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Maryland Code, Transportation § 21-1004.1

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) A person may not leave a cat or dog unattended in a standing or parked motor vehicle in a manner that endangers the health or safety of the cat or dog.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a person may use reasonable force to remove from a motor vehicle a cat or dog left in the vehicle in violation of the provisions of subsection (a) of this section if the person is:

(1) A law enforcement officer;

(2) A public safety employee of the State or of a local governing body;

(3) An animal control officer under the jurisdiction of the State or a local governing body;

(4) An officer of a society or association, incorporated under the laws of this State for the prevention of cruelty to animals, authorized to make arrests under the provisions of § 10-609 of the Criminal Law Article; or

(5) A volunteer or professional of a fire and rescue service.

(c) A person may not use force of any kind to remove from a motor vehicle:

(1) A dog used by the State or a local governing body for police work while the dog is on duty; or

(2) A cat or dog in the custody of an animal control officer.

(d) A person described in subsection (b) of this section may not be held liable for any damages directly resulting from actions taken under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maryland Code, Transportation § 21-1004.1 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/md/transportation/md-code-trans-sect-21-1004-1/

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