Bills regulating dogs being outdoors and unattended in certain weather conditions and temperatures continue to advance in the Maryland Senate.
Yesterday, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted to give a favorable report on Senate Bill 44 as introduced. The bill now goes to the full Senate where it is up for second consideration tomorrow, Friday, March 4, 2022. Its companion bill, House Bill 16, had previously passed the House and is now in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
AKC is thankful the bill continues to allow exemptions “if the dog is lawfully and actively engaged in hunting; livestock herding or guarding; sledding; sporting; or training.” which we requested to make sure the bill does not impact dog shows, field trials, Rally, agility, hunting, and other humane activities.
We remain concerned that some of our other concerns were not addressed. Chief among those is the allowance for a dog to be outdoors during summer months without access to continuous shade which is only required when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For more information, see our previous alert.
What You Can Do:
AKC encourages those who reside in Maryland to contact their State Senator and those who participate in dog events in Maryland to contact members of the Maryland State Senate today.
Let them know you appreciate the current exemptions in Senate Bill 44, and respectfully ask that they consider additional amendments to protect all dogs.
AKC Government Relations and Responsible Dog Owners–Maryland will continue to closely monitor this bill and communicate with the General Assembly. For more information, contact doglaw@akc.org.