Anne Arundel County, MD Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Second unaltered impoundment within 12 months
- Cost
- Owner pays sterilization before redemption
- Appeal window
- 5 days to Animal Care and Control Commission
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Animal Care and Control
- Applies to
- Whole county, including unincorporated communities
Summary
Anne Arundel County requires owners to have a dog or cat spayed or neutered at their own expense before redeeming it, once that animal has been impounded unaltered twice within 12 months.
(f) Spay or neuter conditions. If a dog or cat that is not spayed or neutered is impounded two times within a 12-month period, the owner shall have the animal spayed or neutered at the owner’s expense prior to redemption unless the owner appeals to the Commission within five days after the date of the condition being imposed and the Director, following a recommendation from the Commission, waives this requirement or orders other action.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-93: County Code is current through May, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under County Code § 12-4-504(f), Anne Arundel County conditions release of an impounded dog or cat on sterilization once the animal has been picked up unaltered twice within 12 months: the owner pays for the spay or neuter before taking the animal home. An owner can contest the condition by filing a written appeal with the Animal Care and Control Commission within five days, and the Director may waive or modify the requirement on the Commission's recommendation. This impoundment-triggered mandate applies countywide, including unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park, since the County Code is their only local law; Annapolis and Highland Beach are separately incorporated and governed by their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Redeeming an impounded, unaltered dog or cat after a second impoundment within 12 months without proof of spaying or neutering violates the redemption condition; the Department may withhold the animal until sterilization is completed or the Commission grants a waiver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Anne Arundel County require pet owners to spay or neuter their animals?
Can the mandatory spay/neuter condition be waived?
Does this rule apply in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.