Frederick, MD Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

City Code Sec. 3-1(b)(11) amends Frederick County Code Sec. 1-5-34(A) by adding a sentence at the end of that subsection: a multiple domestic animal license or blanket kennel or cattery license will not be issued for any animal that has not been spayed or neutered. This is a licensing condition, not a blanket mandatory spay/neuter law for individually owned pets; a single dog or cat kept under an ordinary individual license is not required to be altered under this provision. The rule applies specifically to owners seeking a license to keep multiple animals, or to operate a kennel or cattery, within City limits, since Frederick has adopted Frederick County Code Chapter 1-5 as its own animal control ordinance under Sec.

3-1(a). The County's Division of Animal Control administers licensing and enforcement inside the City the same way it does in the unincorporated county, per Sec. 3-2, and any conflict between the county provisions and Frederick's amendments is resolved in favor of Frederick's amendment under Sec. 3-4.