ICYMI: Should Pit Bulls Be Banned in Edgewater? Readers Respond

>>News Alerts: Subscribe to a free email newsletter: ANNAPOLIS•EDGEWATER•ODENTON

EDGEWATER, 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.

Be sure to like Edgewater Patch on Facebook!

On April 4, a pit bull was euthanized by police after it attacked a Churchton woman and would not let go. But the dog’s owner told Patch that he was ill and never aggressive.

“My dog was not an aggressive animal, he had a medical condition that caused what happened,” Mary Patton said.

She is unequivocally opposed to total bans on dog breeds.

The incident prompted comment from Tony Solesky, a Towson man whose son was mauled by a pit bull in 2007.

"They are inherently ( the word breed means inherent) dangerous," Solesky told Patch readers.

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 Edgewater 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 no no"
• "I think there should be a ban against dangerous people."
• "There are no inherently "dangerous" dogs. Only bad dog owners. The answer to your question is "No"."
• "No but I believe we should have much harsher penalties against bad owners who create bad dogs and left their humanity behind."
• "No. However, dog owners should be held liable for any injuries their dog causes. Perhaps a required additional policy. And if you cannot afford the policy, you cannot afford the pet!"
• "Of course not"
• "own 2 rescued mixed pits !!! Most loving dogs you will ever see !!! Own a pit and you will want to own another dog !! All dogs can be dangerous, it's the owners you need to worry about !!"
• "Pit bulls used to be known as the "nanny dog". They are great with children and love their people. It's the bad owners that have made the dog behave badly."
• "Absolutly not!!!!!! Public perception has made them a "bully" breed. To know/own a pit is to love snd adore him, abd to be greatful they let us ljbe with them. My pits own me i do not own them."
• "I know many pits that are more love able than cats."

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 Edgewater 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