Pit Bull Who Guarded Fire Victim Forced Out of County

A devoted pit bull who didn’t want to leave her injured owner inside a burning Landover Hills house has drawn national attention and been forced to find a new home.

The loyal dog, named Precious, was praised for standing over a woman until firefighters could rescue her Wednesday. But, Prince George’s County has a law prohibiting pit bulls from living in the county. So after animal control officers took the dog away from the scene, there was social media buzz about what might happen to the animal.

The Huffington Post’s animal welfare editor weighed in, denouncing the ban that displaced Precious.

“These bans, usually enacted at the city or county level, are damned as bad for families, problematic for civil liberties, and expensive to enforce, without increasing public safety,” the website said.

»What are your thoughts on laws that ban specific dog breeds, such as pit bulls? Tell us in comments.

Adrianne Lefkowitz, executive director of the Maryland Dog Federation, told HuffPost, “This shouldn’t be happening in America.”

Mark Brady, spokesman for the Prince George’s County Fire Department, told reporters the pit bull wouldn’t leave her owner’s side. Firefighters aimed a powder fire extinguisher at the pooch, allowing firefighters to take the woman out of the house.

Brady said later that the dog had acted aggressively as rescuers approached, and lunged at paramedics.

“We make every effort to see if the dog is friendly or not before taking any other steps. We approached the situation with safety for everyone in mind,” Brady told Patch.

Since the house was engulfed in flames, firefighters had to force the dog to retreat.

“We would not have taken any actions to move the dog if it had not lunged at paramedics when they first approached,” Brady said.

The owner’s sister, who lives in Montgomery County, has now adopted Precious and taken her home, WTOP reports.

»Photo of dog at Landover Hills fire scene courtesy of Mark Brady, Prince George’s County Fire Department