Overview
The mission of the Office of Animal Control is to enforce city and state codes, rules, and regulations and to investigate animal neglect and cruelty cases for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of Baltimore’s human and animal residents.
The Office of Animal Control operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It receives an average of 65 calls a day and approximately 22,000 complaints annually.
Animal Control receives the majority of its complaints and cases through the city’s 311 system.
Below are the categories for animal-related calls:
- Animal in Danger/Injured/Abused/Neglected
- Animal Attack - Against Human
- Aggressive Animal
- Animal Trapped in Vacant Building
- Wildlife (sick, injured, or found inside living space)
- Stray Held
- Unsanitary conditions
- Failure to Restrain
- Barking Dog
- Wild or Domestic Animal Trap Request
- Dead Animal Pick-up (stray or wildlife)
Animal Protection
If you witness an animal being abused or an animal attack in progress, please call 911. If you are concerned about an animal being neglected or suspect abuse, please call 311 or access the Customer Service Request Online.
Animals picked up by Animal Control are turned over to the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. (BARCS) to find their owners or to find new owners if deemed adoptable.
Contact BARC
How to Apply for a Pet License
All cats and dogs over age four months must be licensed. Pet licensing is extremely important as a means of confirming that pets have been inoculated against Rabies. Rabies inoculation is necessary, even for pets that remain indoors, because bats frequently gain entry to homes and are then pursued by pets, making bites likely. Licensing helps reunite lost animals with their owners and provides critically needed revenue to support open admission shelters, such as BARCS.
Get a pet license
Apply for Animal Facility License
Baltimore City requires a license for animal-related businesses, such as clinics, shelters, pet stores, and breeding operations. The Animal Facility Licensing Standards in Baltimore outline the regulations and procedures required for operating animal-related facilities, To get a license, you need to follow certain rules, like having the right permits, proving you take good care of animals, and meeting posting and paperwork requirements. These rules help keep animals and people safe.
BARCS Community Cat Program
This is a Free spay/neuter and rabies vaccination program for outdoor cats in Baltimore City.
To know more about rabies disease and why your pets need to be vaccinated read the Rabies Fact Sheet by the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DHMH)
Have an outdoor cat colony in your neighborhood? Please call 443-240-8530 or email BARCS.
Spay and Neuter Information