Maryland Political Subdivisions - Miscellaneous Provisions Section 11-508

      (a)      (1)      The governing body of a county may provide by local law or ordinance for the compensation of any person whose sheep, poultry, or livestock is destroyed or injured by a dog.

            (2)      A local law or ordinance enacted under this section may require the sheriff of the county, a county official, or other person to appraise the damages sustained by the person and report the findings to the county governing body.

      (b)      (1)      If the owner of the dog may not be determined, the county governing body may compensate the person in accordance with the appraisal out of a dog license fund established under § 11-507 of this subtitle or out of the general fund of the county.

            (2)      A sworn report of the appraiser shall be deemed prima facie evidence of the fairness of the award of damages in each instance.

            (3)      If the county governing body considers the amount of the appraisal unfair, the county governing body may compensate the person an amount that the county governing body considers fair.

      (c)      If the owner of the dog doing the damage be known, it is the duty of the county governing body to notify the owner to kill the dog immediately. If the owner refuses or neglects to kill the dog upon notice, the owner shall be liable for the damages to the same extent as the owner would be liable in case of negligence or malicious destruction of property. The county governing body may have special officers kill the dog.

      (d)      If a county governing body does not adopt a local law or ordinance under this section, the county is not required to compensate any person for sheep, poultry, or livestock destroyed or injured by a dog.