Baltimore County, MD Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- No animal may be at large
- First-violation penalty
- $30 civil penalty
- Repeat-violation penalty
- $150 civil penalty
- Hearing request window
- 5 business days
- Stray holding period
- 72 hours before adoption/disposal
- Enforcing officer
- Health Officer / Animal Control Officer
Summary
Baltimore County Code § 12-3-110 flatly bars owners from letting any animal run at large. The code defines "at large" as off the owner's property and not on a leash, cord or chain under the owner's control, with narrow exceptions for permitted dog parks, hunting and neighbor-permitted visits.
§ 12-3-110. - ANIMAL AT LARGE PROHIBITED. An owner of an animal may not allow the animal to be an animal at large... Animal at large.(1)(i)"Animal at large" means any animal off the premises of its owner and not under the control, charge, or possession of the owner or other responsible person.(ii)"Animal at large" includes any dog off the premises of its owner and not under the control of the owner or other responsible person by a leash, cord, or chain.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29 | Zoning Regulations: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
" The definition carves out four exceptions: a dog on another property with that owner's or lessee's permission; a dog hunting or training for hunting (except on county or Board of Education land); a feral cat bearing an eartip from a Trap-Neuter-Return program; and a dog inside the fenced area of a county-designated dog park. An animal picked up at large is impounded under § 12-3-201, which requires the Animal Services Division to hold it for a 72-hour statutory period (after notice attempts) before it can be placed for adoption or otherwise disposed of, unless the animal is under three months old, in which case the holding period does not apply.
Violations & Fines
Because § 12-3-110 falls under the general civil penalty schedule in § 12-1-110(f), a first at-large violation carries a $30 civil penalty and a repeat violation carries $150, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense. The Health Officer serves the violation notice by posting it on the property, certified mail, or hand delivery, and the owner has five business days to pay in full or request a hearing before the Animal Hearing Board; failing to request a hearing within that window waives both the hearing and any later appeal to the Board of Appeals. Beyond the civil track, any violation of Article 12 is also a misdemeanor under § 12-1-112, and the county may separately seek an injunction under § 12-1-113 to enjoin the violation and require restoration of a property affected by it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an animal 'at large' in Baltimore County?
How much is the fine for an unleashed dog?
What happens if my dog is picked up as a stray?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
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