[BenLurkin]

We need a court to tell us that?

Everyody knows it already!

[kanawa]

These things come and go...

HB 14 Ohio Pit Bull Ban Dropped

[kanawa]

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.

All dogs are inherently dangerous.
If you examine their mouths you'll find hard pointy calcified structures capable of causing damage to soft tissue.

Why are victims of dogs other than "pit bulls" not afforded the same protection under the law?

[Bronzy]

Chet99 would agree. (Believe that is/was his name)

[the OlLine Rebel]

‘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’

There are so many problems with this!

1st, how many times do I have to say - “pit-bull terrier” is a TYPE, not a specific breed? There are many breeds under this umbrella.

2nd, how do you prove you have a “PBT” type? How do you prove the dog is a half-breed or less? I’m sure people really have documentation about their mutts/sarc. Is it all going to be based on the owner’s say-so?

[Abathar]

"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. "

That last part is what really puts teeth into this ruling. As the owner of rental properties there is no way I would open myself up to this kind of liability from any tenant no matter how sweet their precious little cuddlebug is.

Going to be a whole lot of people really mad when their lease won't be renewed unless they get rid of their animal now, or at best have to provide a very high value umbrella policy to the landlords insurance that will cover any possible scenario involving the dog.

[djf]

The Russians experimented (and are still going, AFAIK), with domesticating wild foxes.

Maybe for the fur business.

Took something like 7-10 generations to get an animal that was in fact quite domesticated.

The point I’m making is that you can try until you are blue in the face and say “Well, it’s all in the way they are treated/raised...” and that is BS.

It was the selective breeding that did it. My suspicion would be pits are not yet as genetically tame as Labs or Border Collies.

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

One of the reasons I remain on my condo association board is to keep the president (who are afraid a Pit Bull might move into the neighborhood) from banning all dogs over 20 pounds.

[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.

[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.