Maryland Senate Passes Bill With Breed-Specific Language Removed

Today the Maryland Senate passed a revised version of a bill that originally decreed all Pit Bulls to be “inherently dangerous,” according to CBS Baltimore.

The new version makes all pet parents liable should their dogs attack, regardless of the breed.

In a controversial ruling last April, the Maryland Court of Appeals declared that the ownership of Pit Bulls or mixes in that state would become a “strict liability risk,” meaning that owners of these dogs – as well as the landlords who rented to those owners – would be liable for damages should the dog bite someone.

Animal advocates including the Humane Society of the United States and the Maryland SPCA protested this breed-specific legislation, fearing it would result in more Pit Bulls ending up in shelters and euthanized.

The Maryland Senate agreed with the animal advocates, and the vote passed almost unanimously (41-1). According to The Washington Times, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to pass its version of the bill on Monday.

PHOTO: Beverly & Pack

Laura Goldman

Laura Goldman is senior social media writer for i Love Dogs, Inc. She does love dogs. And elephants and turtles. Along with writing about the loves of her life, Laura likes to play with her two pound pups and tell anyone who’ll listen just how awesome Pit Bulls are.