10 rules for unincorporated Baltimore County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Baltimore County Code 12-2-402 lets a person keep hens on an owner-occupied lot under one acre only with a license from Permits, Approvals and Inspections, consistent with Zoning Regulations §§100.6 and 418. Roosters are banned on lots under one acre.
Baltimore County Code § 12-2-402
A person may only own or keep a hen on an owner-occupied property that is less than one acre ... in accordance with a license issued by the Director. ... A person may not own or keep a rooster on a lot that is less than one acre.
Baltimore County Code 12-3-110 prohibits owners from letting any animal run at large. Off its owner's premises, a dog must be controlled by a leash, cord, or chain. Exceptions cover permitted private property, hunting, and designated county dog parks.
Baltimore County Code §§ 12-1-101, 12-3-110
"Animal at large" includes any dog off the premises of its owner and not under the control of the owner or other responsible person by a leash, cord, or chain. ... An owner of an animal may not allow the animal to be an animal at large.
Baltimore County Code Article 12 contains no breed-specific ban and does not single out pit bulls. Maryland's 2014 legislation reversed the 2012 court ruling that had imposed strict liability on pit-bull owners, so no breed is banned or presumed dangerous countywide.
Baltimore County's animal code (Article 12) sets no beekeeping rules. Honeybees are regulated by the state: Maryland's Apiary Inspection Law requires beekeepers to register colonies annually with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Hive placement follows county zoning and nuisance rules.
Baltimore County Code 12-7-101 bars keeping a wild animal on your premises for any purpose without the Health Officer's approval. A permit issued by Permits, Approvals and Inspections requires all applicable state and federal permits. Maryland also bans dangerous exotics like big cats and primates.
Baltimore County Code § 12-7-101
A person may not keep or allow to be kept on the person's premises a wild animal for any purposes without the approval of the Health Officer. ... The Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections may issue a permit on recommendation of the Health Officer.
Baltimore County's animal code sets no specific prohibition on feeding wildlife such as deer. Feeding that draws animals or creates unsanitary or nuisance conditions can be cited under the county's public-nuisance and waste provisions, and Maryland DNR regulates deer feeding statewide.
Baltimore County Code defines livestock as cattle, sheep, swine, goats, or horses. Keeping livestock is governed by the Zoning Regulations (stabling/pasturing under BCZR §100.6) and lot size; the animal code requires that stables and outbuildings be kept free of offensive filth and stench.
Baltimore County Code § 12-1-101; § 12-3-102; BCZR § 100.6
"Livestock" means domestic animals generally collected, used, or raised on a farm or ranch, including cattle, sheep, swine, goats, or horses. ... "Livestock" does not include Asian pot-bellied pigs.
Baltimore County has no ordinance named 'hoarding,' but Article 12's cruelty, care, and sanitation rules cover it. Owners must supply wholesome food and water, keep stables and outbuildings free of filth and stench, and may not cruelly treat or neglect animals. Overcrowding can trigger seizure.
Baltimore County Code § 12-3-103; § 12-3-101; § 12-3-102
A person may not: (1) Beat, cruelly treat, torment, overload, overwork, or otherwise abuse any animal ... A person may not abandon an animal on public or private property.
Baltimore County has no flat cap on pets, but its code defines a 'fancier' as anyone owning more than three dogs or cats for noncommercial purposes. Keeping more than three, or breeding/boarding for a fee, triggers fancier-kennel or holding-facility licensing and zoning compliance.
Baltimore County Code § 12-1-101; § 12-6-101
"Fancier" means a person who owns or keeps more than three dogs or cats for noncommercial purposes, including hunting, practice tracking, or exhibition in dog or cat shows or field or obedience trials.
Baltimore County requires cats over four months to be licensed and vaccinated against rabies (12-5-102). Cats count toward the three-animal 'fancier' threshold. A female cat in heat may not be left outdoors, and the code recognizes a Trap-Neuter-Return feral-cat program.
Baltimore County Code § 12-4-102; § 12-5-102
The owner, agent, or custodian of any female dog or cat in oestrus "heat" shall guard and protect the dog or cat so that she will not be out of doors except: (1) Within a fenced area on the owner's property on a leash and accompanied by the owner ...
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