Animal Ordinances in Gaithersburg, MD (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Gaithersburg, Maryland, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Gaithersburg lets residents keep chickens and other domestic fowl at home, but City Code § 4-7 caps a residential lot at six birds and sets strict placement rules. Enclosures must sit at least 30 feet from any neighboring inhabited dwelling and 5 feet from property lines, or the flock must clear a 200-foot setback instead.
Gaithersburg Backyard Chicken and Fowl Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 4-7
(a)Fowl should be kept in a secure pen or enclosure that is at least thirty (30) feet from any inhabited dwelling other than the residence of the person keeping the fowl, and the enclosure shall be at least five (5) feet from any adjoining property lines...(d)It shall be unlawful for any person to keep more than six (6) fowl at any residential location within the city unless the enclosure for t...
Dog Leash Laws
A dog off its owner's property in Gaithersburg must be on a leash and under a capable handler's effective control; being 'at large' without that restraint is declared an animal public nuisance under City Code § 4-4(a)(1), except in city-designated dog exercise areas.
Gaithersburg Dog Leash and At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code §§ 4-1, 4-4(a)(1)
At large. With the exception of city designated dog exercise areas, an animal shall be deemed to be "at large" if it is either: off the premises of its owner/custodian; on private property other than that of its owner/custodian; or on common grounds owned by a homeowners association or jointly by co-owners of a condominium, and is not on a leash and under the restraint of a responsible person p...
Breed Restrictions
Gaithersburg does not name or restrict any dog breed. Instead, City Code § 4-5 lets the city manager declare an individual animal 'potentially dangerous' or 'dangerous' based on its own demonstrated behavior, triggering mandatory secure confinement, a leash cap, signage and other conditions regardless of breed.
Gaithersburg Dangerous Animal Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 4-5(a)
(a)Potentially dangerous animals. The city manager or designee may deem any of the following to be a potentially dangerous animal:(1)Any animal that chases, approaches in a threatening manner or otherwise menaces a person or another domestic animal in a manner exhibiting an aggressive or attack demeanor;(2)Any animal with a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack, without provocati...
Beekeeping
Beekeeping in Gaithersburg is permitted under Maryland Agriculture Article 5-501, which requires every beekeeper to register each apiary annually with the Maryland Department of Agriculture before April 1. There is no Gaithersburg-specific ban or municipal permit requirement for keeping bees. The state registration allows the State Apiary Inspector to track colony health and inspect for diseases such as American foulbrood and varroa mite infestations. Montgomery County zoning (Chapter 59) may impose accessory-use conditions in specific residential zones, and hive placement should follow general nuisance setback principles to avoid creating disturbances for neighbors. Best management practices recommended by the Maryland Beekeepers Association include maintaining a flyway barrier of at least 6 feet near property lines, providing an on-site water source, and keeping colony numbers appropriate to the lot size. The MDA Apiary Inspection program provides free guidance and disease testing for registered beekeepers throughout the state.
Gaithersburg Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsMaryland Department of Agriculture – Apiary Inspection; COMAR 15.07.01 (Apiary Inspection Regulations)
Apiary Inspection. Maintaining healthy honey bee colonies is very important to Maryland agriculture. Crops valued in excess of $40 million require or benefit from honey bee pollination in the State. Managed colonies are increasingly important since most wild honey bees have died due to parasitic mites. Apiary inspectors work with beekeepers to help them maintain healthy colonies. Inspectors vis...
Exotic Pets
Gaithersburg bans keeping wild and exotic animals as pets outright. City Code § 4-101 makes it unlawful to sell, keep, board or exhibit any 'prohibited animal,' a list that names monkeys, alligators, raccoons, foxes, bears, sea mammals, poisonous snakes and any non-domestic cat, plus every domestic farm animal from horses to goats.
Gaithersburg Prohibited Wild Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 4-101
(a)No person shall sell, exchange, exhibit, giveaway, donate, board, harbor, foster, keep or permit to be kept on their premises as a pet, or as a source of eggs, or keep with the intent to slaughter as food, a prohibited or dangerous animal. Prohibited or dangerous animals are those animals defined in section 4-1 of this chapter....Prohibited animal. Any domestic farm animal including, but not...
Wildlife Feeding
Feeding or otherwise attracting wild animals and rabies-vector species like raccoons, foxes, skunks, deer and groundhogs is unlawful in Gaithersburg under City Code § 4-6, though elevated feeders for wild birds and small mammals are allowed if they exclude deer and vector species.
Gaithersburg Wildlife Feeding Restrictions
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 4-6
(a)It is unlawful for a person to use an attractant or otherwise to engage in any activity or behavior that is intended to attract, to encourage the tameness of or to otherwise encourage any wild animal or any designated rabies vector species to be unafraid of human activity.(b)Attractants may be placed solely for the purpose of feeding wild birds and small mammals if placed in feeding devices ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Gaithersburg has no citywide spay/neuter mandate for pets, but City Code § 4-5(b)(5) and (e)(6) require a dog declared 'potentially dangerous' or 'dangerous' to be neutered and/or microchipped, at the owner's expense, within a period the city manager sets.
Gaithersburg Mandatory Neuter Rule for Dangerous Dogs
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 4-5(b)(5)
The owner(s) of any animal deemed potentially dangerous shall:(1)Keep the animal inside of the owner's residence or in a secure enclosure which will prevent direct contact between him and the public and other animals;(2)When the animal is restrained by a leash, ensure that the leash does not exceed six (6) feet in length...(5)Comply with any and all other requirements set forth by the city mana...
Pet Store Rules
Gaithersburg does not ban pet shops or commercial kennels from selling dogs, cats or other animals, but City Code § 4-81 makes it unlawful to operate one without an annual license from the animal control officer, who must inspect the premises before issuing or renewing it. Plain pet supply stores selling only supplies need no license.
Gaithersburg Pet Shop Licensing Requirements
Significant RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 4-81
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person, association, corporation or entity to operate, establish or maintain a pet shop or commercial kennel, either independently or as part of another commercial enterprise, without first obtaining an annual license therefore from the animal control officer. No license shall be required to operate a pet supply store or that portion of a business premises not op...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Gaithersburg city rules.
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