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HAGERSTOWN — Dog lovers are sounding off about a Maryland Court of Appeals ruling that pit bulls are an inherently dangerous breed.
The Humane Society of the United States launched a campaign Wednesday seeking legislation to overturn the ruling.
The group says Maryland is the only state that officially regards pit bulls and pit bull-type dogs as categorically dangerous.
Maryland’s highest court ruled last week that when an attack involves a pit bull, plaintiffs in civil lawsuits don’t have to prove the animal’s prior violent behavior for the owner to be held liable for damages.
The decision sprang from a Baltimore County case involving a 10-year-old boy who was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull in 2007.
The HSUS says the ruling means landlords can also be held liable in such cases.
