I have owned dogs. I had small children at the time. I loved the concept of my child growing up with a puppy, Dogs are unique in that there is absolute, unconditional love. My dogs were small, what I called “white, powder-puff” types. My dogs fit entirely in your lap.
I understand wanting a dog for protection. It is a tough world, and having a big strong dog that barks at those not welcome can be a blessing.
Some dogs, perhaps due to a combination of their owner’s ignorance and the dog’s breeding are, simply, dangerous. We try to be politically correct and not generalize. Unfortunately, with dogs, that is not always possible.
Maryland’s highest Court recently decided a case involving the beleaguered Pit Bull. They decided that if your Pit Bull bites somebody, you are responsible. Period. No questions. No defense. The law is called strict liability. The justices apparently were convinced that Pit Bull dogs are so dangerous, they will not allow any excuse for injury they cause; thus the individuals who choose to keep them as pets do so at their own financial risk.
The results of this decision will affect both your insurance and where you live. Insurers in Maryland will soon exclude Pit Bulls from homeowner’s insurance policies, and it is expected that you will not be able to rent an apartment in Maryland if you own a Pit Bull, as apartment owners will not rent to you if you own a Pit Bull.
The concern Maryland exhibited is shared in many places all over the country. Pit Bulls have, correctly or not, become known as violent dogs. In 2004 in Council Bluffs, Iowa (a small county of about 60,000 citizens) there were 29 Pit Bull bites reported; that number became zero after the county made owning a Pit Bull illegal.
Along with the Pit Bull bans and regulations seen around the country, Prince George’s County, Maryland took steps to address Pit Bull fear. Owning this type of dog is illegal in the county. The only exception is if you had your dog before November 1, 1996, and your dog has been continuously registered with Animal Control, and wears a tag that identifies it as a registered Pit Bull. You can keep your dog as long as it is kept in a secure building or kennel at all times, and it is on a leash and under the control of an adult when it is outside. The violation of this section will result in fines and even a prison sentence of the owner.
Pit Bulls have enormous jaw strength, developed through selective breeding. There are several breeds that are classified as Pit Bulls, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the American Staffordshire Terrier. Mixed-breed dogs that have the combination of these breeds are also under this classification.
Pit Bulls were bred to become strong fighting dogs. Their "hold and shake" bite style was designed to inflict the maximum damage on their victim. Some Pit Bull advocates will tell you that if the dog is trained well, it will never attack a human, or another dog. This may be true; unfortunately, experience has shown that Pit
Bulls will turn on their owners. Perhaps these owners did not train their dogs well enough.
The laws and bans have been put into place to protect people. More than half of Pit Bull attacks are children. Agree with the rationale, or not. Until dog owners can demonstrate that they can control their dogs, I for one am in favor of protecting my friends and neighbors, and particularly my kids, and yours.
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