Cecil County, MD Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Retail sale ban
- none; sales are allowed, standards apply
- License needed
- annual pet shop license
- Failed inspection
- sales/adoptions suspended until compliant
- Psittacine birds
- need state exotic-bird permit
- Standard violation fine
- up to $100
- Closing without approval
- $500 fine
Summary
Cecil County does not ban retail pet stores from selling dogs and cats. Section 142-28 instead lets a licensed pet shop sell animals as long as it passes Animal Care and Control inspections and meets sanitary, feeding, and housing standards; failing an inspection suspends all sales and adoptions until the shop is back in compliance.
A. Failure to pass an inspection will result in suspension of the sale and adoption of animals until the pet shop comes into compliance upon reinspection. ... C. ... All pet shops, including pet shops run in conjunction with any other business, shall, in addition to all other requirements of law, comply with the minimum standards for maintaining satisfactory sanitary and housing requirements established by the County and State Departments of Health and the Animal Care and Control Authority. The annual licensing fee shall be established by resolution of the County Council, upon the recommendation of the County Executive. ... F. ... Violations of this § 142-28, unless otherwise stated, shall result in the assessment of fines up to $100.
Full Breakdown
Section 142-28 of the Code of Cecil County sets the operating standards a pet shop must meet to sell animals, rather than restricting the sale to adoption-only. A shop that fails inspection has its sale and adoption activity suspended until reinspection shows compliance. Beyond that, every pet shop must comply with minimum sanitary and housing standards set jointly by the County and State Departments of Health and the Animal Care and Control Authority, and must pay an annual licensing fee set by County Council resolution.
The chapter's detailed standards require nutritious food and clean water at all times, with mammals under three months fed at least three times daily; clean, nonporous cages large enough for an animal to stand, turn, and stretch fully; hot water with commercial disinfectant kept at a minimum of 110°F for washing dishes and cages; and clean, algae-free tanks for fish, with dead fish removed immediately. A pet shop that sells psittacine (parrot-family) birds must also comply with Health Department requirements and obtain the State of Maryland's exotic bird permit.
The Animal Care and Control Authority can suspend, revoke, or refuse a pet shop license for misrepresentation or failure to maintain these standards, and a pet shop must file a closure application and pass a closure inspection before shutting down.
Violations & Fines
Violating the pet shop standards of §142-28, unless a specific fine is stated elsewhere in the chapter, draws a fine of up to $100. Closing a licensed pet shop before the Animal Care and Control Authority approves the closure application is a separate violation under §142-29B, carrying a fine of $500 in addition to any other applicable fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a pet shop in Cecil County sell dogs and cats, or is it adoption-only?
What standards must a Cecil County pet shop follow?
What happens if a pet shop fails its County inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cecil County
Compare Cecil County to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
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