Local Government - Animal Control - Dogs At Large (Dog Leash Laws)

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Local Government - Animal Control - Dogs At Large (Dog Leash Laws)

Requiring each county and municipality to adopt certain laws or ordinances prohibiting a dog from being at large; providing the Act may not be construed to preempt a local government from enacting and enforcing more stringent measures; and stating it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Act be applied and interpreted to recognize the definition of the term "running at large" as used by the Appellate Court of Maryland in Blitzer v.

What This Bill Does

• Requiring each county and municipality to adopt certain laws or ordinances prohibiting a dog from being at large; providing the Act may not be construed to preempt a local government from enacting and enforcing more stringent measures; and stating it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Act be applied and interpreted to recognize the definition of the term "running at large" as used by the Appellate Court of Maryland in Blitzer v.
• Breski, 259 Md.
• App.
• 257 (2023).

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

Requiring each county and municipality to adopt certain laws or ordinances prohibiting a dog from being at large; providing the Act may not be construed to preempt a local government from enacting and enforcing more stringent measures; and stating it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Act be applied and interpreted to recognize the definition of the term "running at large" as used by the Appellate Court of Maryland in Blitzer v. Breski, 259 Md. App. 257 (2023).

Current Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1568*

HOUSE BILL 1568
L6 6lr3546

By: Delegate Ross
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Local Government – Animal Control – Dogs At Large 2
(Dog Leash Laws) 3

FOR the purpose of requiring each county and municipality to adopt local laws or 4
regulations prohibiting a dog from being at large; and generally relating to local laws 5
regulating animal control. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Local Government 8
Section 1–1321 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Local Government 14

1–1321. 15

(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES. 16

(B) EACH COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITY SHALL ADOPT A LOCAL LAW: 17

(1) PROHIBITING THE OWNER OF A DOG FROM ALLOWING A DOG TO 18
BE AT LARGE; 19

(2) ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR THE I MPOUNDMENT OF A DOG 20
FOUND AT LARGE BY AN ANIMAL CONTROL UNIT OR OTHER ENFORCEMENT ENTITY; 21
AND 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1568

(3) ESTABLISHING PENALTIES FOR A VIOL ATION, INCLUDING CIVIL 1
AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 2

(C) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO PREEMPT A L OCAL 3
GOVERNMENT FROM ENAC TING AND ENFORCING MORE STRINGENT MEASURES 4
THAN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That it is the intent of the General 6
Assembly that this Act be applied and interpreted to recognize the definition of the term 7
“running at large” as used by the Appellate Court of Maryland in Blitzer v. Breski, 259 Md. 8
App. 257 (2023). 9

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
October 1, 2026. 11