MDF News

September 12, 2011
http://bit.ly/qBsHi8
Charles County, MD, proposes BSL, excessive animal fancier & breeder fees

The Charles County, MD, Board of Commissioners will hold an "informal public forum" on Tuesday, September 20th, 5:30pm, to discuss draconian changes to, and exorbitant fee increases in, their animal control ordinance.

TO: Charles County residents and ALL concerned: Please attend this work session and/or send your respectful comments and concerns to the County Commissioners (contact info below).

One of the major revisions included in this proposal would arbitrarily define, then declare all "pit bulls" to be "potentially dangerous" dogs, thereby automatically and immediately placing numerous special restrictions on ownership of dogs identified as the targeted breeds of mixes thereof. While this is not an outright ban, it includes treating the most benign, beloved family pet as though it has menaced or bitten. This means muzzling, special (expensive) kenneling and fencing, mandatory sterilization, premises signage and licensing, prohibition from enjoying a dog park, and other onerous restrictions and unintended consequences to be suffered by thousands of caring pet owners and beloved family pets.

"Pit bull" is defined as American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, a dog mixed of one or more of these breeds; any dog that has ever been identified at any time (including in adoption or veterinary paperwork) as a "pit bull" type dog, and any dog that resembles one of these breeds.

Read the full ordinance here: http://bit.ly/nItfAk (July version)

Ineffective law such as the breed specific potentially dangerous dog law proposed by Charles County sets neighbor against neighbor, creates a witchunt among neighbors, discriminates against responsible owners, creates unsolvable breed identification and enforcement problems for animal control officers, wastes precious public resources, and does not address problematic owner behavior.

The public meeting will be held at 5:30pm on Tuesday, September 20th at:

Charles County Government Building
First Floor
200 Baltimore Street
La Plata, Maryland 20646.

Contact information for Charles County Commissioners:
Attn: Charles County Board of Commissioners
Post Office Box 2150
La Plata, Maryland 20646-2150

301-645-0550 or 301-870-3000

Entire Commission
commissioner@charlescounty.org

President Candice Kelly,
KellyC@charlescounty.org

VP Reuben Collins,
CollinsR@charlescounty.org

Ken Robinson,
RobinsonK@charlescounty.org

Debra Davis,
DavisD@charlescounty.org

Bobby Rucci,
RucciB@charlescounty.org

Copy and paste this into your "to" block to email the Charles County Commissioners:

commissioner@charlescounty.org; KellyC@charlescounty.org; CollinsR@charlescounty.org; RobinsonK@charlescounty.org; DavisD@charlescounty.org; RucciB@charlescounty.org

ALSO proposed in this ordinance:

•Cat licensing

•Sliding "breeder" tax of up to $1500 annually

•Defines any person or organization that breeds a litter or sells an animal with more than 4 intact animals over 4 months of age to be a "commercial breeding facility"

•Defines or redefines "owner", "custodian" and "wild animal" (Feeding the birds and squirels may become highly problematic)

•Prohibition of allowing an animal to ride unconfined in the back of a pick up truck (that's a keeper!)

•Proposed legislation also calls for a mandatory 72-hour hold for stray domestic animals at the county shelter before it can be placed or destroyed. That's a step in the right direction. HOWEVER, it allows the shelter to kill baby puppies and kittens under 3 months old without the 72-hour hold.