370                              Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 113

CHAPTER 113
(Senate Bill 769)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 194 (1)
of Article 56 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1972 Replace-
ment Volume), title "Licenses," subtitle "Dog Licenses in the
Counties," to provide that the County Commissioners of Harford
County may make ordinances in substitution for the provision of
this section; that persons violating any ordinance may be brought
to court by the use of a summons BASED UPON THE SWORN
COMPLAINT OF ANY PERSON; CORRECTING CERTAIN
LANGUAGE THEREIN CONCERNING HARFORD COUNTY;
to renumber certain paragraphs; and generally relating thereto.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 194 (1) of Article 56 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1972 Replacement Volume), title "Licenses," subtitle "Dog
Licenses in the Counties," be and it is hereby repealed and re-en-
acted, with amendments, and to read as follows:

194.

(1)  (1) In addition to [and not] or in substitution for any powers
granted under this subtitle, the County Commissioners of Harford
County by resolution or ordinance enacted according to its usual
procedure may provide for a comprehensive system for regulation
of dogs in the county, including licensing and control of dogs. As
a part of [such] the regulation the County Commissioners may
establish separate dog control districts in the county with regula-
tions applicable solely within the district, provide for the impound-
ing and disposal of dogs found to be dangerous to persons and
property, and provide reasonable penalties for violations of any
regulations applicable to dogs.

(2)  In Harford County a law enforcement officer, upon witness-
ing a violation of any Harford County dog regulation or ordinance,
may issue a summons for that violation and bring the violator
before the District Court in Harford County.

[(2)] (3) It is unlawful in Harford County for any person to
own or keep a dog which disturbs the peace and quiet of any neigh-
borhood in an inhabited area, or which is vicious and bites any
person. Upon the sworn complaint before the People's DISTRICT
Court of SITTING IN Harford County of any two or more persons
of different households PERSON alleging that a dog disturbs the
peace and quiet of any neighborhood in an inhabited area of Harford
County, or upon the sworn complaint of any one or more persons
that a dog is vicious and has bitten any person, a summons shall
issue to the owner or keeper of such dog to appear before the People's
DISTRICT Court SITTING in Harford County. Upon proof that the
dog disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood in an inhabited
area, or is vicious and has bitten any person, the owner or keeper
may be required to deliver up the offending dog to be killed in the
most humane manner possible unless he removes the dog permanently
from the neighborhood. If the owner or keeper is required to deliver
up the dog to be killed or to remove it as aforesaid, and he refuses
or fails to do so, then it is the duty of any police officer or any duly
empowered agent on behalf of the county to seize the dog wherever
it may be found and to cause it to be killed in the most humane