Maryland Accident Law Blog

The Baltimore County Council has vetoed legislation that would have place strict limits on pit bull owners in Baltimore County, Maryland. The measure, introduced by Council member Vincent J. Gardina, would have force pit bull owners to keep their dogs in concrete-based kennels and post warning signs on their front lawns. Pit bulls would have had to be muzzled anytime they were outside their kennels.

Gardina had proposed the legislation after a 10-year old boy from Towson was mauled by a pit bull. The boy stayed at a hospital for two weeks while he recovered from his dog mauling injuries.

Animal rights groups and dog owners that had protested heavily against the measure had cited the violation of dog owners’ rights. They also questioned whether the measure would actually prevent dog attacks from occurring—especially as there are dogs belonging to many breeds other than pit bulls that have been known to attack adults and children with little provocation. In addition to American Pit Bulls, the measure would have also applied to the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier, any mixes of these breeds.

Those who supported the measure, however, cited reports showing that even though dogs from other breeds have been known to attack people, pit bulls are responsible for many of the attacks. The CDC says that out of the reported 238 dog maulings that took place between 1979 and 1998, pit bulls were responsible for 66 of the attacks.

If you or your child has sustained injuries because of an attack by a dog or another animal that belongs to someone else in Maryland or Washington D.C., you should speak to an experienced dog bite injury attorney immediately.

Deadly Dog Bite Statistics:

• 12-15 people die annually from dog-related injuries.
• Pit bulls and rottweilers are responsible for many dog-related deaths.
• 65% of deadly dog attacks take place because a dog was not chained on the owner’s premise.
• 3,423 postal workers were attacked by dogs in 2003.
• Dog bites are the second cause of injuries to children on playgrounds.
• The majority of children-related dog bite injuries occur on the face.

Baltimore County Council Rejects Pit Bull Limits, WBAL.com, October 16, 2007

Proposal takes aim at pit bull maulings, Baltimore Sun, October 8, 2007

Animal and Dog Bite Statistics, Lawcore.com

Related Web Resources:

Maryland Dog Bite Law

Continue reading " Maryland’s Baltimore County Council Rejects Legislation Targeting Pit Bull Attacks" »

Police say that the man who was attacked by actor Ving Rhames’ dogs on the movie star’s property was 40-year-old Jacob Adams. Adams had been living at the Brentwood, California property for around two years where he worked as the dogs’ caretaker.

The exact cause of death is still being investigated. Police are still investigating whether the numerous dog bites on the victim’s body led to him being mauled to death or the man died of heart failure.

An English bulldog and three bull mastiffs have been seized from the property. Rhames, who costarred in the Mission Impossible movies with Tom Cruise, was not home when the mauling took place.

If the caretaker did die because of the dog bites, he would be at least the 14th victim this year to have been killed by a dog in the U.S. About 25-30 dog mauling-related deaths take place in the U.S. each year.

Dog bites can be extremely painful and cause serious injury or death to the victim. A person who is attacked by the dog owned by another person might have grounds to file a personal injury claim, a dog bite lawsuit, a wrongful death case, or an unsafe premises/premises liability claim against the negligent party.

Peteducation.com offers a number of suggestions for reducing the chances of your dog biting someone, including the following:

• Spay or neuter your dog. Spayed or neutered dogs are three times less likely to bite than intact dogs.
• Socialize your dog. Introduce your dog to many different types of people and situations.
• Train your dog. Participating in puppy socialization and dog training classes is an excellent way to help you and your dog learn good obedience skills.
• Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Avoid playing aggressive games with your dog such as wrestling, tug-of-war, or 'siccing' your dog on another person. If your dog exhibits dangerous behavior toward any person, particularly toward children, seek professional help.
• Be a responsible dog owner. Obtain a license for your dog as required by law, and provide regular veterinary care, including rabies vaccinations. For everyone's safety, do not allow your dog to roam.

Police Identify Man Who Died in Dog Attack at Actor Ving Rhames' Home, Voice of America, August 6, 2007

Caretaker, mauled by dogs, found dead at actor's home, Los Angeles Times, August 4, 2007

Biting: Causes, Prevention, and Control, Pet Education.com

Related Web Resources:

Dog Bite Law in Maryland

Dog Bite-Related Fatalities, United States, 1995-1996, CDC

Continue reading "Ving Rhames’ Caretaker Is Killed During Dog Mauling" »

Two pit bulls attacked a woman as she walked close to her home in East Baltimore. The woman, Ruby Pulley, sustained bite injuries on more than 90% of her body. An armed security officer arrived at the scene and shot one of the dogs. The other dog fled to its home.

Pulley, age 53, was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital where her scratches and bites were treated.

In Maryland, a dog owner cannot leave a dog unattended unless the dog is locked in the house or placed in a secure area outdoors where the dog cannot get out. Maryland defines a “dangerous dog” as a dog that has either seriously injured or killed a person or another animal, a dog that attacks others without being provoked, or a dog that authorities have named as “potentially dangerous” and then injures someone.

The rights of a dog bite victim will very depending on the city and state where the dog attack occurred. Dog bite victims can be eligible to file a personal injury claim if a negligent person were responsible for the attack, the dog owner knew that the dog had attacked another person at least one time before this incident, and the dog owner or person in charge of the dog at the time of the attack violated the dog laws in his or her state.

Here is a list of some dog breeds that are commonly considered dangerous:

• Rottweiler
• Pit Bulls
• Akitas
• Boxers
• Doberman Pinschers

Continue reading "East Baltimore Woman Is Victim of Pit Bull Attack" »

Anne Arundel County Police say that a man told his pit bull to attack a teenage boy on the night of March 16th. The boy and his friend were sitting in a parked car on Farrara Drive in Gambrills, Maryland when the man drove up in his Silver Ford Taurus and asked them if they knew anyone named Andy. Both boys said that they didn't. The man then got out of his car, opened the boys' car door and told his pit bull to get them.

The 17-year-old boy sustained a six- to seven-inch cut and small puncture wounds on his left bicep, where he was bitten by the pit bull. The boy drove himself to Nighttime Pediatrics, and from there an ambulance drove him to Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

Maryland places strict liability on a dog's owner if their dog attacks a person without provocation, whether or not the dog has a prior history of violence.

Citation: MD Code, Criminal Law, § 10-619

Statute in Full:
Definitions
(a)(1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2) "Dangerous dog" means a dog that:
(i) without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person; or
(ii) is determined by the appropriate unit of a county or municipal corporation under subsection (c) of this section to be a potentially dangerous dog and, after the determination is made:
1. bites a person;
2. when not on its owner's real property, kills or inflicts severe injury on a domestic animal; or
3. attacks without provocation.

(3)(i) "Owner's real property" means real property owned or leased by the owner of a dog.
(ii) "Owner's real property" does not include a public right-of-way or a common area of a condominium, apartment complex, or townhouse development.

(4) "Severe injury" means a physical injury that results in broken bones or disfiguring lacerations requiring multiple sutures or cosmetic surgery.
Exception
(b) This section does not apply to a dog owned by and working for a governmental or law enforcement unit.
Determination of potentially dangerous dog
(c) An appropriate unit of a county or municipal corporation may determine that a dog is potentially dangerous if the unit:
(1) finds that the dog:
(i) has inflicted a bite on a person while on public or private real property;
(ii) when not on its owner's real property, has killed or inflicted severe injury on a domestic animal; or
(iii) has attacked without provocation; and
(2) notifies the dog owner in writing of the reasons for this determination.
Prohibited
(d) A dog owner may not:
(1) leave a dangerous dog unattended on the owner's real property unless the dog is:
(i) confined indoors;
(ii) in a securely enclosed and locked pen; or
(iii) in another structure designed to restrain the dog; or
(2) allow a dangerous dog to leave the owner's real property unless the dog is leashed and muzzled, or is otherwise securely restrained and muzzled.
Required notice
(e) An owner of a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog who sells or gives the dog to another shall notify in writing:
(1) the authority that made the determination under subsection (c) of this section, of the name and address of the new owner of the dog; and
(2) the person taking possession of the dog, of the dangerous behavior or potentially dangerous behavior of the dog.
Penalty
(f) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $2,500

Statistically, nearly five million people in the United States are injured every year from a dog attack. Many of these victims are children 10 years of age or younger.

800,000 dog attacks each year result in injuries needing medical care, with about 6,000 victims requiring hospitalization.

Continue reading "Man Orders Pit Bull to Attack 17-Year-Old Boy In Gambrills, Maryland" »