06/23/2025
In Montgomery County, MD, a Heat Emergency Alert will be in effect over the next week. Here are a few important hot weather safety tips and a refresher on some relevant Montgomery County laws:
💧 Make sure your pet has unlimited access to fresh, clean water all day. (Failing to provide proper water can result in $500-$1000 fine and 90 days imprisonment.) (https://montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/oas/laws.html)
🌡️ Don't let your pet linger on hot pavement. Your pet's body can overheat quickly and their paw pads can burn. Keep walks during very high temperatures to a minimum!
🏠 During a period of extreme heat, pets must not be left outside unattended. Leaving your pet outside unattended in these conditions may be considered an act of cruelty and pet owners could be charged and fined accordingly. Executive Regulation 17-17 requires that during a Heat Emergency Alert, outdoor housing for your pets as described in Section 3.0 is inadequate without additional measures to provide proper cooling. (Failing to provide proper shelter can result in $500-$1000 fine and 90 days imprisonment.)
(https://montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/oas/laws.html)
🚗 Never leave your pet unattended in a car for any period of time. (leaving a pet in an unattended car can result in a $500 fine.) (https://montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/oas/laws.html)
🔗 Make sure to review Montgomery County's tethering laws. A person must not tether a dog under any circumstance that endangers its health, safety or wellbeing, such as tethering a dog longer than 1 hour cumulatively during any 24-hour period, or leaving a tethered dog unattended. (Montgomery County tethering laws can be found here:https://montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/Resources/Files/ExecReg17-17AntiCrueltyConditions.pdf
🔥 Get familiar with local resources! MCASAC's Heat Advisory page can be found here: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/Ownerresources/heat-advisory.html
Have a question about pet safety or Montgomery County laws? Ask us! We're here to help keep your pet safe and provide owners with the resources they need to do the same.