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Maryland Maryland Service Dog Law

Definitions

Under Title 7. Individuals with Disabilities:

"Service animal" means a guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including:

  1. guiding individuals with impaired vision;
  2. alerting individuals with impaired hearing to an intruder or sounds;
  3. providing minimal protection or rescue work;
  4. pulling a wheelchair;
  5. fetching dropped items; or
  6. detecting the onset of a seizure.
MD Code, Human Services, § 7-701

Under Regulation of Animals:

In this section, "service dog" means a dog that is professionally trained to aid individuals who are:

(1) blind or visually impaired;

(2) deaf or hard of hearing; or

(3) mobility impaired.

MD Code, Local Government, § 13-104

SDIT Covered?

Yes.

"Service animal trainer" means a person who trains or raises service animals for individuals with disabilities, whether the person is a professional or volunteer.

Service animal trainers who are accompanied by an animal being trained or raised as a service animal are entitled to full and equal rights and privileges with respect to common carriers and other public conveyances or modes of transportation, places of public accommodations, and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to any conditions and limitations of general application established by law.

MD Code, Human Services, § 7-704

Accommodation Law

The following individuals have all the same rights and privileges conferred by law on other individuals:

(1) a blind or visually impaired pedestrian using a service animal and not carrying a cane predominantly white or metallic in color, with or without a red tip;

(2) an individual with a disability and a parent of a minor child with a disability using a service animal not wearing an orange license tag or orange collar and on a leash;

(3) an individual with a disability and a parent of a minor child with a disability using a service animal in a place, accommodation, or conveyance listed in § 7-704(b) of this subtitle; and

(4) a service animal trainer who is accompanied by an animal that is being trained as a service animal.

MD Code, Human Services, § 7-705

Section § 7-704 lists those rights of individuals with disabilities as:

  • public places
  • public accommodations and conveyances; and
  • housing accommodations.
Penalty:

A person may not deny or interfere with the admittance of a service animal that accompanies an individual with a disability or a parent of a minor child with a disability in violation of this section.

A person who violates this is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $500 for each offense.

A person may not deny or interfere with the admittance of an animal being trained as a service animal that accompanies a service animal trainer.

Subject to other parts of the law, a person who violates this is subject to a fine not exceeding $25 for each offense.

MD Code, Human Services, § 7-705

Driving Law

The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a deaf or hearing impaired pedestrian accompanied by a guide dog.

MD Code, Transportation, § 21-511

Licensing Law

If an application meets certain requirements and the local licensing agency is satisfied that the dog for which a license is sought is a service dog and is actually in use as a service dog: the dog owner is not required to pay a fee for issuance of the license; and the local licensing agency shall inscribe across the face of the license in red ink the words "service dog"

MD Code, Local Government, § 13-104
 
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