Columbia, Maryland Dog Poop Law

Quick answer: Yes. Columbia requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Howard County Code § 17.302(a)(4). The set ticket for a first offense is $50, and $100 for a repeat.

What the Columbia ordinance says

How the penalty works

§ 17.318(c) fine schedule for § 17.302: $50 first offense, $100 for a second offense within 24 months, $200 for a third, and $200 for subsequent offenses. Unpaid fines grow by half the original amount for each 30 days they remain unpaid. After three nuisance citations within 24 months, the Animal Control Administrator may formally declare the animal a nuisance (§ 17.302(b)). Citations can be appealed to the Animal Matters Hearing Board within 15 days.

The carry rule

No bag-carry requirement. A nuisance occurs when a domesticated animal 'defecates anywhere except on the private property of its owner unless the owner removes the feces and disposes of them in a sanitary manner.'

Service animals

§ 17.302(a)(4) has no service-dog exemption. The only carve-out is for horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys in a permitted parade and for police mounts on duty.

How Columbia compares

At $50, the Columbia ticket is lower than Baltimore ($200) and Germantown ($100).

In practice

Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.

Elsewhere in Maryland

Maryland dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Baltimore dog poop law · Germantown dog poop law. All 50 states.

Source

Checked 2026-09-10 against the Columbia municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.

This page is general information, not legal advice.