§ 3581. General requirements
(a) A person who is the owner of a dog or wolf-hybrid more than six months old shall annually
on or before April 1 cause it to be registered, numbered, described, and licensed
on a form approved by the Secretary for one year from that day in the office of the
clerk of the municipality in which the dog or wolf-hybrid is kept. A person who owns
a working farm dog and who intends to use that dog on a farm pursuant to the exemptions
in section 3549 of this title shall cause the working farm dog to be registered as a working farm dog and shall,
in addition to all other fees required by this section, pay $5.00 for a working farm
dog license. The owner of a dog or wolf-hybrid shall cause it to wear a collar and
attach a license tag issued by the municipal clerk to the collar. Dog or wolf-hybrid
owners shall pay for the license $4.00 for each neutered dog or wolf-hybrid, and $8.00
for each unneutered dog or wolf-hybrid. If the license fee for any dog or wolf-hybrid
is not paid on or before April 1, its owner or keeper may thereafter procure a license
for that license year by paying a fee of 50 percent in excess of that otherwise required.
(b) Before a person shall be entitled to obtain a license for a neutered dog or wolf-hybrid,
he or she shall exhibit to the clerk a certificate signed by a duly licensed veterinarian
showing that the dog or wolf-hybrid has been sterilized.
(c)(1) A mandatory license fee surcharge of $4.00 per license shall be collected by each
city, town, or village for the purpose of funding the dog, cat, and wolf-hybrid spaying
and neutering program established in chapter 193, subchapter 6 of this title.
(2) An optional license fee surcharge of up to $10.00 per license is to be implemented
by the legislative body of a city, town, or village that has established an animal
and rabies control program for the sole purpose of funding the rabies control program.
(3) The license fee surcharges in this subsection shall not be considered part of the
license fee for purposes of calculating a penalty for late payment.
(d) Before obtaining a license for a dog or wolf-hybrid six months of age or older, a
person shall deliver to the municipal clerk a certificate or a certified copy thereof
issued by a duly licensed veterinarian, stating that the dog or wolf-hybrid has received
a current preexposure rabies vaccination with a vaccine approved by the Secretary,
and the person shall certify that the dog or wolf-hybrid described in the certificate
or copy is the dog or wolf-hybrid to be licensed. The municipal clerk shall keep the
certificates or copies thereof on file. The Secretary shall prescribe the size and
format of rabies certificates. The owner of any such dog or wolf-hybrid shall maintain
a copy of the rabies vaccination form and provide it to State or municipal officials
upon request.
(e) For the purposes of licensing a dog or wolf-hybrid, a current vaccination against
rabies means that:
(1) All dog and wolf-hybrid vaccinations recognized by State and local authorities shall
be administered by a licensed veterinarian or under the supervision of a licensed
veterinarian.
(2) All dogs and wolf-hybrids over three months of age shall be vaccinated against rabies.
The initial vaccination shall be valid for 12 months. Within nine to 12 months of
the initial vaccination, the animal must receive a booster vaccination.
(3) All subsequent vaccinations following the initial vaccination shall be valid for 36
months.
(4) All vaccinations, including the initial vaccination, shall be with a U.S. Department
of Agriculture-approved three-year rabies vaccine product.
(f) In addition to the license fees assessed in subsections (a) and (c) of this section
and section 3583 of this title, municipal clerks shall assess a $3.00 fee for each license sold. The clerks shall
forward the fees collected under this subsection to the State Treasurer on or before
the 15th day of May, September, and January of each year, together with an accounting
of the licenses sold. The funds collected under this subsection are to be used for
rabies control programs and for administration of animal welfare laws in the State.
For this purpose, on or before the 30th days of May, September, and January, the State
Treasurer shall disburse the funds collected under this subsection as follows:
(1) 14.85 percent to the Fish and Wildlife Fund;
(2) 14.85 percent to the Commissioner of Health;
(3) 3.3 percent to the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets; and
(4) 67 percent to the Animal Welfare Fund created by section 3203 of this title. (Amended 1965, No. 36, § 1, eff. April 28, 1965; 1966, No. 62 (Sp. Sess.), § 1; 1977, No. 215 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 12, 1978; 1979, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Feb. 28, 1980; 1989, No. 256 (Adj. Sess.), § 10(a); eff. Jan. 1, 1991; 1993, No. 213 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. April 1, 1995; 2001, No. 39, § 5; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2003, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 37, 38; 2007, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 2009, No. 48, § 9, eff. May 28, 2009; 2015, No. 57, § 31; 2017, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), § 144; 2021, No. 20, § 199; 2023, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. January 1, 2025.)