant for a combined license shall be required to meet the standards for each type of facility and shall pay a combined fee which shall be:

  (1) The highest single license fee for the animal holding facilities to be operated; and

  (2) One-half of each remaining license fee.

### Sec. 3-152. Inspection of Center

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-152 (2026)

(a) The Administrator shall inspect the applicant's establishment and determine whether it is in satisfactory condition and properly operated under the provisions of this Subtitle. The Administrator shall determine the species which may be housed or held in the center. The Administrator shall issue regulations setting forth standards and criteria for determining the maximum number of animals of different type or species to be maintained in an animal holding center.

(b) The Administrator shall conduct additional unannounced inspections of animal holding facilities in the County during regular business hours to insure compliance by the facilities with the requirements of this Subtitle and the regulations promulgated by the Administrator.

(c) The Administrator shall request the assistance of the Health Officer in making determinations when appropriate.

(d) If reinspection is required due to the applicant's failure to comply with provisions of this Subtitle or other regulations, the applicant shall be charged Ten Dollars ($10.00) upon the first reinspection and Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00)for any subsequent reinspection.

### Sec. 3-153. Issuance of animal holding facility license

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-153 (2026)

If the Administrator and/or the Health Officer determine that the establishment is in satisfactory condition and properly operated under the provisions of this Subtitle, the Department shall issue to the applicant an animal holding facility license upon a form of certificate prescribed by the Director. The license certificates shall be consecutively numbered, shall state the year of issuance and period of effectiveness, and shall state the location of the animal holding facility licensed, the type of animal holding facility or facilities licensed, the type or species, and maximum number of animals to be maintained therein. The license shall be conspicuously placed for public viewing.

### Sec. 3-154. License transferability

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-154 (2026)

(a) Animal holding center licenses are not transferable. The new owner or operator of the animal holding center shall make application to the Department pursuant to this Subdivision.

(b) The Director may issue a temporary license to the new owner or operator of an existing animal holding center to permit its continuing operation pending the Director's decision on the license application.

(c) The temporary license may be issued, provided:

  (1) The application by the new owner or operator for the regular animal holding facility license has been filed with the Department; and

  (2) The facility is not the subject of a pending Animal Control violation or citation upon which final action has not been completed.

(d) The temporary license shall be valid until the Director's decision is rendered on the application for the regular license. Issuance of the temporary license does not bar a decision by the Director to deny the application pursuant to Section 3-155(a).

### Sec. 3-155. Denial, suspension, or revocation of animal holding center license

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-155 (2026)

(a) The Director shall deny any application for an animal holding center license if the Administrator or the Health Officer determines that the applicant's establishment is in violation of the general standards or specific standards prescribed herein.

(b) The Director may suspend or revoke the animal holding facility license of any licensee if he determines that the licensee's establishment is in violation of, or is not operated in accordance with, the general standards prescribed below or the specific standards applicable to the licensee's animal holding facility.

(c) The Director shall give written notice of the denial, suspension, or revocation of an animal holding facility to the licensee at the address shown upon the animal holding facility license certificate. The notice shall specify in detail the facts from which the Director determines that the licensee's establishment is in violation of this Subtitle.

(d) The denial, suspension, or revocation of an animal holding facility license shall be effective on the date set forth therein, which effective date shall be not sooner than fifteen (15) days after the date of the written notice to the licensee.

(e) The decision of the Director to deny, suspend, or revoke an animal holding facility license shall be final, except as provided in Section 3-156.

### Sec. 3-156. Appeal of decision to deny, suspend, or revoke an animal holding center license

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-156 (2026)

(a) The decision of the Director to deny, suspend, or revoke an animal holding facility license may be appealed by the applicant or licensee to the Board of Administrative Appeals.

(b) The applicant or licensee must give written notice of its appeal to the Board of Administrative Appeals within thirty (30) days from the date of the written notice of the decision to deny, suspend, or revoke the license.

(c) The filing of an appeal shall not negate the effectiveness of the Director's decision unless and until the Director's disposition is reversed on appeal.

(d) An appeal of a decision to suspend or deny the renewal of or to revoke a license shall suspend the operation of that decision.

(e) The Board of Administrative Appeals shall conduct a public hearing. In appeals from a denial of a license, the applicant shall have the burden of proof to establish his entitlement to a license. In an appeal from the suspension, revocation, or denial of renewal of a license, the Department shall have the burden of proof to establish by preponderance of the evidence that the suspension, revocation, or denial of renewal was correct. The Board of Administrative Appeals shall decide only whether the action of the Director was supported by substantial evidence. The applicant or licensee shall have the opportunity to present evidence, to cross-examine witnesses for the Department, and may be represented by an attorney at any hearing. Failure on the part of the applicant or the licensee to appear for the hearing shall be deemed a waiver of the right to a hearing.

### Sec. 3-157. Term of animal holding facility license; renewal

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 3-157 (2026)

Animal holding facility licenses shall be valid from the date of issuance for a period of one calendar year. The licensee must apply to the Department for renewal. Application for renewal, accompanied by the annual animal holding facility license fee, shall be made not less than thirty (30) days before the expiration date without penalty. Failure to make timely application for an initial license or for renewal of a license shall result in the assessment by the Department of a penalty of fifty percent (50%) in addition to the full annual license fee. The Director, upon receipt of an application for renewal of a license, shall conduct an inspection of the licensed establishment and shall determine whether it continues to comply with the provisions of this Subtitle.