Should Pit Bulls Stay Banned in Prince George's County? Readers Respond (2024)

Community Corner

Are pit bulls inherently aggressive, or just misunderstood? We asked Patch readers for their thoughts.

Posted Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 2:44 pm ET|Updated Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 3:17 pm ET

PRINCE GEORGE'S 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.

"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 Prince George's 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:

• "I dont mind the Pits, just ban the owners"
• "The PG County pit bull ban results in unfair discrimination against dogs of a certain appearance. It is extremely costly to enforce and has been proven to be ineffective. PG County already has sufficient dangerous dog laws in place, which do not unfairly discriminate. To read more about the ineffective pit bull ban and find out how you can help advocate for repeal of this bad law, please visit http://www.bowieclaw.org/endpgbsl/. Thanks College Park Patch for bringing light to this important legal issue! #endpgbsl"
• "While I agree with those sentiments as well, I was attacked by a pit bull several years ago in Montgomery County and I it has taken years for me to be around dogs. The owners trained it poorly yes, but they can be scary dogs, who when they are not trained properly can kill someone. I have the scars to prove it and they will never go away. Keep the ban..."
• "I think it's unfair to have breed bans. Any breed of dog can be loving, nurturing, and a great addition to any family if they're properly trained and taken care of. Unfortunately, idiotic individuals in this area have created negative stereotypes based on breeds because of their look and strength. These people buy these dogs for protection, neglect to give them proper training or raise them to be aggressive towards humans or other animals. It's unfortunate that certain breeds can't be enjoyed in a loving family environment because of people making poor choices."
• "no breed should be banned, need to look at the individual dog, no matter what breed."
• "Nope. All the Pits I've been around have been very lovable. It's all how you raise them. My daughter has 2 large Pit Bulls that have been around children constantly for over 13 years and have never bitten anyone. They are 2 huge lovable babies. Animal lovers should be allowed to have whatever pet they wish in any county as long as they are properly cared for."
• "I don't believe in any BSL. Hold the stupid owners responsible, both criminally and financially if any pet ( or kid for that matter) does damage."
• "No, I do not agree with the ban. It's discrimination, there are already laws on the books regarding dangerous animals that would address a situation if one arose. There are dogs that are not pits that are equally or more dangerous. It doesn't have to be a pit to attack, my husband works in a service industry where he has been nipped and bit by more little (they're okay) dogs than bigger dogs. The negativity that is created by this ban, causes fear and hatred and is just not fair. Too many good dogs have been taken away from their families just because they are labeled a pit, and hadnt done anything. It's just plain sad."
• "In PG county it is enforced often. Dogs have been taken from homes and killed. Didn't even give the family a chance to get the dog out of the county. PGC is just terrible when it comes to treatment of these dogs and their families. If animal control or the police knock on your door do not let them in. Once they are in they will seize the dog."
• "Dogs are only mean if they are trained to be mean it's the owners that have the problem."

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 College Park Patch Facebook page.

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