Queen Anne's County, MD Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Section 9-13 of the Queen Anne's County Code names grooming directly. The list of commercial animal establishments includes a grooming shop and a mobile grooming establishment, and the definition reaches any business whose primary or secondary purpose is the sale, transfer, or conveyance of any animal or animal service for money. Grooming is an animal service, so both fixed and mobile groomers sit inside the license requirement. The only exemption is for facilities owned or operated by a government agency or entity, and services deemed livestock or domestic livestock under the chapter are excluded from the definition.

Commercial animal establishments cannot operate without a license, and licenses are renewed annually. A new groomer applies to the Animal Control Commission with a completed application form and written verification from the Queen Anne's County Department of Planning and Zoning that the application complies with zoning and land use regulations and is a permitted use, or that they do not apply to the use proposed. Fees come from the animal control regulations and are paid to the Animal Control Office. An Animal Control Officer inspects the facility, the Commission reviews the application, and the license issues on approval.

Three operating rules follow. The license must be displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises. An Animal Control Officer can inspect, at any time and unannounced, all animals and all areas where animals are kept or have access, and failure to allow inspection can result in suspension or revocation of the license. And every facility location is a separate enterprise requiring an individual license, so a groomer with a second shop needs a second license. If the business is sold, the new owner can have the license transferred after a successful inspection and payment of a transfer fee to the Animal Control Office. A person found guilty of cruelty to animals cannot be issued a license without approval of the Commission (§ 9-13H).