One time, my neighbor found a young pit bull tied to our building's fence. She took him in and I volunteered to walk him during the day while she was at work. He had different color eyes -- one brown, one blue -- that made him look kind of crazy. But he was the sweetest gosh darned dog ever. However, a new court ruling could mean that sweet pitties like him would remain tied to the fence post forever.
The high court in Maryland has ruled that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous." Let's face it, all dogs can bite. Shih-tzus bite. Chihuahuas bite. If they get you in the wrong place -- like maybe your eye -- they can do a lot of damage for a little guy. ALL dogs are "inherently dangerous" because they have teeth, okay? And they bite. But they are not "inherently dangerous" in the legal sense. In the legal sense, if a dog bites someone, and that person sues, he has to prove that the owner was negligent.
But not with pit bulls in Maryland. Basically, if you've got a pit bull, and it bites, you're responsible. Yeah, even if someone was pulling on your pittie's tail and hitting it on the head with a frying pan. It bites in self-defense? Too bad.
Pit bull owners already face higher home insurance costs and buildings that don't allow them. One owner was so distraught after putting his pet pit bull to sleep because his building outlawed his pet that he then killed himself.
Various states have begun enacting anti-pit bull laws, making it more difficult for owners to keep this breed, which used to be known as the "nanny dog" for its sweet disposition with children.
Any pet poses somewhat of a risk to the general population. As with every animal, what it needs is a caring, responsible, and intelligent owner. With this new law, pit bulls, even those that are already family pets, could pay with their lives.
What do you think of this new ruling?
Image via DigitalJayy/Flickr
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Comments 108
HOWEVER. While I may feel this way, it is not my right to push that attitude onto others. I have seen the good in dogs, and I have seen families and sick children inspired by them. I have friends who have them, and while they chuckle at my flat out refusal to be anywhere NEAR them, they LOVE their dogs.
That being said, pit bulls are just like any other living thing on the planet: when nurtured and trained well, they are great. When treated like playthings, they are not. The responsibility for a badly trained pit lies not on the dog (ick) but on its disgusting owner (even more ick)
Christie, truth is not an opinion, it's fact. We put a lot of research into breeds before we settled on our AmStaff (mush closer to the Petey-type of the 20's than the modern pit bull terrier). And the flat out truth is that any time a dog bites the reason can always be found in ownership. You obviously (whether knowingly or not, I can't say) allowed inappropriate behavior from your pit that led to the bite. Dogs don't "just snap", ever. There are always signs that go unrecognized or ignored leading up to a bite. No one should own a bully breed without understanding the breed and being willing to give it what it deserves, and that includes proper discipline and instruction.
I said it because it's the truth. A dog NEVER bites with first showing other signs of aggression that either go unrecognized or ignored. (Cesar Milan, "Dog bites are always preceded by behavior that an astute observer can use as a warning and then take steps to reduce the dog’s stress or fear."). They do not belong in adult only homes AND I NEVER SAID THEY DID. In fact, in other posts I pointed out that their temperament is perfect for children (I have four). The breed is not high strung nor predisposed to aggression. Such myths have been repeatedly disproved). You clearly do not know the breed you allowed into your home. It is absolutely possible for owners to know the nuances of their dog's behavior. If you can't or don't you shouldn't have the dog. If you are going to own a bully breed proper research by and training of the owners is a MUST.
Katyq, that is ignorant talking point repetition that is completely untrue. If you're going to make such a claim back it up with proof.