Thursday, May 31, 2012

Maryland court ruling update



There’s some hope on the horizon for those who are concerned about the impact a recent court ruling declaring all pit bulls inherently dangerous could have on Maryland landlords and pit bull owners.

Maryland lawmakers have announced their intention to create a 10-member task force to study the court decision and make recommendations to the General Assembly on potential legislation to address the ruling.

Also, the Baltimore Sun has reported that an attorney representing the Towson landlord named in the Tracey v. Solesky case, which spurred the court ruling, has filed a motion forreconsideration, asking the court to re-examine the evidence that led to the decision. 

"Untold numbers of dog owners in Maryland are now being told to abandon their pets or leave their homes," the motion says. "They have been given no hearing, no notice, no opportunity to participate in a democratic forum ... The separation of powers exists for a reason."

The Washington Post recently ran a story on some Maryland advocates’ efforts to raise awareness about the fact that their pit bulls are part of their families and make great pets. Maryland advocacy group B-More Dog’s Pit Bulls on Parade, which takes place monthly in Baltimore, was the centerpiece of the story. 

2 comments:

Idol Tribe Jumble said...

There is a wingnut site devoted to the notion that pitbulls are vicious by nature, physically different from other dogs and psychologically and physically demented animals. It also posts pictures of people who are supposed to have been savaged by pits and then relies on some seriously questionable statistics regarding dog attacks. Pit Bull Dangers. It needs to be outed and shut down because it spreads misinformation.

Miss Allie said...

I really wish lawmakers would do their research before trying to pass laws like this. Pitbulls do not have the highest aggression rates by far. More people report being bitten by Golden Retrievers and German Shepards. Punish the deed not the breed.