Finding a neighbor’s dog roaming through your yard, digging up your garden, or approaching your children can be frustrating — and sometimes alarming. Maryland law gives you more protection than many property owners realize, but it also draws firm lines around what you can and cannot do in response.
Understanding where state law ends and county ordinances begin is the first step. Maryland’s framework for dog control is a layered system: state statutes set the foundation, and individual counties build on top of that with their own at-large rules, fines, and enforcement procedures. What applies in Montgomery County may differ in detail from what applies in Garrett County or Anne Arundel County.
This guide walks you through every major legal question Maryland property owners face when a neighbor’s dog keeps showing up where it doesn’t belong — from whether the trespass is actually illegal, to who pays for the damage, to exactly what you are and are not allowed to do about it.
Is It Illegal for a Neighbor’s Dog to Be on Your Property in Maryland?
The short answer is yes — in most Maryland jurisdictions, allowing a dog onto someone else’s property without permission is a violation of local ordinance. Under Montgomery County Code Section 5-203(a)(3), for example, an owner must not allow an animal to enter private property without the property owner’s permission, with a $100 fine attached to violations. Any dog is at large if it is outside the owner’s premises and not leashed, unless it is a service dog, is in a designated dog exercise area, or is participating in an approved activity…