Should Pit Bulls Be Banned in Anne Arundel? Readers Respond

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ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD–A recent attack by a pit bull of its owner in Anne Arundel County has again ignited a debate in Maryland about whether the breed is inherently dangerous.

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On April 4, a dog was euthanized by police after it attacked a Churchton woman and would not let go. The incident prompted comment from Tony Solesky, a Towson man whose son was mauled by a pit bull in 2007.

After Solesky’s child was attacked, a Maryland court ruled pit bulls are “inherently dangerous.” The ruling held dog owners and landlords liable for any attacks by pit bulls, prompting landlords statewide to ban the dogs from rental housing.

A 2014 Maryland law supported by the Humane Society overturned the breed-specific ruling, reports The Huffington Post.

We asked Patch Readers in Anne Arundel County if pit bulls deserved the title of “Most Dangerous Dog in America” and the ban that sometimes comes along with it. Here’s what they had to say:

• "NO!"
• "It's not the breed it's the owner"
• "Per a study by animals 24, comparing dog bites for over a decade ending in 2104...Even if the pit bull category was "split four ways," attacks by pit bulls and their closest relatives would still outnumber attacks by any other dog breed. That's an overwhelmingly high ratio of bad owners of pit bulls."
• "I think it should be up to insurers. If they say they'll cover your breed for liability, fine. If, however, they think it's too risky, then no. If your dog harms my kid, you better damn sight be able to pay repairations."
• "Definitely not!! There are no bad breeds - only bad owners!!! They are to blame, not the breed!!"
• "Not at all."
• "No! How about a ban on dangerous people instead!"
• "No, not the breed- it's the owners. Scan applications for those wanting the dog and if criminals, then no."

The ASPCA released a statement stating that they “oppose any state or local law to regulate or ban dogs based on breed.”

They explain that the data collection methods that go into forming these statistics are often unreliable. Specifically, breed-identification can be difficult, especially with mixed-breed dogs, which can lead to an inaccurate calculation of a breed’s bite rate.

The National Canine Research Council says that responsible pet ownership is the key to aggression prevention, and that it’s the duty of the owner to not allow “a pet to become a threat or a nuisance.”

While the question of “bad breeds” is still up in the air, for every bad pit bull story, there’s a good one to match.

Do you have an opinion on pitties? Share it with us in the comments below or on our Anne Arundel Patch Facebook page.

Make sure to check out our national Patch Pets Facebook page for the latest news from the animal kingdom.

>>Photo by Getty Images via Flickr