Maryland Criminal Law Sections 10-604 through 10-606 prohibit aggravated and general animal cruelty statewide, including failure to provide nutritious food, proper drink, air, space, shelter, and protection that constitutes hoarding.
Md. Code Ann., Criminal Law Section 10-604 makes it a misdemeanor to deprive an animal of necessary sustenance, inflict unnecessary suffering, or cruelly kill an animal. Section 10-606 elevates aggravated cruelty to a felony. While Maryland lacks a hoarding-specific statute, prosecutors apply the cruelty law to hoarding cases involving large numbers of animals kept in conditions that cause suffering. Local jurisdictions may enact additional animal welfare ordinances under Section 10-617, but the state cruelty floor applies uniformly. Convictions can include forfeiture of animals and prohibitions on future ownership.
Misdemeanor up to $1,000 fine and 90 days; felony aggravated cruelty up to 3 years and $5,000.
Takoma Park, MD
Takoma Park sets residential decibel limits at 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime under Ordinance 2002-35. If ambient noise already exceeds these thresholds...
Takoma Park, MD
Takoma Park adopts Montgomery County construction noise standards (MoCo Code 31B-6) by reference. Weekday construction is allowed 7 AM to 5 PM at up to 75 dB...
Takoma Park, MD
Outdoor music in Takoma Park must comply with 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime limits. Events with amplified outdoor music require a temporary waiver requ...
Takoma Park, MD
Under Chapter 14.12 Section 9, no person may allow a dog or other animal to persistently, habitually, or continuously bark, howl, or yelp causing a noise dis...
Takoma Park, MD
Industrial and commercial noise in Takoma Park must meet the same residential decibel limits as all other sources: 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime at the...
Takoma Park, MD
Takoma Park has among the strictest leaf blower rules in the DC metro. The city noise ordinance (Ch. 14.12, Sec. 8) caps all leaf blowers at 70 dBA at 50 fee...
See how Takoma Park's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
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