Maryland Court Rules Pit Bull Dogs Are "Inherently Dangerous"

KWQC.com ^ | May 2, 2012 | David Nelson and MSNBC.com

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

A new ruling makes it easier for anyone attacked by a pit bull or pit bull mix in Maryland to take legal action against the dog's owner. The Maryland Court of Appeals ruling declares pit bulls as a breed are "inherently dangerous," and the owner of a pit bull or a cross-bred pit that attacks is strictly liable for damages, as is any landlord who rents to a pit bull owner.

The Maryland SPCA, which arranges adoptions for dogs that need homes, currently has three pit bulls under its care: a five-month-old Brutus is scheduled to be adopted this week, Ayoki is available and Valentina will be put up for adoption soon. But the SPCA is concerned that it may be harder to find adoptive homes and families may abandon pit bulls after the recent ruling.

"We believe that an animal's behavior should be the determining factor in whether or not the animal is considered dangerous," said Cheryl Bernard Smith, of SPCA. "We don't believe that a particular breed should be pinpointed for that." "All dogs, if you don't train them and show them love, can turn out to be mean animals," said Rodney Taylor, of Prince George's County Animal Management. "It has a lot to do with the owner and how you raise the pet."

The Maryland Court of Appeals decision dealt with the case of a young boy who suffered life-threatening injuries when he was attacked by a pit bull.

[Eaker]

Back atcha Face!

[Monkey Face]

*HUG*

[rarestia]

What specifically did I say that was ignorant? If you have something to say about something I said, say it.

[katiedidit1]

I agree. IMO it is the gang bangers that have given the dogs a bad rap. IF you can’t be a ressponsible owner..don’t get a pit bull, Rottweiler or any other breed of dog that you can’t control.
I have a lhasapoo...he is gentle and sweet but he is a great security alarm and weather dog.
Why is it the Dog Whisperer, Shorty and 2nd Chances Rescue can handle the pitts?

[Darren McCarty]

This puts Pits in Maryland in the same boat as pet lions or other wild animals. I wonder if this is going to spread across the country.

I wonder how much of this has to do with the ghetto. The last time I was in one visiting family that's still there, I couldn't believe how many pit bulls I've seen. Some were wandering, too. I understand why a lot of the folks there own one, but how many raise them property.

[Darren McCarty]

Or a Boxer

Boxers are killers. If I sit down, they climb up on me, slime me, and lick me to death. 85lb lapdogs.

[KneelBeforeZod]

I keep seeing aggressive labs in the dog parks...yellow, choc, black...all of them. Could be the same as bad hips...overbreeding has led to stupid aggressive labs.

Part of the problem is the stupid owners, no matter what the breed. The same thinking the chihuahua owners have...”oh he’s just playing” while thinking their little tiny dog is harmless.

Seeing lots of rescue/search dogs being labs makes some owners think they don’t have to teach their dogs how to behave in public...so they run apesh== over people and other dogs and try to bite them (the other dogs at least

[KneelBeforeZod]

who remembers “Tabitha Soren” who changed every remotely related thread into some animal euthanasia thread. And after a while—any UNrelated thread...

[KneelBeforeZod]

I’ve seen Princess, my cousin’s pit, change demeanor in the blink of an eye. I saw my pekingese change demeanor in the blink of an eye. Then he bit someone right under the eye. But it was some idiot who was pulling his tail. I call it a push.

[SRBConservative]

Saw the video on Fox News showing the dogs going after the person... then saw the owner pummel and beat the dogs. That's how the owner manages and controls it's dogs?? It's absolutely no wonder that a dog treated like that reacts negatively to humans. Doesn't matter if it was a lab or a pit bull.

My "inherently dangerous" American Pit Bull Terrier: I am a responsible dog owner whose dog is a member of the family, a sweet, quiet and well-behaved dog who also happens to serve as a therapy dog to my mother with Alzheimer's. But because every piece of despicable human trash who abuses these dogs and sets them up for failure, and every poorly reported 'pit bull attack' story (and every NON-pit bull attack that is NOT reported), an entire breed is getting screwed. Never mind the other million pit bulls out there serving as loving family pets, therapy dogs, search & rescue dogs, etc.

It's un-American for the government or anyone else to tell me what kind of dog I can or cannot responsibly own.

[dervish]

“The fact that most shelters have more Pit Bulls than all other dogs combined is another indication of how problematic they are.”

So would you say that the children in foster care are inherently “problematic” or would you blame their parents who put them there?

I theorize that the same populations who dominate the foster care system dominate the shelter dog system.

I work in pit bull rescue. Even so called “no kill shelters” euthanize aggressive dogs.

[dervish]

I never believe the reports of any dog suddenly becoming a monster.

Owners lie and deny. The most dangerous dog is the one with an owner who doesn’t face up to the dog’s aggression problems.