Animal Ordinances in Carroll County, MD (2026)
11 rules for unincorporated Carroll County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Carroll County zoning caps backyard fowl by lot size and bans roosters at every tier under § 158.075.02(A)(8): six birds under one acre, 12 on one to two acres, 18 on two to three acres, with coops set back 75 feet from the property line. A private stable for one animal unit needs at least three acres under (A)(11).
Carroll County Backyard Fowl and Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 158.075.02(A)(8), (11)
(8) Fowl as an accessory use in the rear yard to any dwelling in any Residential District in accordance with the following: (a) Parcels less than one acre are permitted up to six fowl and no roosters. (b) One to two acres are permitted up to 12 fowl and no roosters. (c) Parcels two to three acres are permitted up to 18 fowl and no roosters. (d) Any structure housing fowl must be at least 75 fee...
Dog Leash Laws
Carroll County requires every dog to be under restraint or effective control at all times, caps outdoor tethering at 12 hours a day, and sets minimum tether length and swivel requirements, all enforced by Animal Control.
Carroll County Dog Restraint Requirements
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.05
(A) The owner of a dog shall keep the dog under restraint or effective control at all times. ... (C) The owner of a dog shall not tie, chain, cable, or in any way tether a dog outside for more than 12 hours a day. (D) A tether to confine a dog shall be a minimum of four and one-half times the length of the dog (nose to tail base) and under no circumstances less than ten feet long. (E) The tethe...
Breed Restrictions
Carroll County has no breed ban; instead it lets the Animal Care and Control Authority declare any animal "vicious" or a "public nuisance" based on its actions, then mandates confinement, muzzling and possible destruction, with a ten-day appeal window.
Carroll County Dangerous Dog Rules
Significant RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.08
Every vicious animal, as determined by the Animal Care and Control Authority, shall be confined by the owner within a building or secure enclosure and shall be securely muzzled or caged whenever off the premises of its owner, or restrained as otherwise directed by the Animal Care and Control Authority.
Exotic Pets
Carroll County bans private citizens from possessing or harboring a potentially dangerous or vicious wild animal anywhere within the county. The single-sentence rule at § 90.10 is a flat prohibition, not a permit system, and it is enforced under the county's general Chapter 90 animal penalty.
Carroll County Ban on Dangerous Wild Animals
Heavy RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.10
No private citizen may possess or harbor a potentially dangerous or vicious wild animal within the geographic boundaries of the county.
Pet Limits
Carroll County doesn't cap ordinary pets outright, but keeping more than three adult dogs for sale purposes reclassifies the property as a "Dog Fancier's Kennel," requiring Zoning Administrator or Board of Zoning Appeals approval plus an annual county permit.
Carroll County Household Dog Limits
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.01
KENNEL, DOG FANCIER’S. Any premises on which any person harbors or keeps with approval from the Zoning Administrator or BZA, more than three adult dogs and, for the purpose of selling them, does not breed more than two litters per year.
Cat Rules
Carroll County exempts cats from the leash/restraint and licensing rules that bind dogs, but its code still defines a "feral cat" and gives Animal Control discretion to euthanize undomesticated or very young impounded cats immediately.
Carroll County Cat Ownership Rules
Light RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.05
(B) The owner of an animal shall prevent the animal, except a cat, from leaving the owner’s property unattended or unrestrained.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Carroll County does not mandate spay/neuter for every pet owner, but § 90.13 requires any unclaimed dog or cat released for adoption to be sterilized first, or released only with a written agreement guaranteeing sterilization, unless the Animal Care and Control Authority grants an exemption.
Carroll County Adoption Sterilization Rule
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.13
No unclaimed dog or cat shall be released for adoption without being sterilized, or without a written agreement from the adopter, guaranteeing that such animal will be sterilized, unless exempted by the Animal Care and Control Authority. Failure to comply with the terms of the agreement guaranteeing the sterilization of the adopted animal shall constitute a violation of this chapter and shall c...
Microchipping
Carroll County doesn't require microchips for every pet, but once the Animal Care and Control Authority declares an animal vicious and appeals run out, the owner must have it microchipped within ten days and hand over the chip data.
Carroll County Vicious Animal Microchip Rule
Light RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.08
Upon determination by the Animal Care and Control Authority that an animal is vicious and after the exhaustion of any appeals, the owner shall have the animal microchipped for permanent identification by a licensed veterinarian within ten days and the corresponding microchip data shall be given to the Animal Care and Control Authority.
Pet Groomer Rules
A grooming shop is a "commercial animal establishment" under Carroll County's animal code and cannot open without a $175 annual permit from the Animal Care and Control Authority, issued only after an inspection for humane-care compliance.
Carroll County Pet Grooming Shop Permit
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 90.01, § 90.03
COMMERCIAL ANIMAL ESTABLISHMENT. Any pet shop, grooming shop, zoological park, circus, animal exhibition, cattery, or kennel. ... (A) No person, partnership, or corporation shall operate a commercial establishment, zoological park, or animal shelter without first obtaining a permit in compliance with this section. ... (F) ... (12) For each grooming shop: $175;
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Carroll County's zoning use tables let veterinary facilities operate by-right in the Agricultural District and only by conditional-use approval in the Conservation District, but § 158.040(B)(2) doubles the standard 200-foot distance requirement to 400 feet from nearby residences for any veterinary facility in those two districts.
Carroll County Veterinary Facility Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 158.040(A)-(B)(2)
(A) Any uses or buildings subject to compliance with this section, as referenced in § 158.051, § 158.071.01, § 158.075.01, § 158.076, § 158.097 or § 158.082(A), shall be located at least 200 feet from: (1) Any lot in a Residence District. (2) Any residential lot of less than three acres in the A or C District. (3) On adjoining lots of three acres or more, minimum separ...
Bird Protection
Carroll County bans hunting, harming, trapping, or feeding wild birds and animals on county park land under Code of Ordinances § 94.017. The rule covers reptiles and birds as well as mammals, forbids removing or possessing any wild creature found in a park, and exempts only Maryland's cooperative hunting program. Violators face the park chapter's misdemeanor penalty.
Carroll County Park Wildlife and Bird Protection
Heavy RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 94.017
(A) Interference with wild animals. No person in a park shall hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, chase, tease, shoot, or throw objects at any wild animal, reptile, or bird; nor shall any person remove or have in his or her possession any wild animal, reptile, or bird. This section does not apply to the cooperative hunting program conducted by the State of Maryland. (B) Feeding. No...
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