ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Dover worked the crowd of lawmakers and reporters in front of Maryland’s Statehouse Thursday. He didn’t say much, but when he finally did speak, it echoed from the lawn of Lawyer’s Mall; a low rumble that built into a resounding bark.

Dover is an adopted beagle, and he was there with his older brother Scout, who was more interested in the treats on hand, as Sen. Michael Hough and Del. Glenn Glass talked to reporters about House Bill 418 and Senate Bill 267.

The twin bills would give anyone who adopts a cat or dog from a shelter a $100 tax credit.

“I’m a proponent of adoption of dogs and I think this tax credit would be a good thing,” Glass said.

Glass noted that Maryland has granted tax breaks to the film industry like the makers of Netflix’s “House of Cards.”

“If we can give tax credits to these film companies, why can’t we give tax credits to the citizens of Maryland? It’s our money anyway,” he said.

Glass has proposed similar legislation in the past.

Hough wouldn’t speculate on the chances of the bill passing this legislative session, but Scout and Dover seemed pretty optimistic. Dover’s tail never stopped wagging.

WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.