Introduced by Ms. Hummer, Chair (by request of the County Executive)
FOR the purpose of creating the Department of Animal Services in the Executive Branch; establishing the position, duties, qualifications, and method of appointment of the Director of the Department of Animal Services in the exempt service as the head of the Department of Animal Services; requiring the Director of Animal Services to file financial disclosure statements required under the Public Ethics Article; creating the Animal Welfare Council; establishing the purpose, composition, member terms, method for appointing the chair, frequency of meetings, quorum, and duties of the Animal Welfare Council; modifying the provisions of the Public Safety Article to abolish Animal Care and Control in the Police Department and to assign all of its duties to the newly created the Department of Animal Services; assigning duties to the Director of the Department of Animal Services; modifying certain definitions relating to the Department of Animal Services; providing for the modification of fees imposed by the Department of Animal Services; modifying the composition of the Animal Matters Commission; providing for a secretary and support for the Animal Matters Commission; establishing the burden of proof for citations heard by the Animal Matters Commission; removing a provision relating to the confidentiality of the records of the Department of Animal Services; requiring ferrets to be vaccinated for rabies as required by State law; modifying the requirements for a waiver of rabies vaccination for dogs, cats, and ferrets; modifying what animals and establishments must be licensed by the Department of Animal Services; removing provisions related to petting zoos; allowing public contact with animals through farm and other agricultural uses; increasing the time before which an individual must deliver a stray dog or cat to the Department of Animal Services; making general modifications to Title 4 of the Public Safety Article; and generally relating to branches of County government, boards, commissions, and similar bodies, personnel, public ethics, and public safety.