Maryland's 2025 Legislators Pass Criminal, Civil Penalties & Regulations to Protect Furry (and Feathery) Friends (and Family)
For the Animals: Legislators Pass Criminal, Civil Penalties & Regulations to Protect Furry (and Feathery) Friends (and Family)
The 2025 Maryland legislative session saw several strides in the area of animal welfare. New laws, now just awaiting signature of the governor, address a range of issues related to animal care and treatment, from stricter standards for how animals can be kept to changes in the prosecution of animal cruelty cases. Read on for a rundown of the critter-centric bills passed in the 447th session of the General Assembly:
Senate Bill 152/House Bill 89: Enhancement of Animal Cruelty Statutes
Before the changes in this bill, an animal cruelty incident involving multiple animals could be considered a single “offense” with only one “victim.” This legislation first mandates that each animal harmed in a single incident of animal cruelty be treated as a separate offense; it further allows for each animal to be separately considered a “victim,” permitting “stacking” pursuant to Chapter 10 of the Maryland Sentencing Guidelines (in which the November 2024 Guidelines state: “Animals may not be considered victims for the purposes of applying the multiple victims stacking rule.”) The bill further explicitly prohibits merger and permits consecutive sentences.
Assuming formal endorsement by the governor in the coming weeks, this law will take effect October 1, 2025.
Specifics: Maryland House Bill 89 (2025 Regular Session)
Senate Bill 896/House Bill 1152: Pet Policy Transparency Act
This legislation requires landlords who own or operate five or more individual dwelling units in Maryland to disclose pet policies on their website and in their rental applications. The goal is to increase transparency and aid pet owners in locating suitable housing. To fully comply, the landlord’s policy must address:
1. breed and weight restrictions;
2. required fees (including up-front, nonrefundable pet fees, refundable pet deposits, and monthly pet fees);
3. limit on the number of pets allowed in a unit;
4. vaccination requirements;
5. liability insurance requirements; and
6. additional requirements for pet owners imposed by the landlord.
Assuming formal endorsement by the governor in the coming weeks, this law will take effect October 1, 2025.
Specifics: Maryland House Bill 1152 (2025 Regular Session)
Senate Bill 375/House Bill 513: Restrictions on the Keeping of Roosters
This legislation prohibits keeping roosters individually confined in enclosures or by tethering, aiming to prevent the long-term solitary confinement of these birds. A person who violates the bill will be subject to
- for a first offense, a warning
- for a second offense, a civil penalty of up to $500 per rooster; and
- for a third or subsequent offense, a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per rooster.
Exceptions are included for government-operated animal shelters, animal welfare organizations, and certain agricultural and educational purposes such as 4-H and FFA programs.
Assuming formal endorsement by the governor in the coming weeks, this law will take effect January 1, 2027.
Specifics: Maryland House Bill 513 (2025 Regular Session)
Note from the Author: This blog post was generated in part with the assistance of Gemini, Google’s generative artificial intelligence engine.