Posted on 05/03/2012 1:22:20 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at kwqc.com ...
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That's fair enough. Thanks for calling me on it. |
We need a court to tell us that?
Everyody knows it already!
Almost everything you said is horse shit. I’ve got a 6 yr old pit bull who has never been anything but sweet! There is no “turning on you” bull crap. He’s been the same dog since I rescued him.
He in turn rescued me many times over.
Yeah, we need more laws, particularly BS legislation: `breed specific legislation’. Maryland, the rotting California of the east coast, says so. With more laws, why, there should be less crime: like gun control in Chicago.
Forget about Rottweilers, Dobermans, Akitas, Great Danes, German Shepherds, St. Bernards, et cetera and so forth and so on, and the terriers proper, and forget that the breed most likely to bite is the effervescent dachsund.
Set aside the invidious breed discrimination and forget that there are several types of `pit bull’ terriers, and several types of bulldogs, and that the majority of dogs awaiting death in animal shelters are some mixture of `pit bull terrier’ so that the law is vague to the point of being unenforceable, or gives government carte blanche to serve as President Obama’s rolling meat wagon.
That must be it: Zero is next door and he’s a-hongry. More laws: good!
Really? So, the 20 something year old girl whose pit bull I witnessed attack a 10 year old Black Lab at a local family park, without provication, was trained by the petite 20 something year old to be vicious? Note of caution, be careful with making generalities. Yes, some people do train their dogs to be vicious. However, that does not mean that a pit bull who isn't "trained" to be vicious won't attack other animals or people. Regardless, the issue has more to do with the danger presented with the level of damage that this breed can inflict moreso than whether any particular pit bull is or is not vicious.
Any breed of dog may bite or attack. The damage inflicted by a chihuahua who attacks is not in the same league as that of larger dogs, including pit bulls. And, some breeds are by their nature less likely to be vicious than other breeds. For me the issue comes down to the owner of the dog. If someone has a dog that does have a reputation of being dangerous, that owner has a greater responsibility to maintain control over their animal.
-Chett99-
Dogs are only a reflection of their owners.
One doesn’t “Control” dogs. One allows the dog to be who it was meant to be.
Not sure if I like your attitude about critters in your life.
It seems you want more than the critters can give. Don’t be such a perfectionist!
1) Breed “discrimination” makes sense because most breeds will NEVER or almost never kill or critically injure anyone. A few other breeds (including some you mentioned) do rarely cause such harm. Pit Bulls and to a lesser extent Rottweilers are responsible for the vast majority of dog bit fatalities. How many people were killed by Daschunds last year or in the last 30 years for that matter.
For the law to treat Pit Bulls the same as Beagles or Poodles would be as ridiculous as requiring the same training, licensing and insurance for a 4 year old riding a tricycle and a truck driver hauling hazardous materials.
2) All this ruling does is hold Pit Bull owners strictly liable for damage caused by their dogs. If your Pit Bull is a “good dog” and doesn’t harm anybody, this ruling will not affect you at all.
Not like you, I Do not blanket aggressive dogs.
I have never met a dog I didn’t like!
You may have had bad experiences with dogs, but that doesn’t mean that the dogs you encountered were bad.It only means that you did not understand the dogs in your care.
1) most breeds will NEVER or almost never kill or critically injure anyone.)
Begs the question. Absolute BS as well.
After reading the rest of your response, it’s just,
“No, I’m not. You are” nonsense and not worth a reply.
Dogs are bred for certain things. Every dog breeder knows that. The sad fact is that pit bulls have been taken over by gang bangers, and only the most vicious dogs were bred. I am not saying that there aren't some very nice pits. However, this breed has been bred to fight.
The same way herding dogs love to herd, water dogs love the water, bird dogs love birds, and pit bulls love to fight.
It will take a lot of selective breeding to get that instinct out of the breed.
BTW, I still don't like the court ruling.
I forgot to mention the 2 dogs that I had that were biters were 2 out of 30 to 40 that I have had in my life (I am pretty old). We are supposed to be the pack leader and we must control our dogs. I guess your dog roams the neighborhood doing what dogs do, turning over garbage cans and pooping on other peoples yards.
I have had several dog that I would consider perfect but that came naturally to them. I have one now and he is so sweet and gentle (naturally) that I had him certified as a Therapy Dog.
Hairy and I go to convalescent homes and hospitals where people are stuck for months at a time.
Dog lovers are so glad to see us coming down the hallway, smiles light up their faces.
I didn't train Hairy to be what he is, God just made him that way but I still have to control him on a leash and keep him fenced in the yard so a car doesn't run over him.
The facts are in any given year there are about 30 or so dog bite fatalities in the US. Pit Bulls and Rotties are usually good for about 20 to 23 of these. That leaves 7 to 10 for all of the other hundreds of breeds.
Most dog breeds never kill humans. Pit Bulls do it about once every 2 weeks.
If you say so ... leave me alone now. And stay away from dogs.
Not it isn't.
I not only spent my life with dogs, buy I also went to school to be a vet tech.
You have no idea what I know or don’t know about animals in general and dogs, specifically.
As my freind would say...bite me.
Bite me.
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