AR-News: (US MD) Deliberations over pit bull legislation underway

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Gazette.net
by Sonsyrea Tate
Staff Writer 



June 17, 2004 


A County Council committee began deliberating a new law this week that would 
repeal a pit bull prohibition put in place seven years ago and replace it with 
a broader law. 
Some council members and residents question the fiscal feasibility and the 
social costs of the new bill. 
Council Bill-29, called the Vicious Animal bill, would implement the 
recommendations submitted last year by the Vicious Animal Task Force. The legislation 
would repeal the breed-specific provisions pertaining to pit bull terriers and 
add more regulations to address perceived problems associated with all 
potentially dangerous dogs. 
At a Tuesday work session of the council's Health, Education, and Human 
Services Committee, council members questioned Prince George's Animal Control 
Manager Rodney Taylor about the effectiveness of the old pit bull legislation and 
the potential fiscal and social impact of the new broader legislation. They 
also heard testimony from residents for and against the new legislation. 
Pearline Chittams, a grandmother in Lanham, condemned the new law proposed by 
Councilman Thomas R. Hendershot (D-Dist. 3) of New Carrolton, saying it would 
make owning pit bulls legal again. 
"Gangs of young people will once again return to the streets with these dogs, 
thus making senior citizens prisoners in their own homes," Chittams 
testified. "This justification of returning pit bulls to the county would be laughable 
if children's safety was not at stake." 


full story:
http://www.gazette.net/200425/princegeorgescty/county/222055-1.html 




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