The problems with such legislation and ideas are huge. Pit bulls were bred for 2 things - family pets and fighting in the ring. They are supposed to be friendly dogs to people ... not to other dogs though.
However, if there is a dog-bite and it is a Golden Retriever you may hear about a dog-bite. If there is a dog-bite and it is a mixed breed/unknown breed that has a big neck and it suddenly becomes a "savaging by a pit-bull". Feh
There are some dogs that get a hold and don't let go (virtually all of the terriers). Others slash and bite (e.g. Husky). Both can be devastatingly effective.
I suspect that the Hagerstown law will register all current pit-bulls and grandfather them in. The next time a person is bitten (for whatever reason), the grandfather clause will be removed.
The drug-dealers who use dogs will get rid of their Stafforshire Terriers, their American Pit Bull Terriers, and their American Staffordshire Terriers and switch to other breeds ... or thumb their noses at the law (it isn't like they are known to be law-abiding).
Many breeds are selected for guarding, any of them could be used (and abused) by the drug-dealers to be 'protection'. Other breeds can be trained/abused into being difficult/dangerous. The worst bite I got was from a registered poodle. I've also been bitten by a Shih Tzu. The neighborhood Chow never growled at me. I have been growled at by 1 Dobie (she had just had a litter, before that and about a week after she loved coming to the fence to get attention).
Oh, I got the 'right' dog on the quiz in 3 tries ... and I was really torn between my second try and the 'right' one.°
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However, if there is a dog-bite and it is a Golden Retriever you may hear about a dog-bite. If there is a dog-bite and it is a mixed breed/unknown breed that has a big neck and it suddenly becomes a "savaging by a pit-bull". Feh
There are some dogs that get a hold and don't let go (virtually all of the terriers). Others slash and bite (e.g. Husky). Both can be devastatingly effective.
I suspect that the Hagerstown law will register all current pit-bulls and grandfather them in. The next time a person is bitten (for whatever reason), the grandfather clause will be removed.
The drug-dealers who use dogs will get rid of their Stafforshire Terriers, their American Pit Bull Terriers, and their American Staffordshire Terriers and switch to other breeds ... or thumb their noses at the law (it isn't like they are known to be law-abiding).
Many breeds are selected for guarding, any of them could be used (and abused) by the drug-dealers to be 'protection'. Other breeds can be trained/abused into being difficult/dangerous. The worst bite I got was from a registered poodle. I've also been bitten by a Shih Tzu. The neighborhood Chow never growled at me. I have been growled at by 1 Dobie (she had just had a litter, before that and about a week after she loved coming to the fence to get attention).
Oh, I got the 'right' dog on the quiz in 3 tries ... and I was really torn between my second try and the 'right' one.°