Howard County requires cats, like dogs, to be licensed annually and kept currently vaccinated against rabies from four months of age. Cats must not run at large onto neighbors' property, but the county has no strict cat leash mandate.
Under Howard County's animal control law, cat owners must purchase an annual county license for each cat and must continuously maintain a rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and ferrets that are four months of age and older. A domesticated animal, including a cat, is "at large" when it is off the owner's property and not under a responsible person's control, and owners must keep animals from becoming a nuisance to neighbors. Howard County participates in trap-neuter-return efforts for community cats. There is no cat-specific leash requirement, but a cat causing damage or repeatedly trespassing can lead to complaints and impoundment by Animal Control.
Failure to license a cat or maintain its rabies vaccination is enforced by Howard County Animal Control with civil citations and fines. Cats found at large or creating a nuisance may be impounded, with reclaim fees owed by the owner.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Howard County allows residential backyard composting and actively promotes it. The county runs a Feed the Green Bin curbside food-scrap collection and sells ...
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Howard County has no ordinance specifically prohibiting or requiring artificial turf for residential yards. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed, but becaus...
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Howard County places no restriction on planting native or pollinator gardens. Maryland's low-impact landscaping law (House Bill 322, 2021) bars homeowners as...
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Howard County does not ban rainwater harvesting. Rain barrels and cisterns are legal and actively promoted through the county's Live Green Howard and stormwa...
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Howard County has no year-round odd/even watering ban. Water use is limited only when the state declares a drought. Under Maryland's Level One Mandatory Rest...
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Howard County's adopted Property Maintenance Code requires exterior premises to be kept free of weeds and rank plant growth, but it applies only to rental an...
See how Howard County's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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