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<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="13-123" 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 governing body of Harford County, by resolution or ordinance, may provide for a comprehensive system for the regulation of dogs.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The resolution or ordinance may provide for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the licensing and control of dogs;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the establishment of separate dog control districts with separate resolutions or ordinances applicable solely within each district;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>seizing and disposing of dogs found to be dangerous to persons and property; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>reasonable penalties for a violation of a resolution or ordinance enacted in accordance with this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In Harford County, on or before December 31 of each year, a person owning or keeping a dog shall apply to the county tax collector for a license for the dog if the dog is at least 6 months old.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>At the time of application, the applicant shall pay a fee of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>$1 for a license for a male or spayed female dog;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>$3 for a license for an unspayed female dog;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>$10 for a kennel license for a person owning or keeping 25 or fewer dogs; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>$20 for a kennel license for a person owning or keeping more than 25 dogs.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Except as provided in § 13–108 of this subtitle, the licenses and fees required under this section are the only licenses and taxes required for owning or keeping a dog.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The governing body of Harford County shall prepare and supply the form for a license issued under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A dog license shall contain the date of issuance, a serial number, and a description of the dog licensed.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>A license expires on December 31 of the year after issuance.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In Harford 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 governing body of Harford 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 under subsection (b) of this section;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>imprinted with the calendar year for which the tag is issued;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>1 inch 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 governing body 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 person owning or keeping a dog shall attach the tag to a substantial collar and keep the collar and tag on the dog for which the license was issued at all times, except when the dog is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>confined in a kennel; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>hunting under the charge of an attendant.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <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 25 cents.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In Harford County, a person may not own or keep a dog that disturbs the peace of a neighborhood or is vicious and bites any individual.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The barking of a hunting dog in pursuit of game is not a disturbance of the peace for the purpose of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection or a court order issued under paragraph (4) of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $25 for each offense.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The District Court in Harford County shall issue a summons to the owner or keeper of a dog to appear before the District Court if a sworn complaint is received from a person alleging that the dog:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>disturbs the peace of a neighborhood in the county; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>is vicious and has bitten an individual.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>After a finding that the dog disturbs the peace of a neighborhood or is vicious and has bitten an individual, the District Court may require the owner or keeper to surrender the dog to be euthanized in the most humane manner possible or remove the dog permanently from the neighborhood.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>If the District Court requires the owner or keeper to surrender the dog to be euthanized or removed in accordance with subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, and the owner or keeper fails to comply, a police officer or an agent of the county shall seize the dog and cause it to be euthanized in the most humane manner possible.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The District Court may order the dog restrained or issue any other appropriate order.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In Harford County, the owner of a female dog that is in heat may not allow the dog to be outdoors either loose or on a leash.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for a first violation, a fine of $25; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>for each subsequent violation, a fine of not less than $100 and not exceeding $200.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The governing body of Harford County may designate persons to assist the county tax collector to collect license fees and issue licenses and tags under this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>In Harford County, a law enforcement officer who witnesses a violation of a resolution or an ordinance enacted in accordance with this section may issue a citation for that violation and bring the violator before the District Court in Harford County.</text>
  </level>
</section>
