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<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="13-115" title_number="13" title_name="Other Powers of Counties -- Regulatory" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Regulation of Animals">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County shall set the fees for dog licenses in Calvert County.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Before establishing or altering a license fee, the county commissioners shall advertise the proposed fee for 2 successive weeks in at least two newspapers of general circulation in the county.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A license expires 1, 2, or 3 years after the date of issue, as specified by county law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In Calvert County, the county tax collector shall issue a tag with each dog license to a person owning or keeping a dog when the person pays the license fee for the dog.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County shall prepare and supply tags to the county tax collector each year.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The tags shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>composed of metal;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>imprinted with a serial number corresponding to the number on the license issued to the owner;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>imprinted with the calendar year for which the tag is issued;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>2 inches or less in length; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>equipped with a substantial metal fastener.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The county commissioners shall change the general shape of the tags each year.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Tags supplied to owners of kennels shall contain the word “kennel”.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The county tax collector shall replace a lost tag on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>application by the person to whom the original license was issued;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the production of the license; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>payment of a fee of 50 cents.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County may adopt rules and regulations for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>issuing dog licenses;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>keeping records of dog licenses;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>enforcing the rules and regulations; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>any other matter concerning dogs the county commissioners consider necessary for the public health, safety, and welfare.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The county commissioners may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>by ordinance, provide for the regulation, humane treatment, and keeping of domestic animals;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>by resolution, provide for the quarantine of all dogs in the county if the county commissioners determine that quarantine is necessary for the public health, safety, and welfare; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>by ordinance, provide a penalty for a violation of an ordinance enacted under this subsection of imprisonment not exceeding 30 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A fine imposed in accordance with an ordinance enacted under this subsection shall be paid to the Calvert County Treasurer.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County may create an Animal Matters Hearing Board to resolve disputes and controversies arising under animal control ordinances adopted under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The county commissioners may authorize an Animal Matters Hearing Board to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>issue a subpoena to compel parties in a dispute to appear before the Board;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>assess a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 for a violation of an ordinance adopted under subsection (c) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>collect a civil penalty imposed under this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County may construct or lease, operate, and maintain an animal shelter in the county.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The county shall pay for the animal shelter and its operation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The county commissioners may enter into agreements with adjacent counties to establish an animal shelter to serve the counties.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A dog running at large in Calvert County without the proper license tag attached is a nuisance and is subject to seizure, detention, and euthanasia.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Whenever possible, the animal control officer or deputy animal control officer shall seize and impound a dog found running at large in the county without the proper license tag attached.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>If an animal control officer or a deputy animal control officer is not able to catch a dog running at large in the county without a proper license tag, the animal control officer or deputy animal control officer may shoot or otherwise kill the dog.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County, by ordinance, may provide that an owner of a dog may not allow the dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, to run at large within a platted subdivision or district zoned residential if:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a petition requesting the ordinance is submitted to the county commissioners and signed by a majority of the residents of the platted subdivision or district zoned residential, with a designation of the boundary limits of the specific area; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the county commissioners advertise the proposed ordinance and a public hearing on the ordinance for 2 successive weeks in two newspapers of general circulation in the county.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The county commissioners shall designate the boundary limits of each area affected as part of any ordinance enacted under this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A dog impounded under this section shall be held for its owner for 72 hours.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A dog shall be released to its owner or an agent of the owner during the 72 hours if the owner or agent:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>provides satisfactory proof of ownership;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>pays the fee that the county commissioners set to cover the costs of seizing and impounding the dog; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>presents a proper license for the dog.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If a dog impounded under this subsection is not redeemed by its owner within 72 hours:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the owner forfeits all rights of ownership to the dog;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the dog becomes the property of the county; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the dog shall remain impounded for at least an additional 48 hours.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>During the additional 48 hours, any person may obtain ownership of the dog by paying the fee for the costs of seizing and impounding the dog and by purchasing a license for the dog.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>An animal control officer or a deputy animal control officer may euthanize, in the most humane manner possible, a dog impounded under this subsection that is not redeemed within 120 hours from the time of its seizure.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
