Report Cruelty

Humane Law Enforcement

  • Animal Control Officers: 301-600-1544
  • Emergency After Hours: 301-600-1603
Frederick County Animal Ordinances - Search "Animals"

Humane laws are enacted at Federal, State, and local levels to protect citizens from personal injury or property damage from animals and to protect animals from improper care and cruelty by people. The Frederick County Animal Control Division enforces humane law in the county and City of Frederick. The county employs 7 full-time Officers to investigate complaints and pick up stray, nuisance or dangerous animals. Emergency response through the Sheriff's Department is available 24 hours each day, every day of the week. Officers are available during day and evening hours to investigate routine complaints.


Citizen Responsibilities

  • Confine your pets to your property. Use a leash to control dogs and cats away from home.
  • Dogs, cats and ferrets over 4 months of age must be vaccinated against rabies. Register dogs and cats as vaccinated through the licensing program.
  • Report animals in danger, creating a nuisance, or threatening the well being of a citizen to the division.
  • Consider renting animal traps for nuisance stray cats on your own property. There are low cost spay / neuter options if you'd like to maintain barn cats who will keep new cats away.
  • Contact Department of Natural Resources for nuisance wildlife or hire a licensed wildlife trapper from the pest control listings in the yellow pages.

Division Responsibilities

  • To investigate complaints of animal abuse and neglect such as animals without shade, shelter or fresh water.
  • To respond to allegations of nuisance animals including animals at large or causing noise disturbance.
  • Animal Control Officers may be able to address emergency wildlife concerns when Department of Natural Resources Officers are not available and will respond in cases in which citizens are bitten by wild animals.
  • To house stray and unwanted animals at the Animal Control Center on Rosemont where they are offered for adoption to qualified homes.