Rockville, MD Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Neither Rockville nor Montgomery County maintains breed-specific bans or restrictions. In 2014, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation under Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article 3-1901 that overturned the Tracey v. Solesky ruling, which had imposed strict liability on pit bull owners. The new law reinstated the one-bite negligence standard for all dog breeds equally, meaning no breed is deemed inherently dangerous under Maryland law. Montgomery County uses a behavior-based dangerous dog declaration system under County Code Chapter 5. Any dog that bites or attacks a person may be declared dangerous by Animal Services, regardless of breed. Once declared dangerous, the dog owner faces requirements including secure confinement, liability insurance, muzzling in public, and visible warning signage. Rockville City Code Chapter 3 incorporates these animal control standards. Owners of all dog breeds are equally responsible for controlling their animals and preventing bites. The county operates under a one-bite approach where the first documented incident triggers investigation and potential dangerous dog classification.