A. 
All animals shall be in compliance with COMAR 10.06.02.11, 15.11.01.03 and 15.11.01.08.
B. 
The owner or custodian of a dog, cat, or ferret four months old or older to be imported into the County for any purpose shall forward a certificate, issued by a licensed veterinarian, to the Public Health Veterinarian, within 10 days of the animal's arrival in the County, that:
(1) 
Describes the dog, cat, or ferret, documenting that it was vaccinated against rabies;
(2) 
Lists the manufacturer or brand of vaccine used;
(3) 
Lists the date or dates the vaccine was given;
(4) 
Documents that the animal is adequately vaccinated; and
(5) 
Documents that the most recent dose of vaccine was given more than 30 days before the date the animal arrived in the state.
C. 
The owner or custodian of a dog, cat, or ferret brought into the County for a period of less than 30 days is exempt from the requirement to forward a certificate to the Public Health Veterinarian as specified in Subsection B if a copy of a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian can be presented to the local Health Officer immediately when requested.
D. 
A health certificate will not be required for dogs entering the state temporarily for exhibition purposes, provided the other stated health requirements have been fulfilled.
E. 
Any dog, cat or ferret found without the required certificate of health may be impounded and quarantined.
F. 
Violations of this § 142-11 shall result in the assessment of fines as follows:
(1) 
No proof of current rabies vaccine: $50 per animal.
(2) 
No health certificate: $50 per animal.
Criminal Law Article, § 10-619, Annotated Code of Maryland
Definitions
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
"Dangerous dog" means a dog that:
(i)
without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person; or
(ii)
is determined by the appropriate unit of a County or municipal corporation to be a potentially dangerous dog and, after the determination is made:
1.
bites a person;
2.
when not on its owner's real property, kills or inflicts severe injury on a domestic animal; or
3.
attacks without provocation.
(3)
(i)
"Owner's real property" means real property owned or leased by the owner of a dog.
(ii)
"Owner's real property" does not include a public right-of-way or a common area of a condominium, apartment complex, or townhouse development.
(4)
"Severe injury" means a physical injury that results in broken bones or disfiguring lacerations requiring multiple sutures or cosmetic surgery.
Exception
(b)
This section does not apply to a dog owned by and working for a governmental or law enforcement unit.
Determination of potentially dangerous dog
(c)
An appropriate unit of a County or municipal corporation may determine that a dog is potentially dangerous if the unit:
(1)
finds that the dog:
(i)
has inflicted a bite on a person while on public or private real property;
(ii)
when not on its owner's real property, has killed or inflicted severe injury on a domestic animal; or
(iii)
has attacked without provocation; and
(2)
notifies the dog owner in writing of the reasons for this determination.
Prohibited
(d)
A dog owner shall not:
(1)
leave a dangerous dog unattended on the owner's real property unless the dog is:
(i)
confined indoors;
(ii)
in a securely enclosed and locked pen; or
(iii)
in another structure designed to restrain the dog; or
(2)
allow a dangerous dog to leave the owner's real property unless the dog is leashed and muzzled, or is otherwise securely restrained and muzzled.
Required notice
(e)
An owner of a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog who sells or gives the dog to another shall notify in writing:
(1)
the authority that made the determination under subsection (c) of this section, of the name and address of the new owner of the dog; and
(2)
the person taking possession of the dog, of the dangerous behavior or potentially dangerous behavior of the dog.
Penalty
(f)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $2,500.
A. 
Within 90 days of the dangerous dog declaration, the owner shall have the animal implanted with a microchip by a licensed veterinarian for permanent identification and register with the microchip company, and shall provide the corresponding microchip to the Animal Care and Control Authority.
B. 
An Animal Care and Control Officer shall, upon receipt of permission from the property owner or after obtaining a court-authorized search warrant, enter onto the property where a vicious or dangerous dog is to be confined [as described in § 142-12, Subsection (d)(1)] and check for compliance with the dangerous dog regulations at any reasonable time.
C. 
An Animal Care and Control Officer or law enforcement officer may pursue and destroy an animal at large that is placing the public in imminent danger or an animal in the act of attacking livestock or other domestic animals. Refer to § 11-505 of Article 24 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
[Amended 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-12]
D. 
An annual dangerous dog registration fee of $75 per dog shall be assessed for any dog declared dangerous by the Animal Care and Control Authority. The first dangerous dog registration fee shall be paid within 10 days of the declaration and annually thereafter. Failure to pay the annual dangerous dog registration fee shall result in a fine double the registration fee owed.
E. 
The owner of a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog who moves from one residence to another within Cecil County shall inform the Animal Care and Control Authority in writing of the change of address within 30 days.
F. 
Violations of § 142-9, Impoundment and redemption of dangerous dogs, shall result in the assessment of fines as follows:
(1) 
Violations of § 142-9A and E: $100.
(2) 
Violations of § 142-9B: up to $2,500.