Charles County, MD Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Charles County's dangerous-animal rules run through the Board created under Chapter 230 of the County Code. 5E lets it impose any or all of eight conditions on the owner or custodian: no outdoor tethering, a secure fenced enclosure with a locked, buried or concrete-anchored kennel, leash-and-attended handling on the property, a posted three-inch-lettered 'dangerous dog' sign at each entrance to the confinement area, muzzling and a six-foot leash whenever the animal leaves the property, mandatory neutering, and, under subsection E(7), mandatory microchipping at the owner's expense with the chip number reported to Animal Control.

5F. 5H an officer can order immediate correction and cite the owner, or impound the animal if the violation cannot be fixed on the spot. An impounded animal is released once the owner shows compliance and pays fees and penalties; if the owner cannot show compliance or fails to reclaim the animal within 72 hours, it is humanely euthanized. Repeat offenders get a chance to explain the repeat violation to the Board before it sets penalties.