Maryland Pit Bull Legislation - Where Are The Options?

The idea of banning pit bulls comes up a lot in the state of Maryland. After the April 4, 2016 attack in Anne Arundel County which left a woman seriously injured and a pit bull euthanized, the debate on a statewide ban fired up again. Opponents of the ban argue that it’s not fair to label all pit bulls as dangerous, where as supporters argue that it’s not worth the risk to differentiate each individual dog.

Which two such passionate groups with solid stances one way or the other, why aren’t there more options than simply banning an entire breed? Most agree that when pit bulls do attack, it tends to be more harmful than most other breeds. Their sheer strength and agility can escalate a dog bite to something that can be potentially be life threatening. Many who oppose breed legislation say the blame falls on the owners, so why not enact a law that requires special training and certification to be a pit bull owner?

By requiring specific types of training, a certain amount of hours spent with a trainer, required spay or neuter by pit bull owner besides approved breeders, and a more thorough adoption process, pit bull attacks could be greatly lessened and possibly prevented. Some dogs may be more inclined to be aggressive, but the list of aggressive breeds doesn’t end with pit bulls (which in fact isn’t a specific breed). According to Pet Helpful, the list of top 10 most dangerous dog breeds includes chihuahuas, dalmatians, German shepherds, chow chows and huskies.

In 2014, a Maryland law supported by the Humane Society, was enacted to overturn a 2012 ruling that pit bulls and pit bull mixes are “inherently dangerous”. While this law was overturned, victims of dog attacks, including those by pit bulls, still have options in the case of an attack. Dog owners can face criminal charges and civil personal injury lawsuits if they are deemed at fault for the dog bite or other actions resulting in injury. Training is essential for all dog owners, not just owners of pit bulls, to prevent any kind of punishable injury. As stated by the dog bite lawyers of Discepolo, LLP in Columbia, “Maryland’s law covers more than just bites; it also applies to other injuries the dogs may cause (i.e., knocking a person to the ground).” This law can affect the owner of any dog in Maryland, pit bull or not.

With the constant debate on the aggressive nature of pit bulls, it seems most logical to replace a breed specific ban with a preventative law. Rather than requiring owners to relinquish their pets, move out of state, or euthanize the breed, lawmakers should be thinking about ways to make pit bull owners take responsibility and better educate themselves on the dog they have, as well as requiring neutering or spaying of all pit bull breeding unless the breeder passes a rigorous standards test. This would help lessen the number of pit bulls that end up in shelters, lessen the need for breed regulation in rental units, and hopefully lessen the number of neglected or poorly trained pit bulls in the state while saving the lives of well trained and friendly pit bulls in the area.