1. A. The owner or custodian of an animal who surrenders the animal to an animal shelter, pound, or veterinarian for the purpose of having the animal humanely killed or for the purpose of offering the animal for adoption shall certify in writing, under penalty of perjury, that the animal:

   1. (1) If a dog, cat, ferret, or livestock, has not had bite or non-bite contact with an individual within the previous 10 days; or
   2. (2) If a wild animal, has not had bite or non-bite contact with an individual within the previous 30 days.

2. B. Except as provided in §C of this regulation, if the animal has had bite or non-bite contact with an individual within the time periods specified in §A of this regulation, the animal shelter, pound, or veterinarian shall:

   1. (1) If the animal is a dog, cat, ferret, or livestock, offer the owner or custodian, the option of:

      1. (a) Quarantining the animal for 10 calendar days at the owner’s or custodian’s expense; or
      2. (b) Humanely killing the animal and submitting the head for rabies testing; or
   2. (2) If the animal is a wild animal, immediately humanely kill the animal and submit its head for rabies testing.
3. C. The Public Health Veterinarian may waive the requirements of §B of this regulation if it is determined that the public health is not threatened.

Authority: Health-General Article, §§18-102, 18-312—18-320, and 18-604, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: April 27, 1977 (4:9 Md. R. 714)

Preface and Regulation .01 recodified to Regulation .01 and Regulation .01-1, respectively, in July 1994

Regulation .09A, B amended effective February 14, 1994 (21:3 Md. R. 193)

Regulations .01—.14 repealed and new Regulations .01—.14 adopted effective November 16, 1998 (25:23 Md. R. 1696)

Regulation .01 amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .02B amended as an emergency provision effective January 1, 2008 (35:3 Md. R. 286); emergency status extended at 35:9 Md. R. 892; amended permanently effective March 24, 2008 (35:6 Md. R. 698)

Regulation .02B amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272); February 27, 2017 (44:4 Md. R. 253)

Regulation .03C, D amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .03D amended effective May 20, 2019 (46:10 Md. R. 485)

Regulation .03E repealed effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .04 amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .04B, D amended effective February 27, 2017 (44:4 Md. R. 253)

Regulation .06E amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .07 amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .09 amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .10 amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .10B amended as an emergency provision effective January 1, 2008 (35:3 Md. R. 286); emergency status extended at 35:9 Md. R. 892; amended permanently effective March 24, 2008 (35:6 Md. R. 698)

Regulation .11 amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174)

Regulation .13B amended effective September 14, 2015 (42:18 Md. R. 1174); February 27, 2017 (44:4 Md. R. 253)