ROCKVILLE, Md. — Montgomery County dogs could have more room to romp with their owners, thanks to a bill passed by the County Council Tuesday.

In a 9-0 vote, councilmembers gave the county’s 19 municipalities the ability to create designated exercise areas for off-leash dogs. Without the legislation, off-leash dogs could be found to be roaming “at large,” which is a violation of the county code.

Dogs can now be off-leash in county dog parks overseen by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. However, that is not the case for dog parks that are established by municipalities within the county.

When the bill came to a vote, Montgomery County Councilmember Sidney Katz joked about being the focus of a national story. He explained to his colleagues why he got the unexpected attention.

“It made USA Today because Katz introduced something for dogs,” he said, as the panel burst into laughter.

“It certainly was a proud moment not only for Montgomery County, but for the entire Katz family. Thank you very much.”