Repealing the pit bull ban
Looks like Upper Marlboro, MD is looking to repeal its ban on politically incorrect dogs:
“Public policy should make sense,” said Councilman Thomas R. Hendershot. “It shouldn’t be overly expensive, and it ought to be fair. The pit bull ban is none of the above.”
The county captures and boards about 1,000 pit bulls annually, euthanizing about 800. That has cost about $600,000 over the past two years, according to a recent audit.
Hendershot’s bill defines a “potentially dangerous dog” as one that injures, aggressively provokes or chases a person or domestic animal or is impounded by the county at least twice in a year. He plans to introduce the bill as soon as this week.
A task force commissioned to review the ban recommended the repeal, suggesting the law be replaced with one that does not specify a breed.
That’s pricey for ineffective feel good, legislation.
October 1st, 2005 at 12:17 pm
I have been watching as your community has been struggeling to find a acceptable way to control potentially dangerous dogs in your area. I want you to know a few thigns as you consider your options. I have two American Staffordshire Terriers, I am a responsable dog owner, both of my dogs have been through many training classes and are very solid in their temperments and behavior. The root of any problem that involves dogs of ANY breed is the owner. We so often want to pin point a breed as “bad” and “dangerous” but in all reality a dog is what the owner makes of them. If we as owners take the proper precautions then we would not have issues like this. This is really a social issue, not a dog problem. Stats have shown that BSL is not the answer, but having clear cut rules that eveyone has to abide by and that ARE enforced is the key to success. Please look at alternatives to BSL. I persoanly feel that the owner needs to take FULL responsability of their dog and the dogs action, they need to be held accountable. Why not have a “licensed dog owner”? There are so many constructive ways to solve this problem…don’t just follow suit and approve of something that is taking away a basic American right but rather think out of the box!! I think that being proactive is good—but lets do it in a constructive manner. I do a dog bit prevention and awareness program and go in to elementary schools using a therapy dog, that happens to be a Pit Bull, in my program…I have a lot of breed experience and I have to say that this breed is not mean, they are not bad…they are simply victims of a lot of misunderstanding right now!!! Thank you!
Beth DeLaForest
November 1st, 2005 at 9:12 am
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