Talbot Humane

Donate

Talbot County Animal Control Authority

  • Talbot County Animal Control is a contract service. Talbot Humane is contracted to enforce the Talbot County Code Chapter 15- Animals and the Maryland State Anti-cruelty laws 40 hour per week.
  • Due to limited staffing of 2 officers for the entire county 365 days a year, Talbot Humane provides after hours officer services ONLY for emergencies within Talbot County as the refer to domestic animals. The response after hours is limited to sick or injured domestic animals, extreme acts of cruelty and neglect, severe bite cases and assistance of law enforcement.
  • Stray animals may be held by the citizen and brought into the shelter the next day when staff arrives. Officers do not pick up general stray animals after office hours due to limited resources and staffing. 

Questions about Talbot County Animal Control or to make a complaint regarding violations of the county ordinance or state laws should be directed to 410-822-0107. 

Licensing and Redemption Fees for Dogs and Cats

Set by the Talbot County Council for Talbot County Animal Control Authority

Licenses- Dog and Cat                                                            

Altered:                $5.00/animal                   

Unaltered           $25.00/animal                 

  • Talbot county no longer provides a bulk licenses.
  • Each animal on the property must be licensed individually unless you are considered a boarding, breeding, training or animal rescue facility. Those businesses fall under the Talbot County Facilities Licensing ordinance.                              
  • Each license expires on June 30th of every year.   
  • Form to submit for Dog/Cat license: download and submit Dog/Cat License Form with payment to P.O. Box 1143 Easton, MD 21601 or email info@talbothumane.org   
    • If you wish for your licenses to be mailed please add $1.50 to your total.            

NEW 2020 Talbot County Facilities Licensing:

[Added 4-9-2019 by Bill No. 1408]
The owner of a boarding, breeding, training, animal rescue and/or pet sale facility shall be required to obtain a license from the Animal Control Authority to operate such facility. Full ordinance and requirements may be found HERE

 

 

Redemption Fees for animals found violating the Talbot County Code 15.4 These fees are set annually by the Talbot County Council                      

Altered:                                        

  • 1st impound         $35.00                
  • 2nd Impound       $75.00                 
  • 3rd + impound    $150.00                                                                         

Unaltered:                                         

  • 1st impound         $45.00                
  • 2nd Impound      $135.00                              
  • 3rd + impound   $300.00                               

This includes FVRCP vaccine for cats and DAPPV vaccine for dogs upon admission.                                                      

Board:   $15/day per animal                       

Rabies vaccine if not current:  Cost of vaccination at owner’s veterinary hospital- required to release animal from custody.          

Bordetella:  $10.00                 

Flea and Tick treatment:   $10.00                 

 

TALBOT COUNTY MD CODE CHAPTER 15: ANIMALS

Full code may be found here: http://ecode360.com/10154532

AT LARGE:

An animal which is not on the owner’s property or under the immediate physical control of a responsible person capable of physically restraining it; provided, however, that dogs will be permitted to run at large when accompanied by the owner, bailee, or authorized agent if the dog is being used or trained for hunting, or is being accompanied by its owner, bailee, or authorized agent on horseback.

IMPOUNDMENT:
  1. Generally. Animal Control personnel may impound any domesticated animal whenever they have reasonable grounds to believe that it is:

(1) Running at large without a license;

(2) Running at large, displaying a current license, in response to a complaint by a landowner or tenant, provided, however, that prior to impoundment an attempt will be made to return the animal to its home;

(3) A public nuisance;

(4) An unconfined vicious animal, either unrestrained or unmuzzled; or

(5) An unconfined dangerous dog, either unrestrained or unmuzzled.

  1. State law unaffected. Nothing in this chapter is intended to enlarge or restrict any authority to impound an animal pursuant to state law. Animals impounded pursuant to state law shall nevertheless be subject to the administrative remedies and the jurisdiction of the Animal Control Board as provided in this chapter.
  2. Notice to owner. When an animal is impounded, Animal Control personnel shall notify the owner of the date, time, location and reasons for its impoundment. The notice shall include a list of conditions, if any, which the owner must fulfill to reacquire possession of the animal.
  3. Waiting period.

(1) Where the animal’s owner cannot be identified and it is not claimed within 168 hours after being impounded, the animal may be adopted out or euthanized in accordance with procedures established by the Animal Control Board pursuant to § 15-15B.

(2) Exceptions:

(a) Feral cats may be euthanized immediately;

(b) Animals that are seriously diseased or severely injured may be euthanized immediately;

(c) Animals under three months of age may be euthanized immediately;

(d) Dangerous dogs or vicious animals may be euthanized 72 hours after being impounded;

(e) Animals that are unadoptable, as determined by qualified Animal Control personnel in accordance with written regulations adopted by the Animal Control Board pursuant to § 15-15B may be euthanized 120 hours after being impounded; and

(f) When available space in the animal shelter limits the number of animals that can be accommodated, the length of time that an animal is required to be held before being adopted out or euthanized may be shortened from 168 to 120 hours if necessary to provide space to accommodate nonimpounded adoptable animals.

  1. Charges for impoundment. The Animal Control Authority’s charges for impoundment shall be reasonably related to the cost of providing the service. No legally impounded animal shall be released to an owner unless all charges incident to the confinement have been paid. Owners of illegally impounded animals, or persons prevailing in an appeal to the Animal Control Board or in any court proceeding, shall obtain release of the animal without charge for impounding service fees, boarding, or veterinary care.

(1) Whenever an animal is legally impounded pursuant to this chapter or state law, the owner thereof shall pay an impounding service fee according to a schedule adopted by the County Council as a condition of release of the animal.

(2) In addition to the impoundment service fee, the owner shall pay the costs of any required veterinary care, boarding fee, and a license fee for any unlicensed animal.

 

  • Animals impounded for running at large may be reclaimed during office hours Monday-Saturday.   Boarding fees are not accrued on days Talbot Humane is closed to the public.
  • Animals seized for violation of a Talbot County Animal Control Board Abatement Order, violation of state or county dangerous or vicious animal laws, or violation of state anti-cruelty laws will not be reclaimed until the administrative or criminal investigation has been completed.
lost pet

Have You Lost Your Pet?

Please check this link and contact our office to report a missing pet.

Begin Your Search