[HISTORY: Adopted by the Harford County Council:
Art. I, by Bill No. 87-23; Art. II, by Bill No. 88-8. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Adopted by Bill No. 87-23]
A.
Unless excepted herein, veterinarians intending to
perform veterinarian services in Harford County shall provide the
County Health Officer with the following information:
(1)
Name, residence and business addresses and residence
and business telephone numbers.
(2)
A copy of their veterinarian's license or certificate
from the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
(3)
A copy of the zoning certificate from the Department
of Planning and Zoning for the location where services are to be performed.
(4)
The address where the service is to be performed,
including a description of the services to be performed.
(5)
The name of the owner or agent on whose property the
service is to be performed.
(6)
Any additional information which the county may require.
B.
The veterinarian shall provide the information in
this section to the Health Officer, in writing, at least five (5)
calendar days before the date of the intended services.
C.
This information shall be provided by the veterinarian
for each location the veterinarian intends to perform said services.
D.
The Health Officer is hereby authorized to adopt rules
and regulations necessary to further the purpose and intent of this
Article for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the
citizens of Harford County.
The veterinarian, while performing services,
shall supervise the following activities and shall be responsible
for ensuring that these activities are followed and completed:
A.
The services performed and related activities shall
be not less than twenty-five (25) feet from any establishment serving
or handling food.
B.
Animal waste, manure, etc., shall not be allowed to
accumulate on the floor or on adjacent grounds and shall be cleaned
and disinfected immediately.
C.
Each animal brought to the veterinarian for service
or treatment shall be leashed or caged by its owner, the agent of
the owner or the designee of the owner.
The veterinarian shall keep for a period of
three (3) years accurate records pertaining to each animal vaccinated,
identifying the animal's owner and the property where the animal is
kept. Within seventy-two (72) hours of a request, the veterinarian
shall make these records available to the Health Officer.
Veterinarian services performed at the following
locations are exempted from the provisions of this Article:
A.
Permanently established veterinary hospitals.
B.
Permanently established veterinary clinics.
C.
Health Department sponsored or supported clinics.
D.
On private property, at the request of the property
owner, agent of the property owner or person having custody of an
animal(s) on the property, and only an animal(s) belonging to the
property owner or agent and residing on the property.
E.
Where an immediate danger occurs involving an animal
which may jeopardize the health, safety or welfare of a human.
Any veterinarian in violation of this Article
shall be subject to a civil fine of five hundred dollars ($500.) for
the first offense and one thousand dollars ($1,000.) for each offense
thereafter, payable to the county within ten (10) days in full satisfaction
of the assessed penalty. A law enforcement officer may issue a civil
citation to the violator. Each day of the continuing violation shall
be considered a separate civil violation. Any fines collected shall
be deposited in the general fund. The county shall have the right
to collect all fines imposed hereunder by commencing a civil action
in the District Court for Harford County.
Law enforcement and county agencies shall report
violations of this Article to the Health Officer, at which time the
Health Officer shall report the incident to the State Board of Veterinarian
Medical Examiners for the Board's consideration.
If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence
or phrase of this Article is for any reason held to be invalid by
a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect
the validity of the remaining provisions of this Article.
[Adopted by Bill No. 88-8]
In this Article, the following terms have the
meanings indicated:
A building or any part of a building owned or leased by the
county.
The part of a county building where smoking is permitted
by designation of the Director.
The Director of Administration.
The act of smoking or carrying a burning cigar, cigarette,
pipe or tobacco product of any kind.
A specific social or recreational event for which an entire
room or hall is reserved.
Smoking in a county building is permitted:
A.
The Director or the Director's designee shall adopt
procedures for establishing designated smoking areas in county buildings.
A.
The Director or the Director's designee shall post
a sign displaying the words "smoking prohibited by law, except in
designated smoking areas," or similar words, at each county building
entrance.
B.
The Director or the Director's designee shall post
a sign displaying the words "smoking permitted," or similar words,
at each designated smoking area in a county building.
A.
When a county law enforcement officer observes a violation of § 149-10 of this Article, the officer shall deliver a summons to the violator.
B.
A person who receives a summons under this section
may:
(1)
Obtain a court hearing by making a written request
for a hearing to the Clerk of the court at least seven (7) calendar
days before the due date listed on the summons for payment of the
fine; or
C.
Presence of officer at hearing.
(1)
A request for a court hearing may also include a request
that the officer who issued the summons be present at the hearing.
E.
A summons issued under Subsection A of this section shall contain:
(1)
A certification by the officer under penalty of perjury
that the facts stated in the summons are true.
(2)
The amount of the fine, if any, for the violation.
(3)
A date, at least fifteen (15) calendar days from the
date of the violation, by which the fine must be paid.
(4)
A notice that the violator may obtain a court hearing
by making a written request to the Clerk of the court at least seven
(7) days before the date by which the fine must be paid.
This Article does not prohibit a county agency
from adopting a smoking policy that is more stringent than the provisions
of this Article. Adoption of a more stringent policy is subject to
approval by the Director.
