No Progress Made On Pit Bull Liability Bill In Special Session

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)—A sheriff's deputy shot and killed a pit bull, after the dog bit an 11-year-old boy in Harford County on Wednesday. The child had minor injuries and did not need to go to the hospital. But the shooting comes one day after the General Assembly failed to resolve a controversial court ruling that declares pit bulls inherently dangerous. Now some pit bull owners may feel compelled to give up their dogs.

Political reporter Pat Warren reports from the Maryland SPCA, where animal advocates wait to see what happens next.

There's hope that the Maryland Court of Appeals will reverse itself on a motion to reconsider. For now, they're left in limbo.

The General Assembly tried and failed to pass a law correcting what many see as an unfair breed-specific court ruling on pit bulls.

The result: pit bull owners and their landlords can consider themselves on notice that their dog is "inherently dangerous."

"Right now it's pit bulls. Tomorrow it could be a Doberman, a Belgian Malinois, a German Shepherd. It could be your dog next," said an opponent.

The appeals court ruled in the case of Dominic Solesky, a child who nearly bled to death after a pit bull attack. That civil liability does not require proof of prior violent behavior in  pit bull attacks, and both dog owners and landlords can be held legally responsible for damages.

Protesters across Maryland landed in Annapolis during the special session hoping for relief from the General Assembly. They were disappointed.

"The House and Senate, both of them agreed that the ruling was unjust. We were so disappointed that they couldn't come together on a bill that would best serve the people and pets of Maryland," said Tina Regester, Maryland SPCA.

So the ball is back in the court's court.

The attorney general's opinion is that the ruling is stayed, waiting for action on a motion to reconsider. But it also advises people to consult their own lawyers and some aren't taking any chances.

"We're already hearing from people who are being forced to give up their dogs so they can keep their homes, and it's just heartbreaking," said Amanda Schulz, Maryland SPCA.

Court action is uncertain, and there'll be no action from the General Assembly until January.

Without action from the General Assembly, leasing companies, vets and dog groomers would have to get separate policies to cover their property when pit bulls are present.