tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331159972024-02-28T13:35:54.406-08:00Ethical Bull Breed Rescue and Referral<center>EBBRR
P.O. Box 8858
Baltimore, MD 21224
www.ebbrr.org</center>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-55121426118523477922014-09-16T10:22:00.001-07:002014-09-16T10:22:42.127-07:00Day of the Horse October 4, 2014 - Glen Arm, MD <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15A0LOE7WGipurs_AKFxOKP0agBqKbrmmaKcZJ6gO0v6lX2IqlF6ESFP-f8Bm9F1Jzt4VrlhDRQk9QLVXF14enCF94l45LGBOfyDapmPUaJ30WBQEoRUO4bq1eNTYw8tCLChcXg/s1600/Day+of+the+horse2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15A0LOE7WGipurs_AKFxOKP0agBqKbrmmaKcZJ6gO0v6lX2IqlF6ESFP-f8Bm9F1Jzt4VrlhDRQk9QLVXF14enCF94l45LGBOfyDapmPUaJ30WBQEoRUO4bq1eNTYw8tCLChcXg/s1600/Day+of+the+horse2014.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
<br />mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-21438582712990607632013-09-16T07:27:00.004-07:002013-09-16T07:27:29.771-07:00Jesse Coming Back to Rescue - July 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>This handsome senior is Jesse. Jesse was adopted 8 years ago and is coming back to rescue. EBBRR has not been actively rescuing for the past few years but we made a commitment to our dogs. We are desperately in need of a foster home in the Maryland area.</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGfEZy2gK4H_VobixoY1K6ODzWGUzS0mRXrwfuTZtmDsrrHa8B7zOaC7rfZ2e2tYC9901usex3Et-GuDq50raT_yk8MpLNUFutg9kd3_iCd4Ws1JojO7QiGI919ZeLjoIciPaGw/s1600/Jesse+Hiking+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGfEZy2gK4H_VobixoY1K6ODzWGUzS0mRXrwfuTZtmDsrrHa8B7zOaC7rfZ2e2tYC9901usex3Et-GuDq50raT_yk8MpLNUFutg9kd3_iCd4Ws1JojO7QiGI919ZeLjoIciPaGw/s320/Jesse+Hiking+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDsEJOi7WuG_IWLTetkZ9rFo-djKyG4WTI9wF87HVrezLPjdarkiw7lprGeqr-0t81D03I4qcHEKnjPwMpZceKV6IR1nbXkeSzx8kKUqdJkVx8_bNx4XhNbX_tW7bNbyiUYmarw/s1600/Jesse+Ravens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDsEJOi7WuG_IWLTetkZ9rFo-djKyG4WTI9wF87HVrezLPjdarkiw7lprGeqr-0t81D03I4qcHEKnjPwMpZceKV6IR1nbXkeSzx8kKUqdJkVx8_bNx4XhNbX_tW7bNbyiUYmarw/s320/Jesse+Ravens.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Contact Michelle at <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">mdebbrr@yahoo.com</a></div>
<br />mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-49443946486944743802012-06-18T09:58:00.001-07:002012-06-18T09:58:20.537-07:00MD: Please Protect Responsible Pet and Property OwnersURGENT: Email today let your voice be heard! <span class="xc_largetext">Ask the Maryland Legislature to Target Reckless Owners of Truly Dangerous Dogs</span> <br />
<br />
Brian Frosh, D-Montgomery, <a href="mailto:Brian.Frosh@senate.state.md.us">Brian.Frosh@senate.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Lisa Gladden, D-Baltimore, <a href="mailto:Lisa.Gladden@senate.state.md.us">Lisa.Gladden@senate.state.md.us</a><br />
Joseph Getty, R-Carroll, <a href="mailto:Joseph.Getty@senate.state.md.us">Joseph.Getty@senate.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, <a href="mailto:Jamie.Raskin@senate.state.md.us">Jamie.Raskin@senate.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
Norman Stone, D-Baltimore County, <a href="mailto:Norman.Stone@senate.state.md.us">Norman.Stone@senate.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, <a href="mailto:Curt.Anderson@house.state.md.us">Curt.Anderson@house.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
Eric Bromwell, D-Baltimore County, <a href="mailto:Eric.Bromwell@house.state.md.us">Eric.Bromwell@house.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
Benjamin Kramer, D-Montgomery, <a href="mailto:Benjamin.Kramer@house.state.md.us">Benjamin.Kramer@house.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
Heather Mizeur, D-Montgomery, <a href="mailto:Heather.Mizeur@house.state.md.us">Heather.Mizeur@house.state.md.us</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.capwiz.com/bestfriends/issues/alert/?alertid=61276911#.T99dautGCms.blogger">MD: Please Protect Responsible Pet and Property Owners</a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-72069408543566312782012-06-14T08:45:00.003-07:002012-06-17T06:29:17.146-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxTrsBYtolpvHltoH9TIJ6ExXR42bquGEM-dROd-5-6QL02AGOpMJBeaYKCLw9COBAIVpMnEA1rlxkHa2rD4Vha_yYWWT_Ff0ttpIqc52Pd08orAzkjZKks_IqReliN9-40nC7Q/s1600/Sydney+paw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxTrsBYtolpvHltoH9TIJ6ExXR42bquGEM-dROd-5-6QL02AGOpMJBeaYKCLw9COBAIVpMnEA1rlxkHa2rD4Vha_yYWWT_Ff0ttpIqc52Pd08orAzkjZKks_IqReliN9-40nC7Q/s320/Sydney+paw.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><u>Sydney's owner passed away and she needs a home!</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/normal "Courier New", courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; right: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some photos of Syd. And a brief description:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Name: Sydney</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMZWwpfZwFgOsCoUQhMPUThbw36FIOBHMeTOSLBQ3mXjE2zapSzGGK-E9U8o5u0A3Uv5qsRhuHQFm54pWWoI5TdH-QbmgZuqZk7PM4TquRcnYwMC2e9x3wM6j9xrrzCnwMv0C0g/s1600/sydney2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMZWwpfZwFgOsCoUQhMPUThbw36FIOBHMeTOSLBQ3mXjE2zapSzGGK-E9U8o5u0A3Uv5qsRhuHQFm54pWWoI5TdH-QbmgZuqZk7PM4TquRcnYwMC2e9x3wM6j9xrrzCnwMv0C0g/s320/sydney2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04dKw3H-b9oSmmyiDPvG7W1i7ron73eK_h5tblRabf79Ryhyi0uBXT-Wb_Gg0ZlrB2Dd7rtX9pO09i6HLOcG8ZXkIzUHepyhWbsGUaf6MNz8Xz8T_UaNZuQxO6T_Hya5V6v-Ciw/s1600/syd11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04dKw3H-b9oSmmyiDPvG7W1i7ron73eK_h5tblRabf79Ryhyi0uBXT-Wb_Gg0ZlrB2Dd7rtX9pO09i6HLOcG8ZXkIzUHepyhWbsGUaf6MNz8Xz8T_UaNZuQxO6T_Hya5V6v-Ciw/s320/syd11.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breed: American Bulldog </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weight: 90 lbs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Color: White & Tan</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/normal "Courier New", courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; right: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Age: ~5 yrs old</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/normal "Courier New", courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; right: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spayed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Description: Starting with the physical - she is a big girl, a little overweight, but we hope to exercise her and work on her feeding schedule to assist with that issue. She is pretty healthy but sometimes has a limp from the stiffness in her back hips. It could just be a result of her being overweight, we had her checked for hip dysplasia but the tests were negative (2 years ago).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her personality - she is a sweetheart, very affectionate, loves kids and grownups alike. However if you are acting suspiciously she gets her cackles up. She is good with a lot of dogs, she will want to play and she likes to win. She is leash reactive and can get aggressive if provoked. She is very food motivated and responds well to training. She knows almost all of her commands, but she doesn't like to "come". She is better on shorter walks - currently on longer walks she will try to take a break.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few years ago, her owner was having a hard time and thought he might need to place her but everything had worked out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://ebbrr.blogspot.com/2010/11/sydney.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://ebbrr.blogspot.com/2010/11/sydney.html</span></a><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Please contact us if you can help Sydney!</span></h3>
<h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-vSd3KzY32wuA026LxByQ0zo2LfZYKkNvUA5FnMNk1_jYkBxzvci-0A57svjqEBfXNvpc0Q4luXFVXSbpUKsNqsPk6oqPKtBDT8VGFfzpx4YQ6KNIYgY-KyjD3_yJM6wNFgVuw/s1600/syd22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-vSd3KzY32wuA026LxByQ0zo2LfZYKkNvUA5FnMNk1_jYkBxzvci-0A57svjqEBfXNvpc0Q4luXFVXSbpUKsNqsPk6oqPKtBDT8VGFfzpx4YQ6KNIYgY-KyjD3_yJM6wNFgVuw/s320/syd22.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><a href="mailto:mengerman2@yahoo.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mengerman2@yahoo.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mdebbrr@yahoo.com</span></a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ7ENlZkgC_oEAdWNyWxJy5uQyMJFkEbee3tHluGQ4ECajtxXJSOjHQzZaKYGdDhPBgZQYyJow9wCJYEez09YjU2jUX7Qepf-WyNRGydKKvyPBCrLBC6UD8xHfB1WlbAL5DWrQw/s1600/sandsyd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ7ENlZkgC_oEAdWNyWxJy5uQyMJFkEbee3tHluGQ4ECajtxXJSOjHQzZaKYGdDhPBgZQYyJow9wCJYEez09YjU2jUX7Qepf-WyNRGydKKvyPBCrLBC6UD8xHfB1WlbAL5DWrQw/s320/sandsyd.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-1389974890372916482012-05-15T08:09:00.000-07:002012-05-15T08:09:03.381-07:00B-More Dog Slideshow - Very Nice!Check out B-More Dog's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l/RAQFKdbfWAQEr6e6cZk7r4of8aEbgbvwjBuvZymbf9xZudg/www.flickr.com/photos/bmoredog/show/with/7197689100" target="_blank">slideshow</a>!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bmoredog/show/with/7197689100">http://www.flickr.com/photos/bmoredog/show/with/7197689100</a><br />
<br />mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-30976230594046250882012-05-14T12:12:00.001-07:002012-05-14T12:12:56.601-07:00Peaceful Protest - Annapolis May15, 2012When: May 15, 2012 230pm-430pm<br />
Where: Annopolis State House<br />
<br />
Up to date details can be found on Facebook and bmoredog.org<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/303516773063291/303733233041645/">http://www.facebook.com/events/303516773063291/303733233041645/</a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-1609076776123808882012-05-03T11:06:00.001-07:002012-05-03T11:06:27.623-07:00HSUS - Humane Alert Regarding MD Pit Bull RulingHelp us Marylander's write and educate elected officials regarding the <i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"></span></span><br />
<a href="https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?page=UserAction&id=5539&s_src=fbtabonlineoption5539">https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?page=UserAction&id=5539&s_src=fbtabonlineoption5539</a></i><br />
Tracey v. Solesky ruling.<br />
<br />
Visit HSUS's <a href="https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?page=UserAction&id=5539&s_src=fbtabonlineoption5539" target="_blank">Humane Alert</a> - with a form letter to send to representatives.mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-8157266040302554392012-05-03T06:20:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:20:50.002-07:00Humane Society of Wicomico County re: new pit bull rulingDavid Fitzgerald, executive director of the Humane Society of Wicomico County spoke about the new pit bull ruling and that their shelter has not changed their policies but do have lawyers working on interpreting the new law. <br />
<br />
Read the full article <a href="http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120502/WIC01/205020399/ANIMAL-CONTROL-Pit-bulls-inherently-dangerous-court-says" target="_blank">here</a>.mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-39271838624384955892012-04-30T12:01:00.000-07:002012-04-30T12:01:31.256-07:00Court of Appeals Ruling regarding Pit Bulls - April 26,2012<a href="http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland/Maryland-Court-of-Appeals-Pit-bulls-are-inherently-dangerous/-/9379376/12161784/-/osrbpy/-/index.html">http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland/Maryland-Court-of-Appeals-Pit-bulls-are-inherently-dangerous/-/9379376/12161784/-/osrbpy/-/index.html</a><br />
<br />
Tracey v. Solesky<br />
<br />
<br />
No. 53, September Term 2012, Opinion by Cathell, J.<br />
<br />
STRICT LIABILITY ADOPTED IN RESPECT TO ATTACKS ON HUMANS BY<br />
<br />
PIT BULL DOGS AND CROSS-BRED PIT BULL DOGS.<br />
<br />
Upon a plaintiff’s sufficient proof that a dog involved in an attack is a pit bull or a pit bull<br />
<br />
cross, and that the owner, or other person(s) who has the right to control the pit bull’s<br />
<br />
presence on the subject premises (including a landlord who has a right to prohibit such dogs<br />
<br />
on leased premises) knows, or has reason to know, that the dog is a pit bull or cross-bred pit<br />
<br />
bull, that person is liable for the damages caused to a plaintiff who is attacked by the dog on<br />
<br />
or from the owner’s or lessor’s premises. In that case a plaintiff has established a prima facie<br />
<br />
case of negligence. When an attack involves pit bulls, it is no longer necessary to prove that<br />
<br />
the particular pit bull or pit bulls are dangerous.<br />
<br />
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF<br />
<br />
MARYLAND<br />
<br />
No. 53<br />
<br />
September Term, 2011<br />
<br />
DOROTHY M. TRACEY<br />
<br />
v.<br />
<br />
ANTHONY K. SOLESKY and IRENE SOLESKY, as<br />
<br />
the Parents, Guardians and Next Friends of DOMINIC<br />
<br />
SOLESKY, a Minor<br />
<br />
Bell, C.J.<br />
<br />
Harrell<br />
<br />
Greene<br />
<br />
Adkins<br />
<br />
Barbera<br />
<br />
Wilner, Alan M. (Retired, Specially Assigned)<br />
<br />
Cathell, Dale R. (Retired, Specially Assigned),<br />
<br />
JJ.<br />
<br />
Opinion by Cathell, J.<br />
<br />
Harrell, Greene, and Barbera, JJ., dissent.<br />
<br />
Filed: April 26, 2012<br />
<br />
1While there were prior dog bite cases, we believe that this case was the first<br />
<br />
instance where the attacking dog is described as a bull terrier.<br />
<br />
2A small piece of timber such as a 2" by 4" or similar piece of framing, etc.<br />
<br />
3In addition to the maulings in Maryland, there have been at least two instances of<br />
<br />
serious maulings by pit bulls that have reached the appellate courts of the District of<br />
<br />
Columbia, infra, since 2005. Accordingly, within a hundred mile radius there have been<br />
<br />
nine serious mauling appellate cases involving pit bulls within the last thirteen years.<br />
<br />
In Maryland the vicious mauling of young children by pit bulls occurred as early as<br />
<br />
1916.1 Bachman vs. Clark, 128 Md. 245; 97 A. 440 (1916). In that case, a ten-year-old boy,<br />
<br />
John L. Clark, was playing on the north side of a street when a pit bull (“bull terrier”) came<br />
<br />
across the street from its owner’s property and attacked him, inflicting serious injuries. The<br />
<br />
pit bull refused to release the boy until a witness picked up a “scantling”2 and struck the dog,<br />
<br />
killing it. Similar to the testimony in the present case by the boy’s mother, in that old case<br />
<br />
the mother described the aftermath of the attack on her child as follows:<br />
<br />
. . [H]e was unconscious, in such a condition that she did not know whether<br />
<br />
he was living or dead . . . Blood all over him.<br />
<br />
Id. at 247, 97 A.2d at 440.<br />
<br />
Over the last thirteen years, there have been no less than seven instances of serious<br />
<br />
maulings by pit bulls upon Maryland residents resulting in either serious injuries or death that<br />
<br />
have reached the appellate courts of this State, including the two boys attacked by the pit bull<br />
<br />
in the present case.3 Five of the pit bull attacks in Maryland have been brought to the<br />
<br />
attention of this Court, and two have reached the Court of Special Appeals.<br />
<br />
The first two attacks to reach this Court were reported in Shields v. Wagman, et al,<br />
<br />
4Two cases were consolidated for trial below.<br />
<br />
5In the hospital she underwent emergency surgery and was hospitalized for a week.<br />
<br />
She later had to return to the hospital for further surgeries. She lost four months of work.<br />
<br />
2<br />
<br />
350 Md. 666, 714 A.2d 881 (1998),4 where a pit bull attacked a business invitee at a strip<br />
<br />
shopping center and later attacked a tenant. Both attacks took place in the parking area of the<br />
<br />
strip-shopping center owned and maintained by the landlord. The pit bull was kept by its<br />
<br />
owner, also a tenant who operated an automobile repair business on leased premises.<br />
<br />
In the first instance, Ms. Shields took her car to the parking area for repairs, and as she<br />
<br />
exited her car and approached the leased premises, the pit bull broke through the door and<br />
<br />
attacked her, inflicting serious injuries. Id., at 670, 714 A.2d at 883.5 In the second instance,<br />
<br />
the pit bull was not restrained and chased another tenant in the shopping center, Mr. Johnson,<br />
<br />
onto the roof of a car in the parking lot and attacked him, again inflicting serious injuries. As<br />
<br />
a result, Mr. Johnson had several surgeries to his arm, lost sensation in that arm, and was<br />
<br />
impaired in his ability to perform certain duties related to his job. Id., at 671, 714 A.2d at<br />
<br />
883. This Court held that the landlord in that case had actual knowledge that the pit bull<br />
<br />
(whose name was Trouble) was dangerous and had the right to cause the removal of the pit<br />
<br />
bull from the premises but failed to do so, and in not so doing, had negligently allowed the<br />
<br />
attacks to occur on the parking premises controlled by the landlord. Id., at 690, 714 A2d.<br />
<br />
892-893.<br />
<br />
The third case decided by this Court just two months later, Matthews v. Amberwood<br />
<br />
Associates Limited Partnership, Inc., 351 Md. 544, 719 A.2d 119 (1998), involved a situation<br />
<br />
6Apparently, the son of the owner ‘sicced’ the pit bull on three girls, one of whom<br />
<br />
was the victim.<br />
<br />
3<br />
<br />
where a pit bull (named Rampage) attacked a child inside a tenant’s apartment killing the<br />
<br />
child. We found that because the landlord’s employees had reported Rampage’s<br />
<br />
aggressiveness and viciousness on prior occasions to management personnel, that knowledge<br />
<br />
was imputed to the landlord even though the attack occurred in the premises leased to the<br />
<br />
tenant. Id., at 588-59, 719 A2d. 125-26. Accordingly, because the landlord had the right<br />
<br />
not to renew the lease or to remove the pit bull under a “no pets” provision in the lease, he<br />
<br />
could be held liable. Ibid.<br />
<br />
In Moore v. et al., v. Myers, 161 Md. App. 349, 868 A.2d 954 (2005), a case<br />
<br />
originating out of Prince Georges County, the Court of Special Appeals was faced with a<br />
<br />
factual situation in which an unleashed and unrestrained pit bull chased a twelve year old<br />
<br />
girl into a street where she was run over by an automobile and suffered two broken arms, a<br />
<br />
broken leg, and a fractured jaw.6 At the time, Prince Georges County had adopted statutes<br />
<br />
specific to pit bulls that, among other things, required owners of pit bulls to keep the dogs<br />
<br />
in enclosures or leashed at all times. Id., at 364, 868 A.2d at 962. Based primarily on a<br />
<br />
violation of those statutes, the Court of Special Appeals and held the owner of the pit bull<br />
<br />
liable. Id., at 367, 868 A.2d at 964.<br />
<br />
In Ward v. Hartley, 168 Md. App. 209, 895 A. 2d 1111(2006) (in which the relevant<br />
<br />
party in the lawsuit was the landlord), a taxi driver was dispatched to pick up a passenger for<br />
<br />
transportation to the Kennedy Kreiger Institute. When he knocked on the door to the leased<br />
<br />
7The pen was described as being 4 feet high with no overhanging ledge and an<br />
<br />
open area at the top. Clifford jumped out of the top of the pen - at least twice on the day<br />
<br />
of the attacks. In Matthews v. Amberwood, supra, at 563, we quoted language from the<br />
<br />
New Mexico case of Garcia v. Village of Tijeras, 108 N.M. 116, at 119-121, 767 P.2d<br />
<br />
355 (1988) that “. . . extraordinary measures are required for confining American Pit Bull<br />
<br />
Terriers, such as a six [emphasis added] foot chainlink fence with an overhanging ledge to<br />
<br />
keep the dogs from jumping out, . . .”<br />
<br />
4<br />
<br />
premises, he heard someone tell children not to open the door. He stepped back and at the<br />
<br />
same time a child opened the door and a pit bull came charging out as he heard someone yell<br />
<br />
“Get the dog.” He hit the pit bull with some rolled-up paper he had in his hand and the pit<br />
<br />
bull grabbed his foot. He then ran to his cab with the pit bull still holding onto his foot and,<br />
<br />
with the pit bull still attached, climbed on top of the car. A police car appeared on the scene,<br />
<br />
and as it did, two boys ran out of the house laughing and pulled the dog off of the cabdriver’s<br />
<br />
foot. The cab driver’s foot was severely injured and required surgery. Id., at 213, 895<br />
<br />
A.2d at 1113. There was no evidence in the case that the landlord knew that a pit bull was<br />
<br />
being kept on the premises until he heard about the incident with the cab driver. The Court<br />
<br />
of Special Appeals, in holding for the landlord, opined: “Keeping a pit bull did not violate<br />
<br />
any covenant of the lease, nor did it violate any law or ordinance. No provision of the lease<br />
<br />
gave the landlord control over any portion of the rental premises. Thus, appellees had no duty<br />
<br />
to inspect the premises.” Id., at 217, 895 A.2d at 1115.<br />
<br />
The present case involves an attack by a pit bull named Clifford. Notwithstanding his<br />
<br />
relatively benign name, Clifford possessed the aggressive and vicious characteristics of both<br />
<br />
Trouble and Rampage. He escaped twice from an obviously inadequate small pen7 and<br />
<br />
8After he attacked the first boy, the pit bull’s owner apparently restrained the dog<br />
<br />
and put him back in the pen he had just jumped out of, whereupon, in a short period of<br />
<br />
time the pit bull jumped out of the pen again and attacked the second boy, Dominic.<br />
<br />
9The first boy attacked, Scotty Mason, was described after the attack on him as he<br />
<br />
appeared before his mother (an assistant States Attorney for Baltimore City) as:<br />
<br />
He was hysterical. He was bloody from about the chest area up. His<br />
<br />
face was covered in blood. He was crying. He didn’t look like Scotty. I<br />
<br />
thought he had been hit by a baseball bat. . . .<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Well, he was unable to talk. He was so hysterical, but the two older<br />
<br />
boys told me he had been attacked by a dog, and I was frankly shocked. . .<br />
<br />
5<br />
<br />
attacked at least two boys at different times on the same day.8 The second young boy was<br />
<br />
Dominic Solesky. As a result of his mauling by Clifford, Dominic initially sustained life<br />
<br />
threatening injuries and underwent five hours of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital to<br />
<br />
address his injuries, including surgery to repair his femoral artery. He spent seventeen days<br />
<br />
in the hospital, during which time he underwent additional surgeries, and then spent a year<br />
<br />
in rehabilitation.9<br />
<br />
Here, the trial court granted a judgment for the defendant landlord at the close of the<br />
<br />
Plaintiff’s case on the grounds that, according to the trial judge, the evidence was insufficient<br />
<br />
to permit the issue of common law negligence to be presented to the jury. On the state of the<br />
<br />
common law relating to dog attacks in existence at that time, the trial court was correct The<br />
<br />
plaintiff took an appeal to the Court of Special Appeals and that court reversed the trial court,<br />
<br />
finding that the evidence had been sufficient to create a valid jury issue as to the extent of the<br />
<br />
6<br />
<br />
landlord’s knowledge as to Clifford’s dangerousness in respect to the then common law<br />
<br />
standards in dog attack negligence cases.<br />
<br />
Appellant, the landlord, presented several questions in her brief before this Court.<br />
<br />
1. Is the harboring of American Staffordshire Terriers (more commonly known<br />
<br />
as “pit bulls”) by tenants an inherently dangerous activity for which landlords<br />
<br />
may be held strictly liable?<br />
<br />
2. Does Maryland jurisprudence permit an inference of knowledge of prior<br />
<br />
vicious propensities of a domestic animal by a landlord based upon the<br />
<br />
existence of an exculpatory clause in a residential lease concerning bodily<br />
<br />
injury caused by the tenant’s pets?<br />
<br />
3. Does Maryland jurisprudence permit an inference of knowledge of prior<br />
<br />
vicious propensities of a domestic animal by a landlord whose tenant harbors<br />
<br />
the animal in leased premises based upon subjective conclusions as to the<br />
<br />
animal’s temperament of neighbors who have limited observations of the<br />
<br />
animal’s behavior which was never conveyed to the landlord?<br />
<br />
4. May a landlord be held liable for injuries caused by a tenant’s domestic<br />
<br />
animal due to the failure to require reasonable confinement of a domestic<br />
<br />
animal in the leased premises?<br />
<br />
5. Should landlords that allow tenants to harbor dangerous or vicious animals<br />
<br />
in the leased premises be held liable in tort under any circumstances when the<br />
<br />
tenant fails to properly control its pet?<br />
<br />
6. Should this Court’s prior rulings in Mathews v. Amberwood Associates Ltd.<br />
<br />
P”ship, Inc., 351 Md. 544 (1998) and Shields v. Wagman, 350 Md. 666 (1998)<br />
<br />
be overturned or significantly modified?<br />
<br />
The appellee, cross-petitioner, Solesky, presents six questions in his brief.<br />
<br />
I. After Shields and Matthews, was the inherently dangerous/vicious nature of<br />
<br />
pit bulls known to Maryland landlords?<br />
<br />
II. Did Matthews impose a duty upon landlords who rent to tenants with pit<br />
<br />
bulls in a residential neighborhood to act with reasonable care in requiring<br />
<br />
appropriate housing or storage of the two pit bulls outside the house?<br />
<br />
10The Court of Special Appeals reversed the trial court on regular negligence<br />
<br />
grounds and has directed that the case be retried. We do not agree that the evidence below<br />
<br />
supported that finding, but, with our holding that certain strict liability standards now<br />
<br />
apply, reversal is also required, albeit for a different reason.<br />
<br />
7<br />
<br />
III. Did the Court of Special Appeals err in upholding the Circuit Court’s<br />
<br />
refusal to sanction a party/defendant who refused to appear for a duly noted<br />
<br />
deposition and never sought a Protective Order when the knowledge of the<br />
<br />
defendant is essential to proving the elements of the tort claim against her?<br />
<br />
IV. Did the Court of Special Appeals err in upholding the Circuit Court’s<br />
<br />
refusal to sanction defendant for spoilation of evidence where defendant<br />
<br />
landlord had taken photographs of the leased premises on the day of reletting<br />
<br />
the premises to the tenant owner of two pit bulls and later refused to produce<br />
<br />
those photographs in discovery?<br />
<br />
V. Did the Lower Courts err in refusing to admit forty-nine Baltimore Sun<br />
<br />
articles regarding pit bull attacks preceding the attack on Dominic?<br />
<br />
We granted both the petition and cross petition. Tracey v. Solesky, 421 Md. 192, 24<br />
<br />
A.3d 1025, (2011).<br />
<br />
We answer appellant’s first question in the affirmative and establish in this case, and<br />
<br />
prospectively, a strict liability standard in respect to the owning, harboring or control of pit<br />
<br />
bulls and cross-bred pit bulls in lieu of the traditional common law liability principles that<br />
<br />
were previously applicable to attacks by such dogs. We shall direct the Court of Special<br />
<br />
Appeals to reverse the trial court and send this case back to that court.10 Because of our<br />
<br />
imposition of certain breed-specific strict liability standards in this case, it is unnecessary to<br />
<br />
address appellant’s other questions. It is also unnecessary to address appellee/crosspetitioner’s<br />
<br />
complaints as to the trial judge’s failure to permit him to depose the landlord and<br />
<br />
to the trial judge’s failure to allow him to introduce numerous newspaper articles all related<br />
<br />
11We are, of course, aware that such dogs can, and sometimes do, become well<br />
<br />
mannered pets in respect to their own human families as pointed out in some of the briefs.<br />
<br />
The question, however, is not whether they are maiming or killing their owners or<br />
<br />
members of the owners’ families (although sometimes they do), it is the degree to which<br />
<br />
they are attacking others, and the seriousness of the injuries caused, in comparison with<br />
<br />
the rate of dog attacks (and types of injuries) in respect to all breeds of dogs.<br />
<br />
12The type of terrier is not mentioned. We do note that next to a Newfoundland,<br />
<br />
terriers, including many pit bull terriers, would appear small by comparison.<br />
<br />
8<br />
<br />
to appellee’s attempt to establish knowledge on the part of the landlord as to the<br />
<br />
aggressiveness and viciousness of Clifford.<br />
<br />
We are modifying the Maryland common law of liability as it relates to attacks by pit<br />
<br />
bull and cross-bred pit bull dogs against humans. With the standard we establish today<br />
<br />
(which is to be applied in this case on remand), when an owner or a landlord is proven to<br />
<br />
have knowledge of the presence of a pit bull or cross-bred pit bull (as both the owner and<br />
<br />
landlord did in this case) or should have had such knowledge, a prima facie case is<br />
<br />
established. It is not necessary that the landlord (or the pit bull’s owner) have actual<br />
<br />
knowledge that the specific pit bull involved is dangerous. Because of its aggressive and<br />
<br />
vicious nature and its capability to inflict serious and sometimes fatal injuries, pit bulls and<br />
<br />
cross-bred pit bulls are inherently dangerous.11<br />
<br />
The Old Common Law<br />
<br />
In the early Maryland case of Goode v. Martin, 57 Md. 606, 609-612 (1882), which<br />
<br />
involved an attack by a Newfoundland dog and a “small terrier,”12 the Court stated certain<br />
<br />
13It is questionable whether this early modification to the old common law rule<br />
<br />
would have been applied by that Court had that era been subject to the population, traffic<br />
<br />
and congestion of modern-urban life and to the numerous statutes forbidding the running<br />
<br />
loose of dogs and the requirements that they be leashed or under control, such as is<br />
<br />
generally prevalent to some degree in many jurisdictions at the present time. We have<br />
<br />
previously noted that “The fact that the dogs here were kept in an enclosure in a suburban<br />
<br />
area in a day when legal restrictions frequently forbid a dog’s running at large cannot<br />
<br />
have the same significance that the matter of enclosure had in 1916 and 1882.” Mcdonald<br />
<br />
v. Burgess, 254 Md. 452, 258, 255 A.2d 299, 302 (1969)<br />
<br />
9<br />
<br />
inferences that could then be made against an owner in a case such as the present case. There<br />
<br />
the Court first said: “In order to render the owner liable in damages to any one bitten by his<br />
<br />
dog, it must be proved not only that the dog was fierce, but that the owner had knowledge<br />
<br />
that he was fierce. To this effect are all the authorities. [citations omitted].” But later in its<br />
<br />
opinion, the Court stated:<br />
<br />
But we think the appellant is right in his contention that the defendant<br />
<br />
may be presumed to have knowledge that his dogs were fierce and dangerous,<br />
<br />
from the fact that he was accustomed to keep them tied during the day-time.<br />
<br />
In Perry vs. Jones, 1 Espinasse, 452, Lord KENYON held from the fact that<br />
<br />
the owner kept his dog tied and did not permit him to run at large, it must be<br />
<br />
presumed that he had knowledge that the dog was vicious, unruly and not safe<br />
<br />
to be permitted to go abroad. . . . So, in the case now before us, we think the<br />
<br />
fact that the appellee kept his dogs tied during the day and let them loose at<br />
<br />
night, furnishes proof that he knew it would endanger his neighbors to permit<br />
<br />
them to be unfastened. . . . The evidence ought to be left to the jury as tending<br />
<br />
to prove the temper and vicious disposition of the dogs, and the knowledge of<br />
<br />
the appellees thereto, and it was therefore error in the Judge of the Circuit<br />
<br />
Court to take the case from the jury, and the judgment appealed from will be<br />
<br />
reversed and a new trial be awarded.13<br />
<br />
Martin 57 Md. at 611-12.<br />
<br />
In Bachman v. Clark, supra, we stated the then common law standard in relation to<br />
<br />
10<br />
<br />
dog attacks:<br />
<br />
At common law, the owner of a dog is not liable for injuries caused by it,<br />
<br />
unless it has a vicious propensity and notice of that fact is brought home to<br />
<br />
him. But when it is once established that the dog is of a vicious nature, and that<br />
<br />
the person owning or keeping it has knowledge of that fact, the same<br />
<br />
responsibility attaches to the owner to keep it from doing mischief as the<br />
<br />
keeper of an animal naturally ferocious would be subject to, and proof of<br />
<br />
negligence on the part of the owner is unnecessary. This is the recognized and<br />
<br />
well settled law of this state [citation omitted].<br />
<br />
Clark, 128 at 247, 97 A. 440 at 441 (citation omitted).<br />
<br />
This standard has been acknowledged and sometimes criticized in treatises,<br />
<br />
nonetheless, it has generally persisted. See Harper, James and Gray on Torts, Section 14.9,<br />
<br />
at 291 (3rd ed., 2007)<br />
<br />
This rule has been criticized as to actual damage done by animals with<br />
<br />
known propensities therefore, such as attacks on birds and poultry by cats, but<br />
<br />
any such change in the law will most likely come from legislative enactment,<br />
<br />
although there is no necessary reason to prevent courts from making such<br />
<br />
modifications without the aid of a statute [emphasis added].<br />
<br />
Harper, further comments that:<br />
<br />
The common law has for many years made a distinction between<br />
<br />
animals ferae naturae and animals mansuetae natura, or between wild animals<br />
<br />
and domestic animals.<br />
<br />
*** .<br />
<br />
It thus appears that one keeps dangerous animals at one’s peril, that is,<br />
<br />
at strict liability, but otherwise as to animals ‘not dangerous.’ As to the former<br />
<br />
class, it is no defense that the keeper employed reasonable care, or even a high<br />
<br />
degree of diligence to prevent their escape. Liability is independent of any<br />
<br />
fault on the part of the owner.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
He may keep such animals, if he will, but if he has notice of their<br />
<br />
danger to human beings . . . , he cannot keep them, even carefully, at the risk<br />
<br />
14 Harper, supra, Section 14-11, pg. 310, fn. 26 briefly discusses England’s<br />
<br />
attempt to address the issue of breed-specific dangerous dogs:<br />
<br />
“In England under the Animals Act 1971, section 2(2) (b) the<br />
<br />
dangerous propensities that must be known must be such as “are not<br />
<br />
normally found in animals of the same species.” It has been held, on the<br />
<br />
basis of the statutory definition of “species” as including subspecies that<br />
<br />
“the relevant comparison was with other dogs of the same breed and not<br />
<br />
with other dogs generally.” At about the same time, public reaction in<br />
<br />
England to injuries caused by dogs led to demands for the “banning of<br />
<br />
dangerous breeds such as pit bull terriers and Rottweilers.” The Home<br />
<br />
Secretary announced plans to ban the “owning and breeding [of] pit bull<br />
<br />
terriers, Japanese tosas and other dogs bred for fighting” (but not<br />
<br />
Rottweilers), but the RSPCA and many veterinarians stated that they would<br />
<br />
refuse to participate in the mass slaughter of such dogs. . . .”<br />
<br />
The Home Secretary then compromised by requiring the “muzzling, neutering, and<br />
<br />
registering of ‘fighting dogs,’ said to include pit bull terriers, tosas, and bandogs (bandogs<br />
<br />
are dogs that are kept tied up as watchdogs or tied up because they are ferocious).<br />
<br />
11<br />
<br />
of others. He has introduced an unusual danger into the community and he<br />
<br />
does so at his own risk.<br />
<br />
Id. at Section 14.11.14<br />
<br />
Modifying the Common Law<br />
<br />
In Ireland v. State, 310 Md. 328, 331-332, 529 A.2d 365-366 (1987) we discussed the<br />
<br />
basic framework of the Court’s role in establishing and modifying common law rules:<br />
<br />
The determination of the nature of the common law as it existed in<br />
<br />
England in 1776, and as it then prevailed in Maryland either practically or<br />
<br />
potentially, and the determination of what part of the common law is consistent<br />
<br />
with the spirit of Maryland’s Constitution and her political institutions, are to<br />
<br />
be made by this Court.<br />
<br />
“Whether particular parts of the common law are applicable to our<br />
<br />
local circumstances and situation, and our general code of laws and<br />
<br />
jurisprudence, is a question that comes within the province of the<br />
<br />
Courts of Justice, and is to be decided by them. The common law, like<br />
<br />
our Acts of Assembly, are subject to control and modification of the<br />
<br />
15The parties have not directed our attention to any Maryland State statute<br />
<br />
addressing the matter of the dangerousness of pit bulls or to any action by the General<br />
<br />
Assembly declining to create different standards to be applied in respect to tort actions<br />
<br />
involving attacks by pit bulls. We know of none.<br />
<br />
12<br />
<br />
Legislature, and may be abrogated, or changed as the General<br />
<br />
Assembly may think most conducive to the general welfare; so that no<br />
<br />
great inconvenience, if any, can result from the power deposited with<br />
<br />
the judiciary to decide what the common law is, and its applicability<br />
<br />
to the circumstances of the State, and what has become obsolete from<br />
<br />
non-user or other cause. State v. Buchanan, 5 H. & J. 317, 365-66<br />
<br />
(1821).”<br />
<br />
Because of the inherent dynamism of the common law, we have<br />
<br />
consistently held that it is subject to judicial modification in the light of<br />
<br />
modern circumstances or increased knowledge. . . .”<br />
<br />
Id. at 331-332, 529 A.2d at 366.<br />
<br />
More recently, in Mayor & City Council of Baltimore, et al. v. Clark, 404 Md. 13,<br />
<br />
944 A.2d 1122 (2008) in a case involving the termination of a police official in Baltimore<br />
<br />
City we held that, “It is well settled that, where the General Assembly has announced public<br />
<br />
policy,15 the Court will decline to enter the public policy debate, even when it is the common<br />
<br />
law that is at issue and the Court certainly has the authority to change the common law<br />
<br />
[italics added].” Id. at 38, 944 A.2d at 1135. See also Price v. State, 405 Md. 10, 32, 949<br />
<br />
A.2d 619, 630 (2008) ( “. . . This Court has also characterized a jury’s verdict of guilty,<br />
<br />
which is flatly inconsistent with the jury’s verdict of not guilty on another count as ‘illogical”<br />
<br />
and “contrary to law.” There is no reasonable basis for reversing the inconsistent verdict of<br />
<br />
“liability” but not reversing the inconsistent verdict of “guilty”); Bozman v. Bozman, 376 Md.<br />
<br />
461, 830 A.2d 450 (2003)(“ . . . .We agree with the Court of Special Appeals, that the<br />
<br />
13<br />
<br />
interspousal immunity doctrine is an antiquated rule of law which, in our view, runs counter<br />
<br />
to prevailing societal norms and therefore has lived out its usefulness. According, we shall<br />
<br />
answer the petitioner’s first question in the affirmative and, so, complete the abrogation of<br />
<br />
the doctrine from the common law of this State. . .”). And see Bowden v. Caldor, Inc. et al,.<br />
<br />
350 Md. 4, 27, 710 A.2d 267, 277 (1998):<br />
<br />
. . . Consequently, the legal principles discussed below, applicable to judicial<br />
<br />
review of punitive damage awards for excessiveness, are set forth as principles<br />
<br />
of Maryland Common Law. Although some of these principles may be the<br />
<br />
same as requirements by other courts as a matter of constitutional law, we have<br />
<br />
no reason at this time to consider minimum constitutional requirements in this<br />
<br />
area. Moreover, some of the principles set forth below have a foundation in<br />
<br />
prior Maryland case law, whereas others do not. Nonetheless, as often pointed<br />
<br />
out, this Court has authority under the Maryland Constitution to change the<br />
<br />
Common law.<br />
<br />
We recently spoke to the application of common law modifications in our case of<br />
<br />
Polakoff, et al. v. Turner, 385 Md. 467, 484, 869 A.2d 837, 850 (2005). There we said:<br />
<br />
“Generally, changes in the common law are applied prospectively, as well as to the case<br />
<br />
triggering the change in the common law.” See also Owens-Illinois, Inc. v. William Zenobia,<br />
<br />
Sr. et al., 325 Md. 420, 469-470, 601 A.2d 633, 657-658 (1992). There we said:<br />
<br />
We now turn to the matter of the effective date of our holdings with respect to<br />
<br />
punitive damages.<br />
<br />
Until today, under Maryland common law a plaintiff in a tort case was<br />
<br />
required to establish by a preponderance of the evidence those circumstances<br />
<br />
which would authorize the allowance of an award for punitive damages. By<br />
<br />
changing this standard of proof to clear and convincing evidence, we have not<br />
<br />
overruled any particular Maryland cases on the ground they were wrongly<br />
<br />
decided at the time. Instead we have exercised our constitutional authority to<br />
<br />
change the common law.[Citations omitted.]<br />
<br />
Recently, in Julian v. Christopher, supra, 320 Md. at 10-11, 575 A.2d<br />
<br />
at 739, we reiterated the principle that “[o]rdinarily decisions which change the<br />
<br />
16296 Md. 242, 275, 462 A.2d 506, 522 (1983).<br />
<br />
17In this case, we are modifying one of the elements that must be proven in cases<br />
<br />
involving pit bull attacks from knowledge that a particular dog is dangerous to knowledge<br />
<br />
that the particular dog involved is a pit bull. If it is a pit bull the danger is inherent in that<br />
<br />
particular breed of dog and the knowledge element of scienter is met by knowledge that<br />
<br />
the dog is of that breed.<br />
<br />
14<br />
<br />
common law apply prospectively, as well as to the litigants before the court.<br />
<br />
Thus in Boblitz v. Boblitz,,[16] we changed the common law by abrogating<br />
<br />
interspousal immunity in negligence cases and held that the change was<br />
<br />
applicable to the case then before the Court and to causes of action accruing<br />
<br />
after the date of our decision.<br />
<br />
When, however, a change in the common law does not affect the<br />
<br />
elements of a cause of action[17] but relates to requirements at a trial, we have<br />
<br />
held that the change applies “to cases where the trials . . . commence after the<br />
<br />
date of our opinion in the present case.”<br />
<br />
Therefore, the “clear and convincing” standard of proof for punitive<br />
<br />
damages in tort cases applies to the instant case, . . . and to all trials<br />
<br />
commencing and trials in progress on or after the date this opinion is filed.<br />
<br />
Strict Liability Standards in Pit Bull Attack Cases<br />
<br />
We began our modification of the old common-law rule with respect to dog attack<br />
<br />
cases with our strong dicta in Matthews, supra, highlighting the particular characteristics of<br />
<br />
pit bulls and cross-bred pit bulls. There we explained the difference between pit bulls and<br />
<br />
other breeds of dogs when we noted:<br />
<br />
Thus, the foreseeability of harm in the present case was clear. The<br />
<br />
extreme dangerousness of this breed, as it has evolved today, is well<br />
<br />
recognized. ‘Pit bulls as a breed are known to be extremely aggressive and<br />
<br />
have been bred as attack animals.’ Giaculli v. Bright, 584 So. 2d 187, 189 (Fla.<br />
<br />
App. 1991). Indeed, it has been judicially noted that pit bull dogs ‘bite to kill<br />
<br />
without signal” ( Starkey v. Township of Chester, 628 F. Supp. 196, 197 (E.D.<br />
<br />
Pa. 1986)), are selectively bred to have powerful jaws, high insensitivity to<br />
<br />
pain, extreme aggressiveness, a natural tendency to refuse to terminate an<br />
<br />
attack, and a greater propensity to bite humans than other breeds. The “Pit<br />
<br />
15<br />
<br />
Bull’s massive canine jaws can crush a victim with up to two thousand pounds<br />
<br />
(2,000) of pressure per square inch – three times that of a German Sheppard<br />
<br />
or Doberman Pinscher.” State v. Peters, 534 So. 2d 760, 764 (Fla. App. 1988)<br />
<br />
review denied, 542 So. 2d 1334 (Fla. 1989). See also Hearn v. City of<br />
<br />
Overland Park, 244 Kan. 638, 650, 647, 722 P. 2d 758, 768, 765, cert. denied<br />
<br />
493 U.S. 976, 110 S. Ct. 500, 107 L. Ed. 2d 503 (1989) (‘pit bull dogs<br />
<br />
represent a unique health hazard . . . [possessing] both the capacity for<br />
<br />
extraordinarily savage behavior . . . [a] capacity for uniquely vicious attacks<br />
<br />
. . . coupled with an unpredictable nature”. . . and that “of the 32 known human<br />
<br />
deaths in the United States due to dog attacks . . . [in the period between July<br />
<br />
1983 and April 1989], 23 were caused by attacks by pit bull dogs.” Pit bull<br />
<br />
dogs have even been considered as weapons. See State v. Livingston, 420 N.W.<br />
<br />
2d 230 (Minn. App. 1998) (for the purpose of first degree murder); People v.<br />
<br />
Garraway, 187 A.D. 2d 761, 589 N.Y.S. 2d 942 (1992) (upholding conviction<br />
<br />
of pit bull’s owner of criminal weapon in the third degree).<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
. . . . And the Albuquerque Humane Society reported that no other breed of dog<br />
<br />
has “ever caused the kinds of injuries or exhibited the aggressive behavior<br />
<br />
shown by American Pit Bull Terriers . . . [and the humane society does not]<br />
<br />
adopt out pit bull dogs because of their potential for attacks on other animals<br />
<br />
and people”); [some citations in this paragraph omitted].<br />
<br />
Matthews, 351 Md. At 562-63 & n.4, 719 A.2d at 127-128 &n. 4 (emphasis added).<br />
<br />
However, we also stated in Matthews that:<br />
<br />
. . . . Under the present circumstances, however, where a landlord<br />
<br />
retained control over the matter of animals in the tenant’s apartment, coupled<br />
<br />
with the knowledge of past vicious behavior by the animal, the extremely<br />
<br />
dangerous nature of pit bull dogs, and the foreseeability of harm to persons<br />
<br />
and property in the apartment complex, the jury was justified in finding that<br />
<br />
the landlord had a duty to the plaintiffs and that the duty was breached. The<br />
<br />
following principle set forth in Prosser and Keeton on the Law of Torts, Sec.<br />
<br />
4 at 25 (5th ed. 1984), is applicable here:<br />
<br />
‘The ‘prophylactic’ factor of preventing future harm has been quite<br />
<br />
important in the field of torts. The courts are concerned not only with<br />
<br />
the compensation of the victim, but with admonition of the<br />
<br />
wrongdoer. When the decisions of the courts are known, and<br />
<br />
defendants realize that they may be held liable, there is of course a<br />
<br />
strong incentive to prevent the occurrence of the harm. Not<br />
<br />
18The figures also indicated that during a 12 year period ending in 1992, almost<br />
<br />
half of fatalities were caused by Rottweilers. More recent data indicates that currently<br />
<br />
more fatalities are caused by pit bulls than by Rottweilers. This may reflect the increasing<br />
<br />
popularity of pit bulls, i.e. more pit bulls - more attacks. Other issues such as training, use<br />
<br />
by persons in the illegal drug trade, etc., may also be causative factors.<br />
<br />
16<br />
<br />
infrequently one reason for imposing liability is the deliberate purpose<br />
<br />
of providing that incentive.’<br />
<br />
Id. at 570, 719 A.2d at 131-132 (emphasis added).<br />
<br />
Because the issue of strict liability was not expressly raised on appeal, we decided<br />
<br />
Matthews on regular common law negligence requirements. However, the language of that<br />
<br />
case clearly forecasted the direction the Court might take in the proper case. This is that case.<br />
<br />
Soon after we decided Matthews, a “special report” was published in the Journal of<br />
<br />
the American Veterinary Medical Association noting that:<br />
<br />
From 1979 through 1996, dog attacks resulted in more than 300 dog-bite<br />
<br />
related fatalities in the United States. Most victims were children. Studies<br />
<br />
indicate, . . . that pit bull-type dogs were involved in approximately a third of<br />
<br />
human . . . [fatalities] during the 12 year period from 1981 through 1992. . .<br />
<br />
.18<br />
<br />
See, 217 Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, no. 6, September 15,<br />
<br />
2000, at 836. The report went on to state: “. . . the data indicates that Rottweilers and pit bull<br />
<br />
type dogs accounted for 67% of human DBRF [“dog bite related fatalities”] in the United<br />
<br />
States between 1979 and 1996". Id., at 839. “It is extremely unlikely that they accounted for<br />
<br />
anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there<br />
<br />
19The on-line publication Animal People, www.animalpeoplenews.org, estimates<br />
<br />
that pit bulls make up approximately 5% of the total dog population in the United States<br />
<br />
partly based upon surveys of for sale advertisements. The breed breakdowns at 62 animal<br />
<br />
shelters holding 5,236 dogs indicated that 23% of the dogs so held were pit bulls. These<br />
<br />
figures, if accurate, support an inference that pit bulls end up in animal shelters at a much<br />
<br />
larger ratio than their overall ratio within the total dog population.<br />
<br />
17<br />
<br />
appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities.”Ibid.19<br />
<br />
An abstract from a recent article published in the Annals of Surgery, entitled<br />
<br />
“Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs” which explored maiming and deaths<br />
<br />
due to dog attacks noted that:<br />
<br />
Abstract<br />
<br />
OBJECTIVE: Maiming and death due to dog bites are uncommon but<br />
<br />
preventable tragedies. We postulated that patients admitted to a level 1 trauma<br />
<br />
center with dog bites would have severe injuries and that the gravest injuries<br />
<br />
would be those caused by pit bulls.<br />
<br />
DESIGN: We reviewed the medical records of patients admitted to our level<br />
<br />
1 trauma center with dog bites during a 15-year period. We determined the<br />
<br />
demographic characteristics of the patients, their outcomes, and the breed and<br />
<br />
characteristics of the dogs causing the injuries.<br />
<br />
RESULTS: Our Trauma and Emergency Surgery Services treated 228 patients<br />
<br />
with dog bite injuries; for 82 of those patients the breed of the dog involved<br />
<br />
was recorded (29 were injured by pit bulls)[29 out of 82]. Compared with<br />
<br />
attacks by other breeds of dogs, attacks by pit bulls were associated with a<br />
<br />
higher median injury Severity Scale score (4 vs.1; P=0.002), a higher risk of<br />
<br />
an admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or lower (17.2% vs. 0%;<br />
<br />
P=0.006), higher median hospital charges ($10,500 vs. $7200/ P=0.0003); and<br />
<br />
a higher risk of death (10.3% vs. 0%; (P=0.041).<br />
<br />
CONCLUSIONS: Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity<br />
<br />
rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by<br />
<br />
other breeds of dogs. Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the<br />
<br />
US mortality rates related to dog bites.<br />
<br />
20The Center did attach a chart of the breed-specific dog-attack fatalities it had<br />
<br />
recorded between 1979 and 1996. That chart showed that of the 279 fatal attacks in this<br />
<br />
country in that period, 79 were by pit bulls or pit bull crosses. Rottweilers accounted for<br />
<br />
29 deaths.<br />
<br />
18<br />
<br />
John K. Bini et al., Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs, 253 Annals of<br />
<br />
Surgery, no. 4, May 2011.<br />
<br />
The Center for Disease Control, in at least one of its “Morbidity and Mortality”<br />
<br />
Weekly Reports (MMWR) has noted that:<br />
<br />
From 1979 through 1994, attacks by dogs resulted in 279 deaths of<br />
<br />
humans in the United States. . .(1,2) Such attacks have prompted widespread<br />
<br />
review of existing local and state dangerous-dog laws, including proposals for<br />
<br />
adoption of breed-specific restrictions to prevent such episodes (3).<br />
<br />
The “Editorial Note” following the Weekly Report noted that<br />
<br />
during 1979-1996, fatal dog attacks occurred in 45 states. In 1986, nonfatal<br />
<br />
dog bites resulted in an estimated 585,000 injuries that required medical<br />
<br />
attention or restricted activity; in that year, dog bites ranked 12th among the<br />
<br />
leading causes of nonfatal injuries in the United States. In 1994, an estimated<br />
<br />
4.7 million persons (1.8% of the U.S. population) sustained a dog bite, of<br />
<br />
these, approximately 800,000 (0.3%) sought medical care for the bite.<br />
<br />
46 MMWR Weekly no. 21, Dog-Bite Related Fatalities–United States 1995-1996, May 30,<br />
<br />
1997, pp. 463-466.<br />
<br />
Although the Center for Disease Control did not recommend breed-specific<br />
<br />
regulation20 it did state: “. . . laws for regulating dangerous or vicious dogs should be<br />
<br />
promulgated and enforced vigorously.”<br />
<br />
Cases from other jurisdictions that address the inherent viciousness of pit bulls often<br />
<br />
19<br />
<br />
involve the constitutionality of certain dog control regulations, or criminal cases where dog<br />
<br />
owners have been charged with using pit bulls as dangerous weapons. For example, in City<br />
<br />
of Toledo v. Tellings, 114 Ohio St. 3d 278, 280 - 283, 871 N.E.2d 1152 (2007), the Ohio<br />
<br />
Supreme Court, reversing an intermediate appellate court, upheld most of Toledo’s breedspecific<br />
<br />
regulations involving pit bulls. Tellings had challenged the constitutionality of that<br />
<br />
section of the statute that included pit bulls in the “vicious dog” category and stated that the<br />
<br />
“ownership, keeping, or harboring of a vicious dog” violated the regulations. Vicious dogs<br />
<br />
were defined in the statute to include pit bulls.<br />
<br />
The Ohio court went on to state:<br />
<br />
The trial court cited the substantial evidence supporting its conclusion<br />
<br />
that pit bulls, compared to other breeds, cause a disproportionate amount of<br />
<br />
danger to people. The chief dog warden of Lucas County testified that (1)<br />
<br />
when pit bulls attack, they are more likely to inflict severe damage to their<br />
<br />
victim than other breeds of dogs, (2) pit bulls have killed more Ohioans than<br />
<br />
any other breed of dog, (3) Toledo police officers fire their weapons in the line<br />
<br />
of duty at pit bulls more often than they fire weapons at people and other<br />
<br />
breeds of dogs combined, (4) pit bulls are frequently shot during drug raids<br />
<br />
because pit bulls are encountered more frequently in drug raids than any other<br />
<br />
dog breed. The trial court also found that pit bulls are ‘found largely in urban<br />
<br />
settings where there are crowded living conditions and a large number of<br />
<br />
children present,’ which increases the risk of injury caused by pit bulls.<br />
<br />
The evidence presented in the trial court supports the conclusion that<br />
<br />
pit bulls pose a serious danger to the safety to citizens. The state and the city<br />
<br />
have a legitimate interest in protecting the citizens from the degree of danger<br />
<br />
posed by this breed of domestic dog.<br />
<br />
Tellings, 871 N.E. 2d at 1157 (emphasis added). See also Bess v. Bracken County Fiscal<br />
<br />
Court, 210 S.W. 3d 177, 182 (2006 Ky. App.) (“Here, the determination by the Bracken<br />
<br />
County Fiscal Court that pit bull terriers have “inherently vicious and dangerous<br />
<br />
20<br />
<br />
propensities” was certainly not unreasonable given the evidence in support of that finding.”).<br />
<br />
In The Florida Bar v. Pape and The Florida Bar v. Chandler, 918 So. 2d 240, at 242<br />
<br />
and 245, (2005 Fla.) cases, two Florida attorneys were disciplined for using an image of a<br />
<br />
pit bull in their advertising because it was misleading, and also portrayed an inappropriate<br />
<br />
message. Although the disciplinary case itself was unusual, relevant for our purposes here<br />
<br />
is the following statement by the Supreme Court of Florida:<br />
<br />
In this case we impose discipline on two attorneys for their use of<br />
<br />
television advertising devices that violate the Rules of Professional Conduct.<br />
<br />
These devices, which invoke the breed of dog known as the pit bull, demean<br />
<br />
all lawyers and thereby harm both the legal profession and the public’s trust<br />
<br />
and confidence in our system of justice.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
In addition, the image of a pit bull and the on-screen display of the<br />
<br />
words “PIT BULL”. . . are not relevant to the selection of an attorney. The<br />
<br />
referee found that the qualities of a pit bull as depicted by the logo are loyalty,<br />
<br />
persistence, tenacity, and aggressiveness. We consider this as a charitable set<br />
<br />
of associations that ignores the darker side of the qualities often also associated<br />
<br />
with pit bulls: malevolence, viciousness, and unpredictability. Further,<br />
<br />
although some may associate pit bulls with loyalty to their owners . . .<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Even the perception of loyalty may be unwarranted. In June, a twelveyear<br />
<br />
old boy was mauled to death in San Francisco by his family’s two pit<br />
<br />
bulls. . . . That same month a Bay Area woman suffered severe injuries in an<br />
<br />
attack by her nine-year old pit bull. . . . A St. Louis man was killed in May by<br />
<br />
his two pit bulls that had “no apparent history of aggression and [were]<br />
<br />
described as well kept [source citations in paragraph omitted.]<br />
<br />
Pit bulls have a reputation for vicious behavior that is borne of<br />
<br />
experience.<br />
<br />
Id., at 241, 245 & n .4.<br />
<br />
Although the District of Columbia Court of Appeals found for the landlord on the<br />
<br />
21<br />
<br />
basis that he had no right to terminate the lease in the case of Campbell v. Noble, 962 A.2d<br />
<br />
264, 264-265 (2008 D.C. App.), the Court described the magnitude of the injuries suffered<br />
<br />
by a boy hired to clean up dog waste from pit bulls:<br />
<br />
. . . .The dogs then began to attack Elijah, biting him in the face and body. . .<br />
<br />
. .Elijah was raced to the hospital, where he underwent nine hours of surgery.<br />
<br />
Since the attack, Elijah has had physical and psychological difficulties. He had<br />
<br />
to relearn how to balance and walk, and has had terrible nightmares about the<br />
<br />
attack; he also no longer has a right ear. His left ear was surgically reattached.<br />
<br />
McNeely v. United States, 874 A.2d 371. (2005 D.C. App.), arose out of a vicious<br />
<br />
attack by two pit bulls. McNeely, the owner of the dogs, was criminally charged and<br />
<br />
convicted of two counts of violating the “Pit Bull and Rottweiler Dangerous Dog<br />
<br />
Designation Emergency Act of 1996 (the “Pit Bull Act”) that imposed certain requirements<br />
<br />
on a breed-specific basis relating to pit-bulls. McNeely challenged the statute on several<br />
<br />
grounds including “. . . that the Act constitutes an impermissible strict liability statute.”<br />
<br />
McNeely, supra, at 375.<br />
<br />
The facts of the attack are described as follows:<br />
<br />
At approximately 1:00 a.m. on May 13, 1996, Helen Avery carried a<br />
<br />
bag of spoiled food to the trash can behind her home. As she replaced the can<br />
<br />
lid, Avery saw two dogs appear from under the steps of her back porch. The<br />
<br />
dogs charged towards her, forcing Avery to seek an escape by scaling a fence<br />
<br />
to her neighbor’s yard. Unfortunately, she did not evade the dogs quickly<br />
<br />
enough: one of them seized Avery by the back of her leg and pulled her off the<br />
<br />
fence, while the other dog jumped on top of her as she fell backwards. During<br />
<br />
the ensuing attack, skin, muscle, and nerve tissues were bitten off from various<br />
<br />
parts of her body, including her leg and both arms; one of her toes was nearly<br />
<br />
bitten off, and she lost a large amount of blood. The attack finally ended when<br />
<br />
Avery’s son, Jerrel Bryant, and two other men successfully chased the dogs off<br />
<br />
by beating them with an ax and baseball bat.<br />
<br />
21Some are similar to the arguments made in the appellant or amicus’ briefs filed<br />
<br />
in the present case by supporters of pit bulls. In light of Maryland’s situation, we find<br />
<br />
those particular arguments unpersuasive. We have fully reviewed and considered all the<br />
<br />
briefs.<br />
<br />
We recognize the problems that exist when breed specific legislation is proposed -<br />
<br />
which is opposed by pit bull breeders, owners and fanciers. Such opposition has been<br />
<br />
present for many years. Our opinion in the present case does not ban pit bulls, but puts a<br />
<br />
greater responsibility for vicious dogs where pit bull advocates have long argued it should<br />
<br />
be - with the owners and others who have the power of control over such dogs. Our<br />
<br />
opinion imposes greater duties by reducing the standards necessary to hold owners and<br />
<br />
others liable for the attacks of their pit bulls.<br />
<br />
22<br />
<br />
In arguing that a denial of a motion to dismiss be upheld, the government stated that<br />
<br />
all that was required to be proven under the statute was that the owner knew the dog was a<br />
<br />
pit bull. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals agreed and upheld the conviction, and<br />
<br />
noted further, as related to the basic scienter requirement under the statute, that all that was<br />
<br />
required to be shown was that the pit bulls had attacked without provocation and the owner<br />
<br />
knew “that the dogs he owned were pit bulls.” Id.<br />
<br />
Multiple constitutional issues and other arguments were raised by pit bull advocates21<br />
<br />
in a challenge to a pit bull strict liability statute in the case of The Colorado Dog Fanciers,<br />
<br />
Inc. et al. v. The City and County of Denver, 820 P. 2d 644 (Colo.1991). The Supreme<br />
<br />
Court of Colorado in upholding the statute at issue, opined, in relevant part:<br />
<br />
Since section 8-55 allows the determination that a dog is a pit bull based<br />
<br />
on nonscientific evidence, the dog owners assert that they are denied<br />
<br />
substantive due process. The city, however, is not required to meet its burden<br />
<br />
of proof with mathematical certainty of scientific evidence. Therefore, even<br />
<br />
though section 8-55 permits a finding of pit bull status to be based on expert<br />
<br />
opinion or on nonscientific evidence, such a procedure does not violate the dog<br />
<br />
owner’s due process rights.<br />
<br />
23<br />
<br />
The dog owners also assert that the city ordinance treats all pit bulls and<br />
<br />
substantially similar dogs as inherently dangerous and is, therefore,<br />
<br />
unconstitutionally overbroad. This contention is without merit.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
The dog owners argue that the ordinance violates the Equal Protection<br />
<br />
Clause by creating an irrational distinction between one who owns a dog with<br />
<br />
the physical characteristics of a pit bull and one who owns a dog lacking those<br />
<br />
characteristics.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
. . . .The trial court found that pit bull attacks, unlike attacks by other<br />
<br />
dogs, occur more often, are more severe, and are more likely to result in<br />
<br />
fatalities. The trial court also found that pit bulls tend to be stronger than other<br />
<br />
dogs, often give no warning signals before attacking, and are less willing than<br />
<br />
other dogs to retreat from an attack, even when they are in considerable pain.<br />
<br />
Since ample evidence exists to establish a rational relationship between the<br />
<br />
city’s classification of certain dogs as pit bulls, and since there is a legitimate<br />
<br />
governmental purpose in protecting the health and safety of the city’s residents<br />
<br />
and dogs, the trial court correctly concluded that the ordinance did not violate<br />
<br />
the dog owner’s right to equal protection of the laws.<br />
<br />
Id., at 649-652 (internal citations and footnotes omitted).<br />
<br />
Harper, supra, notes that at least the following states have some form of state-strict<br />
<br />
liability statute in which the finding of dangerousness of the particular attacking dog is not<br />
<br />
necessary to establish the elements of negligence: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, New<br />
<br />
Jersey, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Ohio. There are also indications<br />
<br />
in the literature that California, South Carolina and the District of Columbia also have some<br />
<br />
form of strict liability statute relating to dogs. Additionally, some of the cases and other<br />
<br />
authority we have examined concern local animal control laws, some of which are breedspecific.<br />
<br />
22Issues relating to the dangerousness of Rottweilers are not present in this case.<br />
<br />
23The appellee attempted to make the argument that the landlord had sufficient<br />
<br />
control over the alley behind the house such as to make the alley part of the landlord’s<br />
<br />
and lessee’s premises. He is incorrect. The language he asserts affords that right of<br />
<br />
control is the same as, or similar to, language contained in most deeds of conveyance in<br />
<br />
this state. It merely gives to the grantee whatever rights the grantor had in the alley. In the<br />
<br />
case of alleys improved, maintained or accepted by public entities, the primary right that<br />
<br />
language gives to an adjacent landowner is to be able to make a claim to the center of the<br />
<br />
roadway if the public body ever closes the alley or sufficiently abandons it. Until that<br />
<br />
time, adjacent landowners have ingress and egress rights along with the general public.<br />
<br />
Generally, they do not have the right to control the public way. As we are holding that<br />
<br />
liability follows a pit bull when it leaves its abode to launch an attack, control of the alley<br />
<br />
is not an issue. In this case, it is clear that the pit bull twice left its enclosure on the<br />
<br />
24<br />
<br />
The sources and discussions above, coupled with our extensive dicta in Matthews,<br />
<br />
supra, and the numerous instances of serious and often fatal attacks by pit bulls throughout<br />
<br />
the country, and especially in Maryland, persuades us that the common law needs to be<br />
<br />
changed in order that a strict liability standard be established in relation to attacks by pit bull<br />
<br />
and cross-bred pit bull mixes.22<br />
<br />
CONCLUSION<br />
<br />
We hold that upon a plaintiff’s sufficient proof that a dog involved in an attack is a<br />
<br />
pit bull or a pit bull mix, and that the owner, or other person(s) who has the right to control<br />
<br />
the pit bull’s presence on the subject premises (including a landlord who has the right and/or<br />
<br />
opportunity to prohibit such dogs on leased premises as in this case) knows, or has reason<br />
<br />
to know, that the dog is a pit bull or cross-bred pit bull mix, that person is strictly liable for<br />
<br />
the damages caused to a plaintiff who is attacked by the dog on or from the owner’s or<br />
<br />
lessor’s premises.23 This holding is prospective and applies to this case and causes of action<br />
<br />
lessee’s/landlord’s property to attack two boys. Accordingly, the pit bull attacked the two<br />
<br />
boys from the subject property.<br />
<br />
If the owner had taken the pit bull to the supermarket or on a day trip to the beach<br />
<br />
in Ocean City, and while there, the pit bull attacked someone, the attack would not have<br />
<br />
been on or ‘from’ the leased premises. While the owner’s responsibility remains clear,<br />
<br />
liability, if any, on the part of the landlord in such a situation seems much more remote.<br />
<br />
24The trial court correctly applied the principles of the common law at the time the<br />
<br />
case was first tried below.<br />
<br />
25<br />
<br />
accruing after the date of the filing of this opinion. Upon remand to the trial court, it shall<br />
<br />
apply in this case the modifications to the common law herein created.24<br />
<br />
JUDGMENT OF THE COURT OF<br />
<br />
SPECIAL APPEALS AFFIRMED FOR<br />
<br />
THE REASONS HEREIN STATED; THAT<br />
<br />
COURT IS DIRECTED TO REMAND THE<br />
<br />
CASE TO THE TRIAL COURT FOR A<br />
<br />
RETRIAL CONSISTENT WITH THE NEW<br />
<br />
COMMON LAW PRINCIPLES HEREIN<br />
<br />
ADOPTED; COSTS IN THIS COURT AND<br />
<br />
IN THE COURT OF SPECIAL APPEALS<br />
<br />
TO BE PAID BY THE APPELLANT.<br />
<br />
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF<br />
<br />
MARYLAND<br />
<br />
No. 53<br />
<br />
September Term, 2011<br />
<br />
DOROTHY M. TRACEY<br />
<br />
v.<br />
<br />
ANTHONY K. SOLESKY and<br />
<br />
IRENE SOLESKY, as the Parents,<br />
<br />
Guardians and Next Friends of<br />
<br />
DOMINIC SOLESKY, a Minor<br />
<br />
Bell, C.J.<br />
<br />
Harrell<br />
<br />
Greene<br />
<br />
Adkins<br />
<br />
Barbera<br />
<br />
Wilner, Alan M. (Retired,<br />
<br />
Specially Assigned)<br />
<br />
Cathell, Dale R. (Retired,<br />
<br />
Specially Assigned)<br />
<br />
JJ.<br />
<br />
Dissenting Opinion by Greene, J., which<br />
<br />
Harrell and Barbera, JJ., join.<br />
<br />
Filed: April 26, 2012<br />
<br />
1 The majority opinion delivers an unenlightening and unworkable rule regarding<br />
<br />
mixed-breed dogs. How much “pit bull” must there be in a dog to bring it within the strict<br />
<br />
liability edict? How will that be determined? What rationale exists for any particular<br />
<br />
percentage of the genetic code to trigger strict liability?<br />
<br />
2 Mixed-breed pit bulls are dogs “with heritages including any percentage of<br />
<br />
recognized pit-bull breeds[.]” Kristen E. Swann, Note, Irrationality Unleashed: The Pitfalls<br />
<br />
of Breed-Specific Legislation, 78 UMKC L. Rev. 839, 853 (2010). To the extent that the<br />
<br />
majority discusses “cross-bred” pit bulls, we note that, for purposes of the issues considered<br />
<br />
herein, the term “cross-bred” will be treated the same as “mixed-breed” in the context of this<br />
<br />
discussion.<br />
<br />
I respectfully dissent:<br />
<br />
Today, the majority holds that a pit bull or any dog with a trace of pit bull ancestry<br />
<br />
(determined by what means the majority opinion leaves us entirely in the dark)1 shall be<br />
<br />
deemed hence forth vicious and inherently dangerous as a matter of law. Thus, an owner,<br />
<br />
keeper, or landlord with control over a tenant’s premises can be held strictly liable for harm<br />
<br />
a pit bull or mixed-breed pit bull2 causes to third parties. According to the majority:<br />
<br />
[W]e are modifying one of the elements that must be proven in<br />
<br />
cases involving pit bull attacks from knowledge that a particular<br />
<br />
dog is dangerous to knowledge that the particular dog involved<br />
<br />
is a pit bull. If it is a pit bull the danger is inherent in that<br />
<br />
particular breed of dog and the knowledge element of scienter<br />
<br />
is met by knowledge that the dog is of that breed.<br />
<br />
Maj. slip op. at 15 n.17.<br />
<br />
Now, it appears, the issue of whether a dog is harmless, or the owner or landlord has<br />
<br />
any reason to know that the dog is dangerous, is irrelevant to the standard of strict liability.<br />
<br />
In the words of the majority, the owner or landlord will be held strictly liable for any harm<br />
<br />
the dog causes if the owner or landlord had “knowledge of the presence of a pit bull or crossbred<br />
<br />
pit bull . . . or [the owner or landlord] should have had such knowledge[.]” Maj.<br />
<br />
3 In their cross-petition for writ of certiorari, Respondents challenge the decision made<br />
<br />
by the trial court concerning a discovery dispute. According to Respondents, they were<br />
<br />
precluded from discovering facts necessary to establish the elements of their case against the<br />
<br />
landlord. Mrs. Dorothy M. Tracey, the 89-year-old landlord, did not appear for her<br />
<br />
scheduled pretrial deposition. According to a letter from her family physician, Mrs. Tracey<br />
<br />
could not attend the deposition or participate in court proceedings due to her poor health,<br />
<br />
which included cardiac problems associated with undue stress. Pursuant to Maryland Rule<br />
<br />
(continued...)<br />
<br />
2<br />
<br />
slip op. at 9. By virtue of this new rule, grounded ultimately upon perceptions of a majority<br />
<br />
of this Court about a particular breed of dog, rather than upon adjudicated facts showing that<br />
<br />
the responsible party possessed the requisite knowledge of the animal’s inclination to do<br />
<br />
harm, the majority transforms a clear factual question into a legal one in an effort to create<br />
<br />
liability. If the majority believes that it has not transformed the relevant inquiry from a<br />
<br />
factual determination into a legal one, in the present case, then I pose this question: What<br />
<br />
expert testimony or factual predicate is contained within this record to support a factual<br />
<br />
finding that pit bulls and mixed-breed pit bulls are inherently dangerous? I have considered<br />
<br />
the record and found no such factual predicate. Further, if the majority believes it is taking<br />
<br />
judicial notice of such facts – why, pray tell, is an appellate court willing to take judicial<br />
<br />
notice of facts about the breed of particular dogs, and characteristics allegedly associated<br />
<br />
with that breed, when the trial judge was not willing to do so? Moreover, and more<br />
<br />
problematically, why should appellate courts even consider taking judicial notice of facts<br />
<br />
relating to dog bite statistics that are clearly in dispute?<br />
<br />
Indeed, the injuries to the plaintiff are unfortunate and warrant someone taking<br />
<br />
responsibility for the harm caused to him. In the absence of sufficient facts3 to establish a<br />
<br />
3(...continued)<br />
<br />
2-433(a), and notwithstanding the doctor’s note, the hearing judge exercised his discretion<br />
<br />
in issuing a ruling that precluded Respondents from taking her deposition and also precluded<br />
<br />
Mrs. Tracey from testifying at trial on her own behalf. There were a variety of alternative<br />
<br />
means of discovery open to Respondents that they failed to utilize, including, inter alia,<br />
<br />
written interrogatories, depositions upon written request, and requests for admissions of fact.<br />
<br />
In addition, Respondents failed to establish that the hearing judge abused his discretion.<br />
<br />
Thus, there is no good reason for this Court to reverse the trial judge’s ruling on the<br />
<br />
discovery issue or his refusal to enter a default judgment against the landlord.<br />
<br />
3<br />
<br />
prima facie case of liability, however, the majority only compounds the problem created,<br />
<br />
driven by its apparent desire to reach a particular result in this case. Succumbing to the<br />
<br />
allure of bad facts leads inevitably to the development of bad law. On this record, clearly,<br />
<br />
there is evidence of injury to the plaintiff. There is also sufficient evidence that the owner<br />
<br />
knew or should have known of Clifford’s vicious propensities. There is insufficient<br />
<br />
evidence, however, to establish liability on behalf of the landlord. The majority even<br />
<br />
acknowledges that, in the present case, the trial judge was correct in granting judgment for<br />
<br />
the landlord on the grounds that “the evidence was insufficient to permit the issue of<br />
<br />
common law negligence to be presented to the jury.” Maj. slip op. at 6. Furthermore,<br />
<br />
evaluating the facts under the common law as it existed prior to this opinion, there is no<br />
<br />
evidence in the record that the landlord knew that the dog in question had vicious<br />
<br />
propensities or that the landlord should have known that this dog would likely attack people<br />
<br />
in the manner the plaintiff was attacked. Thus, taking into account the common law as it<br />
<br />
existed at the time of trial, there is no basis for finding the landlord liable under a theory of<br />
<br />
strict liability.<br />
<br />
4<br />
<br />
One author has described the common law standard of strict liability in dog bite cases<br />
<br />
in the following way:<br />
<br />
For centuries, dogs have been known as a companion to<br />
<br />
man[kind]. As such, they were considered harmless; and if they<br />
<br />
did, in fact, possess dangerous characteristics, it was considered<br />
<br />
abnormal. Consequently, the owner of a dog was not strictly<br />
<br />
liable for a dog bite, unless he had reason to know the dog was<br />
<br />
abnormally dangerous. Being abnormally dangerous was often<br />
<br />
characterized as having a tendency to attack human beings,<br />
<br />
whether the attack was in anger or in play. The owner’s liability<br />
<br />
was in keeping a dog after gaining knowledge of its propensity<br />
<br />
for abnormally vicious behavior. Thus, the requirement of<br />
<br />
scienter was a hurdle plaintiffs needed to overcome in order to<br />
<br />
proceed with a lawsuit. (Footnotes omitted.)<br />
<br />
Lynn A. Epstein, There Are No Bad Dogs, Only Bad Owners: Replacing Strict Liability with<br />
<br />
a Negligence Standard in Dog Bite Cases, 13 Animal L. 129, 132 (2006). Believing that the<br />
<br />
traditional common law principles of strict liability applicable to dog bite cases are<br />
<br />
inadequate, the majority modifies the common law. In the present case, the Court of Special<br />
<br />
Appeals reversed the trial court and remanded the case for a new trial, and the majority<br />
<br />
affirms that judgment, but for a different reason than that given by our brethren on the<br />
<br />
intermediate appellate court. According to the majority, if on remand the plaintiff can prove<br />
<br />
that the owner or landlord had knowledge of Clifford’s presence on the leased premises and<br />
<br />
that Clifford is a “pit bull or cross-bred pit bull,” or if the plaintiff can prove that the owner<br />
<br />
or landlord should have had such knowledge, the plaintiff will have established a prima facie<br />
<br />
case of strict liability for any harm caused. See Maj. slip op. at 9.<br />
<br />
Until today, the common law in Maryland was that the owner or keeper of a dog or<br />
<br />
5<br />
<br />
other domestic animal would be held strictly liable for injuries caused by that animal,<br />
<br />
provided the plaintiff could show that the owner or keeper “had knowledge of [the animal’s]<br />
<br />
disposition to commit such injury[.]” Twigg v. Ryland, 62 Md. 380, 385 (1884) (noting that<br />
<br />
“[t]he gist of the [strict liability] action is the keeping [of] the animal after knowledge of its<br />
<br />
mischievous propensities”). Likewise, until today, a landlord would be held liable to a third<br />
<br />
party for an attack by a tenant’s animal where the landlord had knowledge of the animal’s<br />
<br />
presence on the leased premises and knowledge of its vicious propensities, and the landlord<br />
<br />
maintained control over the leased premises. Matthews v. Amberwood Assocs. Ltd. P’ship,<br />
<br />
Inc., 351 Md. 544, 570, 719 A.2d 119, 131-32 (1998); see Shields v. Wagman, 350 Md. 666,<br />
<br />
690, 714 A.2d 881, 892-93 (1998). Scienter, or knowledge, is defined as “[a] degree of<br />
<br />
knowledge that makes a person legally responsible for the consequences of his or her act or<br />
<br />
omission; the fact of an act’s having been done knowingly, esp. as a ground for civil<br />
<br />
damages or criminal punishment.” Black’s Law Dictionary 1373 (8th ed. 2004). Under<br />
<br />
Maryland law, “the owner’s [strict] liability arises from exposing the community to a known<br />
<br />
dangerous beast rather than any negligence in keeping or controlling his animal. ” Slack v.<br />
<br />
Villari, 59 Md. App. 462, 473, 476 A.2d 227, 232 (1984) (citing William L. Prosser,<br />
<br />
Handbook of the Law of Torts § 76, at 499 (4th ed. 1971)). The burden is on the plaintiff to<br />
<br />
establish “that the owner [or keeper of the animal] knew, or by the exercise of ordinary and<br />
<br />
reasonable care should have known, of the inclination or propensity of the animal to do the<br />
<br />
particular mischief that was the cause of the harm.” Herbert v. Ziegler, 216 Md. 212, 216,<br />
<br />
6<br />
<br />
139 A.2d 699, 702 (1958) (citations omitted). If the plaintiff fails to show the owner or<br />
<br />
keeper’s scienter, or knowledge, of the animal’s propensity to cause the very harm inflicted,<br />
<br />
recovery for the harm caused by the animal will be denied. See Twigg, 62 Md. at 386.<br />
<br />
With regard to this theory of strict liability, the mere fact that a dog is kept in an<br />
<br />
enclosure or is otherwise restrained is not sufficient to show the owner or keeper’s<br />
<br />
knowledge of the animal’s vicious propensities or inclination to bite people. McDonald v.<br />
<br />
Burgess, 254 Md. 452, 458, 255 A.2d 299, 302 (1969); see Ward v. Hartley, 168 Md. App.<br />
<br />
209, 218, 895 A.2d 1111, 1116 (2006), cert. denied, 394 Md. 310, 905 A.2d 844 (2006).<br />
<br />
Furthermore, in accordance with the well-settled common law standard of strict liability, the<br />
<br />
breed of the dog, standing alone, has never been considered a sufficient substitute for proof<br />
<br />
that a particular dog was dangerous or had a violent nature. See McDonald, 254 Md. at 460,<br />
<br />
255 A.2d at 303; Slack, 59 Md App. at 476, 476 A.2d at 234. Specifically, in McDonald,<br />
<br />
we held that the mere fact that the dog in question belonged to a specific breed, which “can<br />
<br />
and often does behave in a very vicious manner,” was insufficient to hold the owner legally<br />
<br />
responsible for his German shepherd attacking another person. McDonald, 254 Md. at 460-<br />
<br />
61, 255 A.2d at 303. In that case, “[t]here [wa]s nothing in the record to demonstrate that<br />
<br />
the particular dog alleged to have caused the injury . . . was of a violent or oppressive nature”<br />
<br />
and that the defendant had the requisite scienter. Id. Thus, in order to hold the owner or<br />
<br />
keeper of a dog strictly liable, there must be a showing that the particular dog, in that case<br />
<br />
a German shepherd, was of a violent nature and that the owner or keeper of the dog knew,<br />
<br />
7<br />
<br />
or by the exercise of ordinary care should have known, of the dog’s inclination or propensity<br />
<br />
to do the particular mischief that was the cause of the harm. McDonald, 254 Md. at 456-60,<br />
<br />
255 A.2d at 301-03.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, until today, this Court has never announced a theory of strict liability<br />
<br />
predicated upon the alleged knowledge of the owner, keeper, or landlord of the premises,<br />
<br />
based upon assumptions about a particular breed of an animal, where a dog of that breed<br />
<br />
caused an injury to another human being. Ordinarily, the owner, keeper, or landlord of the<br />
<br />
premises, would be strictly liable in a dog bite case where the responsible party was in a<br />
<br />
position to anticipate the harm; primarily, because he or she had sufficient knowledge of the<br />
<br />
dog’s vicious propensities or inclination and would thereby be in a position to take corrective<br />
<br />
action. See Bachman v. Clark, 128 Md. 245, 248, 97 A. 440, 441 (1916). Under the new<br />
<br />
rule announced today, however, the only corrective action an owner, keeper, or landlord<br />
<br />
could possibly take to avoid liability for the harm caused to another by a pit bull or mixedbreed<br />
<br />
pit bull is not to possess or allow possession of this specific breed of dog on the<br />
<br />
premises. Conversely, any other breed of dog in the possession of the owner or on premises<br />
<br />
controlled by the landlord, no matter how violent, apparently, would be judged by a different<br />
<br />
standard. As a result of the majority opinion, it is unclear as to what standard should be<br />
<br />
applied prospectively to owners and landlords for the liability of other breeds of dogs kept<br />
<br />
on the premises.<br />
<br />
Although this Court has authority to alter the common law, we have been reluctant<br />
<br />
8<br />
<br />
to do so because of the principle of stare decisis, which we have confirmed “promotes the<br />
<br />
evenhanded, predictable, and consistent development of legal principles, fosters reliance on<br />
<br />
judicial decisions, and contributes to the actual and perceived integrity of the judicial<br />
<br />
process.” DRD Pool Serv., Inc. v. Freed, 416 Md. 46, 63, 5 A.3d 45, 55 (2010) (quoting<br />
<br />
Livesay v. Balt. Cnty., 384 Md. 1, 14, 862 A.2d 33, 40-41 (2004)). We have changed or<br />
<br />
modified the common law when the prior decision was “clearly wrong and contrary to<br />
<br />
established principles[,]” State v. Adams, 406 Md. 240, 259, 958 A.2d 295, 307 (2008)<br />
<br />
(quotation omitted), cert. denied, 556 U.S. 1133, 129 S. Ct. 1624, 173 L. Ed. 2d 1005<br />
<br />
(2009), or when precedent has been superseded by significant changes in the law or facts.<br />
<br />
Harrison v. Montgomery Cnty. Bd. of Educ., 295 Md. 442, 459, 456 A.2d 894, 903 (1983)<br />
<br />
(allowing departure from stare decisis when there are “changed conditions or increased<br />
<br />
knowledge, [such] that the rule has become unsound in the circumstances of modern life, a<br />
<br />
vestige of the past, no longer suitable to our people”).<br />
<br />
Consistent with our precedent, there is no good reason to modify the common law in<br />
<br />
this case. Modern circumstances and knowledge gleaned from the literature regarding “pit<br />
<br />
bulls” have not substantially changed since 1998 when we decided Matthews and Shields.<br />
<br />
The majority relies upon a Report issued after our decisions in Matthews and Shields that is<br />
<br />
published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and indicates that<br />
<br />
“pit bull-type dogs were involved in approximately a third of human . . . [fatalities] reported<br />
<br />
during the [twelve]-year period from 1981 through 1992[.]” See Jeffrey J. Sacks et al.,<br />
<br />
9<br />
<br />
Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the United States Between 1979 and<br />
<br />
1998, 217 J. Am. Veterinary Med. Ass’n 836, 836 (2000) [hereinafter Veterinary Medical<br />
<br />
Association Report]. This information was certainly available prior to publication of the<br />
<br />
Veterinary Medical Association Report. The Report does not recommend strict liability as<br />
<br />
a potential solution to the problem of attacks by pit bull dogs. See Veterinary Medical<br />
<br />
Association Report, supra, at 839-40. In fact, the Report questions the success of breedspecific<br />
<br />
liability requirements and urges the consideration of factors completely unrelated<br />
<br />
to the breed or appearance of dogs, including their socialization, training, size, sex, and<br />
<br />
reproductive status. See id. The Veterinary Medical Association Report warns that dog bite<br />
<br />
data can be misleading. See Veterinary Medical Association Report, supra, at 838.<br />
<br />
Moreover, other reports question the use of dog bite statistics and emphasize that such<br />
<br />
statistics do not provide an accurate portrayal of dogs that bite. See Stephen Collier, Breed-<br />
<br />
Specific Legislation and the Pit Bull Terrier: Are the Laws Justified?, 1 J. Veterinary<br />
<br />
Behavior 17, 18 (2006); Bonnie V. Beaver et al., A Community Approach to Dog Bite<br />
<br />
Prevention, 218 J. Am. Veterinary Med. Ass’n 1732, 1733 (2001).<br />
<br />
Public knowledge and the hysteria regarding pit bulls is no more prevalent now than<br />
<br />
it was in 1998 when Matthews and Shields were decided. See Collier, supra, at 17-18<br />
<br />
(discussing a trend in several countries, including the United States, of the media portraying<br />
<br />
the pit bull breed with “lurid and sensational accounts of its background, capabilities, and<br />
<br />
character” and the lasting effects of that depiction). A 2011 Report entitled Mortality,<br />
<br />
10<br />
<br />
Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs, cited by the majority, notes that “[s]trict regulation<br />
<br />
of pit bulls may substantially reduce the US mortality rates related to dog bites.” John K.<br />
<br />
Bini et al., Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs, 253 Annals Surg. 791, 791<br />
<br />
(2011). The author recommends regulation, however; he does not specifically suggest<br />
<br />
imposing strict liability in tort. Bini et al., supra, at 796. Furthermore, strict regulation does<br />
<br />
not equate to strict liability in tort. In the field of regulation, for example, the direct focus is<br />
<br />
on the owner’s behavior, sterilization, socialization, supervision, breeding practices,<br />
<br />
educational outreach to potential dog owners, and screening of potential owners. See Jamey<br />
<br />
Medlin, Pit Bull Bans and the Human Factors Affecting Canine Behavior, Comment, 56<br />
<br />
DePaul L. Rev. 1285, 1304-1318 (2007) (suggesting laws designed to target human behavior<br />
<br />
related to treatment of dogs, including sterilization, breeder licensing programs, screening<br />
<br />
programs, and community outreach). With regard to dog bite statistical information, some<br />
<br />
experts express doubt that it is even possible to calculate dog bite rates for a particular breed<br />
<br />
of dog or to compare rates between breeds because many dogs are unregistered or unlicensed.<br />
<br />
See Safia Gray Hussain, Attacking the Dog Bite Epidemic: Why Breed-Specific<br />
<br />
Legislation Won’t Solve the Dangerous-Dog Dilemma, Note, 74 Fordham L. Rev. 2847,<br />
<br />
2870-71 (2006) (referencing Beaver et al., supra, at 1733).<br />
<br />
According to some experts, there are more than twenty-five breeds of dogs commonly<br />
<br />
mistaken for pit bulls. Hussain, supra, at 2870. Notwithstanding this empirical evidence,<br />
<br />
the majority relies upon the assumption that all pit bulls are inherently dangerous. In this<br />
<br />
11<br />
<br />
record, there is no evidence from expert witnesses to support the proposition that pit bulls<br />
<br />
or pit bull mixed-breeds are inherently dangerous. It appears that the media has demonized<br />
<br />
pit bulls as gruesome fighting dogs and has not revealed the long history of pit bulls as<br />
<br />
family dogs with passive behaviors. See Medlin, supra, at 1288-1290 (discussing the role<br />
<br />
of pit bulls as family pets in the early twentieth century in contrast to public perception<br />
<br />
today); Lynn Ready, Pit-Bull Terrier Therapy Dogs Provide Great Service to Their<br />
<br />
Community, Best Friends Animal Society Pit Bull Terrier Initiatives (Apr. 28, 2011),<br />
<br />
http://network.bestfriends.org/initiatives/pitbulls/17100/news.aspx. The majority also<br />
<br />
assumes that breed-specific rules, as opposed to behavior modification rules, are a better<br />
<br />
approach to controlling the problem of dog bites caused by pit bulls and mixed-breed pit<br />
<br />
bulls that attack humans. Again, the empirical evidence is in dispute. Some experts<br />
<br />
conclude that breed-specific liability rules provide a superficial sense of security because<br />
<br />
many factors completely unrelated to the breed or appearance of dogs affect their tendency<br />
<br />
toward aggression, including early experience, socialization, training, size, sex, and<br />
<br />
reproductive status. See Sacks et al., supra, at 839-40.<br />
<br />
In those states referenced by the majority as examples of jurisdictions where the strict<br />
<br />
liability standard has been applied in the manner the majority announces today, it was clearly<br />
<br />
the legislatures of those states that enacted specific legislation to address the problem of<br />
<br />
harm caused by pit bulls and mixed-breed pit bulls. For example, the majority relies upon<br />
<br />
City of Toledo v. Tellings, in which the Supreme Court of Ohio upheld Toledo’s breed12<br />
<br />
specific legislation with regard to “pit bulls.” Tellings, 871 N.E.2d 1152, 1159 (Ohio 2007)<br />
<br />
(holding that “the state of Ohio and the city of Toledo have a legitimate interest in protecting<br />
<br />
citizens from the dangers associated with pit bulls, and that R.C. 955.11(A)(4)(a)(iii) and<br />
<br />
955.22 and Toledo Municipal Code 505.14 are rationally related to that interest and are<br />
<br />
constitutional”). Likewise, in Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, and Kentucky,<br />
<br />
strict liability statutes addressing liability for injuries caused by dogs were enacted by the<br />
<br />
respective state legislatures. Rebecca F. Wisch, Quick Overview of Dog Bite Strict Liability<br />
<br />
Statutes, Michigan State University College of Law Animal Legal & Historical Center (May<br />
<br />
2006, updated 2010), http://www.animallaw.info/articles/qvusdogbiteslstatutes.htm. In each<br />
<br />
of those jurisdictions, the courts have followed the lead of state legislatures rather than<br />
<br />
legislating from the bench. See, e.g., Colo. Dog Fanciers, Inc. v. City & Cnty. of Denver,<br />
<br />
820 P.2d 644, 646 (Colo. 1991) (evaluating the constitutionality of the “‘Pit Bulls<br />
<br />
Prohibited’ ordinance”); McNeely v. United States, 874 A.2d 371, 380 (D.C. 2005)<br />
<br />
(concluding that “the Pit Bull Act is sufficiently definite to comport with the demands of the<br />
<br />
Constitution’s Due Process Clause and that the Council [of the District of Columbia] created<br />
<br />
through the Act a constitutional strict liability felony, without requiring a culpable state of<br />
<br />
mind, so long as it is proved that the defendant knew he or she owned a pit bull”); State v.<br />
<br />
Peters, 534 So. 2d 760, 761-62 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988) (upholding a local ordinance<br />
<br />
regulating the ownership of pit bulls); Bess v. Bracken Cnty. Fiscal Ct., 210 S.W.3d 177,<br />
<br />
179-80 (Ky. Ct. App. 2006) (recognizing the “right of state legislatures to exercise their<br />
<br />
13<br />
<br />
police power to regulate dog ownership” and upholding a local county ordinance banning<br />
<br />
possession of pit bull terriers).<br />
<br />
Given the nature of the extensive social problem of regulating pit bulls and mixedbreed<br />
<br />
pit bulls, the majority elects to focus on the breed of the dog involved, rather than on<br />
<br />
the behavior of the dog, the owner, and the landlord. The issues raised involving breedspecific<br />
<br />
regulation are not appropriate for judicial resolution; rather, those issues are best<br />
<br />
resolved by the Maryland General Assembly, as that branch of government is better<br />
<br />
equipped to address the various issues associated with regulation of pit bulls and mixedbreed<br />
<br />
pit bulls. For example, some experts indicate that the term “pit bull” does not describe<br />
<br />
any one particular breed of dog; instead, it is a generic category encompassing the American<br />
<br />
Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the American Pit Bull Terrier. See<br />
<br />
Hussain, supra, at 2851-52. Neither the American Kennel Club nor the United Kennel Club<br />
<br />
recognizes all three breeds, and the breed descriptions and standards provided by the two<br />
<br />
organizations differ. Id. It is difficult for courts, therefore, both to determine whether a<br />
<br />
particular dog should be categorized as a pit bull and to differentiate between pit bulls and<br />
<br />
other breeds. Hussain, supra, at 2852; Karyn Grey, Breed-Specific Legislation Revisited:<br />
<br />
Canine Racism or the Answer to Florida’s Dog Control Problems?, Comment, 27 Nova L.<br />
<br />
Rev. 415, 432 (2003) (positing that “the evidentiary method for determining when a dog is<br />
<br />
a pit bull or pit bull mix can be confusing and difficult”). In addition, the connection<br />
<br />
between a dog’s appearance and the actual breed is tenuous, according to some experts. See<br />
<br />
14<br />
<br />
Victoria L. Voith, Shelter Medicine: A Comparison of Visual and DNA Identification of<br />
<br />
Breeds of Dogs, Proceedings of Annual AVMA Convention (July 11-14, 2009),<br />
<br />
http://www.nathanwinograd.com/linked/misbreed.pdf (finding that there is discrepancy<br />
<br />
between breed determination based on physical attributes and scientific determinations).<br />
<br />
Taking into consideration the lack of evidence in the record of this case with regard to the<br />
<br />
landlord’s knowledge of the vicious propensities of the dog, the conflicting studies about<br />
<br />
how best to control the dog bite “epidemic” mentioned herein, and the problems inherent in<br />
<br />
defining what constitutes a “mixed-breed” pit bull, the matter of creating a new standard of<br />
<br />
liability is fraught with problems and is beyond the sphere of resolution by any appellate<br />
<br />
court.<br />
<br />
Judges Harrell and Barbera have authorized me to state that they join in the views<br />
<br />
expressed in this dissenting opinion.mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0Baltimore, MD, USA39.2903848 -76.612189339.1920723 -76.7735508 39.3886973 -76.4508278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-10002293465133110232012-04-11T08:56:00.000-07:002012-04-11T08:57:26.389-07:00April 11, 2012 - Pet of the Week Baltimore Humane Society<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Check out the Baltimore County Humane Society's Pets of the Week!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EMRnjVvWCHJh-06_z_2zhh5CP0qs_TjuAbmNS0oGPZl1O_fbVdzLTHf1AsQO85w324AvozEOirOKvxEpLIB1VwXFzhCwzx999xWh9pqHzELAbG7yx7Luo0n6HfUB7L-yeC5AQQ/s1600/Pet%2520of%2520the%2520Week%25204-11-12%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EMRnjVvWCHJh-06_z_2zhh5CP0qs_TjuAbmNS0oGPZl1O_fbVdzLTHf1AsQO85w324AvozEOirOKvxEpLIB1VwXFzhCwzx999xWh9pqHzELAbG7yx7Luo0n6HfUB7L-yeC5AQQ/s320/Pet%2520of%2520the%2520Week%25204-11-12%5B1%5D.JPG" width="247px" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Baltimore Humane Society</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1601 Nicodemus Road </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Reisterstown, MD 21136</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
T: 410-833-8848 </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
F: 410-833-4481</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bmorehumane.org/">http://www.bmorehumane.org/</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="justify">
</div>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-32032943203668865232012-04-06T11:15:00.002-07:002012-04-06T11:21:57.836-07:00April KittensWe placed Fluffy and three kittens this month in "Foster to Adopt" homes. Thanks to the <a href="http://mdspca.org/index.html">MD SPCA </a>for their <a href="http://mdspca.org/petcare/spay.html">Spay and Neuter Clinic </a>that allows us to receive low cost veterinary services.<br /><br />Last month we placed Halfway the Maine Coone with his new family. He fits right in. New pictures and updates to come soon.mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-50293024450347371742012-01-25T17:11:00.001-08:002012-03-28T11:28:13.697-07:00Brooklyn<div align="left"><br /></div><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GShbm4prc0fd4eGrYuDO3c56i1fZRfDWckyl-P58eZ3vfKkEMwQfaOKdIOnSnEi0bV1AKyKKQ43n_Pt3i7L1Yavgvtia0cufEL8n2ap0XAQ8zjMXDKTg9w2-ccYjlsQaUR7q6Q/s1600/froglegs2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725016063635045954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GShbm4prc0fd4eGrYuDO3c56i1fZRfDWckyl-P58eZ3vfKkEMwQfaOKdIOnSnEi0bV1AKyKKQ43n_Pt3i7L1Yavgvtia0cufEL8n2ap0XAQ8zjMXDKTg9w2-ccYjlsQaUR7q6Q/s200/froglegs2.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzXOz_SIumKEauQxES3ZFLjfItnrXwDiBG7yIBYx3RZMXwQZKJt9oOoCyNhuP47O-S3OMJsyowv-tiHcek0RHIAq6U3UPGURDmCQBsnkCl9v5n6eYiqXUVpmR-hRY34avbnCxRQ/s1600/Majestic+Brooklyn.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701744431780904882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 154px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzXOz_SIumKEauQxES3ZFLjfItnrXwDiBG7yIBYx3RZMXwQZKJt9oOoCyNhuP47O-S3OMJsyowv-tiHcek0RHIAq6U3UPGURDmCQBsnkCl9v5n6eYiqXUVpmR-hRY34avbnCxRQ/s200/Majestic+Brooklyn.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Foster Home or Adopter Needed ASAP - Resident Cat Stressed!<br /><br />Meet Brooklyn! She is a GORGEOUS 50 lb. blue and white, female pit mix. She is approximately 1 1/2 years old. She is up to date on her shots, spayed and micro chipped. <br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgtcZrtI_Z3bFasvCzSlLqi1f9fFNcxZpNNeh69898BmsSBoZyO8IVr_6ufi1Op7tapsL6Ti7vwZhCLjZYlD8b3ST8MZRGh3vqZw4_10OYDL5f8rfpecKIDsuPqaARuk_7939JA/s1600/hi1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725016068989253570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgtcZrtI_Z3bFasvCzSlLqi1f9fFNcxZpNNeh69898BmsSBoZyO8IVr_6ufi1Op7tapsL6Ti7vwZhCLjZYlD8b3ST8MZRGh3vqZw4_10OYDL5f8rfpecKIDsuPqaARuk_7939JA/s200/hi1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><br />Brooklyn came from a NYC kill shelter and is now in Baltimore. She is a very sweet and playful dog but also appreciates some quality couch time with her master. She needs to be re-homed asap as she is not suited for a home with cats. Unfortunately in order to rescue her from death row, I had to take that risk without knowing if she would work with cats or not. Goes without saying, my cat has been in hiding and losing weight since Brooklyn came to the house. :(<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5krvV41g0IWRMeZPEMbVprQk7ym7Rf2aBTUAgLmyLQvGAge7NGA53W3P9okjVFll7OyXdjIoNon4IEkAyNZrIkKwSGurke9EPM3pfk1vPIGcUuLvNPpqOuZd3LU1NsQP0YhWpYA/s1600/photo+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701744685211577298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5krvV41g0IWRMeZPEMbVprQk7ym7Rf2aBTUAgLmyLQvGAge7NGA53W3P9okjVFll7OyXdjIoNon4IEkAyNZrIkKwSGurke9EPM3pfk1vPIGcUuLvNPpqOuZd3LU1NsQP0YhWpYA/s200/photo+4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Brooklyn is good with other dogs but would benefit from being the only dog as she requires a lot of attention. We would consider another dog with equal energy level and an experienced owner. :) Brooklyn is also good with kids and is crate trained.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXk6VRr1m5PKgMu_QL1DFqY2SeV06FwpV2tb077sC-2QlPi9WChYZICw0MZpAa_bjAe_YM30rHzzyB2391eLgyzh_z3JpeljPYxq3-t6gMmC0bH7KHgHKBD7zFJYxUPq4R_JWuw/s1600/photo+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701744689530524674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXk6VRr1m5PKgMu_QL1DFqY2SeV06FwpV2tb077sC-2QlPi9WChYZICw0MZpAa_bjAe_YM30rHzzyB2391eLgyzh_z3JpeljPYxq3-t6gMmC0bH7KHgHKBD7zFJYxUPq4R_JWuw/s200/photo+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />She does however need to be placed as soon as possible. She is quite the looker and often draws attention during her walks around town, and will be missed but this is by far the best for everyone.<br />If you can help her out, please call her owner 410-802-4347.<br /><br />Email Michelle at mdebbrr@yahoo.com if you are interested in Brooklyn.mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-11005952112508844092011-12-23T07:36:00.000-08:002011-12-23T08:18:12.364-08:00More Cats - Kavanagh Kittens<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBRxM03qTQp2nBGH0A1NO7q3SxLZohm61QQnCpey3yCpbOqnqENGaVuwXTi7j8zs0Bk_lMoZh1FJ1RlRTvm22sXfpD8qgFa5PfRoLCMDvOlSe3cFI1wgoeOLgK1qR6678_ric8w/s1600/kittyfamily.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBRxM03qTQp2nBGH0A1NO7q3SxLZohm61QQnCpey3yCpbOqnqENGaVuwXTi7j8zs0Bk_lMoZh1FJ1RlRTvm22sXfpD8qgFa5PfRoLCMDvOlSe3cFI1wgoeOLgK1qR6678_ric8w/s320/kittyfamily.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689358528342628082" /></a><br />Happy Holidays!<br /><br />I haven't been doing much dog rescue lately...but I have turned into the CAT WHISPERER! I can't turn my back on any animal...and these kittens are no exception. I recently moved to Baltimore County and my new neighbors left their cat behind. I knew she recently had a litter but I did not know they left the babies there too! Animal Control has not been able to get them yet but I have been feeding them. For a few weeks I only thought there were 2 kittens but a new one has appeared now that they are at the exploring age. I estimate them to be about 10 weeks but I am not an expert! They have shelter as they can get in and out of the house and there is a screened porch. They are fed regulary by myself and a neighbor.<br /><br />I am looking for foster homes for the kittens and mother. I would like to catch them, have them checked out by a vet and fixed. They are all brown tabbies...but the latest kitten to appear has a very beautiful pattern. I will get betters pics soon. I am still gaining the little one's trust. I can not take them in but I would in a heartbeat if I could.<br /><br />If anyone is in the position to help, please feel free to contact me. I have a ChipIn page for the kittens, a paypal account or you can donate directly to my vet. See below for details.<br /><br />I will update the blog soon with pictures and video so stay tuned!<object width="250" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/8104d46dda82f91e"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/8104d46dda82f91e" flashVars="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="250" height="250"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-I635LX3pX7ICE1b1yEWYVWhBS1TStURQdKXYn1TF1htrqRjiKX0i_IO4YsT4Uyt_6sJtcxwY4pyP3u-4SSj51BpM4MN-n5jEF-J_wYiRz9LMSM_nUfGx28KjbWiDV2g96QE2yQ/s1600/kitty1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-I635LX3pX7ICE1b1yEWYVWhBS1TStURQdKXYn1TF1htrqRjiKX0i_IO4YsT4Uyt_6sJtcxwY4pyP3u-4SSj51BpM4MN-n5jEF-J_wYiRz9LMSM_nUfGx28KjbWiDV2g96QE2yQ/s200/kitty1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689358767785984738" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4B_ntPJWcQgrbhPEsmZ64ulCOdLZuw673Y9fQ-HLFcz1ikPA21PJP3tKrR5MEhpKOsU4jv7JmcCVzFeIZGVU31Zzan63mmi2XSCnbza_7-cSa5fCWAmPOofLzGnaUK_6XB-GvDw/s1600/family2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4B_ntPJWcQgrbhPEsmZ64ulCOdLZuw673Y9fQ-HLFcz1ikPA21PJP3tKrR5MEhpKOsU4jv7JmcCVzFeIZGVU31Zzan63mmi2XSCnbza_7-cSa5fCWAmPOofLzGnaUK_6XB-GvDw/s200/family2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689358681759807778" /></a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-70031230697930881652011-09-29T12:38:00.000-07:002011-09-29T12:40:18.479-07:00Show Your Soft Side<a href="http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/region/baltimore_city/athletes,-mayor-launch-anti-animal-abuse-campaign">Athletes, mayor launch anti-animal abuse campaign</a><br /><br />Posted: 10:11 AMLast Updated: 5 hours and 20 minutes ago<br />BALTIMORE - Baltimore Oriole Adam Jones and fighter John Rallo are joining Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to launch an ad campaign against animal abuse.<br />They will launch the "Show Your Soft Side" campaign outside City Hall on Thursday morning. The campaign shows athletes, including Jones, Rallo and Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson, showing their pets some love with the message "Only a punk would hurt a cat or dog." There are also a public service messages for radio.<br />The campaign was one of the recommendations included in a report from animal cruelty task force created after a series of highly publicized animal cruelty cases, including a pit bull puppy set on fire.<br />(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)<br /><br />Read more: <a style="COLOR: #003399" href="http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/region/baltimore_city/athletes%2C-mayor-launch-anti-animal-abuse-campaign#ixzz1ZN8UyQu4">http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/region/baltimore_city/athletes%2C-mayor-launch-anti-animal-abuse-campaign#ixzz1ZN8UyQu4</a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-60578726188246472012011-09-21T06:39:00.000-07:002011-10-27T10:45:06.517-07:00Dundalk Cats - Update 9.21.2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiula3a_hyphenhyphenzvrRjOZhmNY-i5IllqqBw8tIrmOU2qXwRauioLgsqjtlkYh9yVmxMYZrTjp4vskZPvRAPvwM7ZjPwMUZemcrofY5GBoJdoNKZzn9R4aWUwVjUPVhSpG31Kx0Z_3MUCw/s1600/MP900431025.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654828330684651762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 390px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiula3a_hyphenhyphenzvrRjOZhmNY-i5IllqqBw8tIrmOU2qXwRauioLgsqjtlkYh9yVmxMYZrTjp4vskZPvRAPvwM7ZjPwMUZemcrofY5GBoJdoNKZzn9R4aWUwVjUPVhSpG31Kx0Z_3MUCw/s400/MP900431025.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Hello there. I just wanted to update everyone on the status of the cat situation in Dundalk. I have been offline and haven't had a chance to post new information. The original link was pretty vague since I didn't have much time. You can see it on the blog here: http://ebbrr.blogspot.com/2011/07/here-kitty-kitty-kitty.html<br /><br /><br />We are helping a senior woman place over 40+ cats. When we were first posted about the cats we thought there were 20 cats in need but there were many more. We are not a cat rescue, but we were asked to help and will do what we can to save as many as possible before they end up at animal control. The woman is overwhelmed and the cost of maintaining the cats has caused a strain financially and emotionally.<br /><br />The cats that I will be listing on our new <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MD385.html">petfinder page </a>are friendly and highly adoptable cats. None of these cats have been outside cats they are all inside cats. There are other cats that are feral in the home. We are looking into special homing for them but the difficult decision might be made to euthanize them as they are absolutely feral "indoor" cats.<br /><br />We have been vetting and fixing as many cats as we can but we don't have the finances to do them all and the breeding cycle is non-stop. Currently there are three nursing mothers and 15 unweaned kittens. The cats are aged 3 weeks to 13 years old. They are well socialized and friendly cats but with this many cats in one home upper respiratory infections are common and of course a lot of inbreeding. We have contacted the <a href="http://www.feralstat.com/">Feralstat</a> company about their brand of feline birth control but they said they are not able to issue any new prescriptions at this time and to check back next month.<br /><br />Homes were found for Frick & Frack(brothers), Raven, and Princess. Out of the last four we had spayed, three were pregnant. If we would not have chosen them there would be 6 nursing litters RIGHT NOW! These cats have no were to go. Rescues are full and animal control can take all the cats at one time but their prognosis is not good because they will overwhelm the shelter. We want to help place as many as possible in good homes vetted and altered.<br /><br />Please help if you can by fostering, networking or donations if possible. WE ARE DESPERATE FOR FOSTER HOMES so that we can wean this colony down to a manageable number. Foster homes are responsible for food but all vetwork will be provided by EBBRR. Email <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">Michelle</a> at mdebbrr@yahoo.com if you can help.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>PLEASE SEE BELOW IF YOU CAN HELP! </em></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>If you can help with cat food, cat litter, collars, or supplies please email <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">Michelle</a> at <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">mdebbrr@yahoo.com</a> to make pick up arrangements. ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED.<br /></em></span><br />Monetary donations are accepted through our veterinarian at:<br /><br />Light Street Animal Hospital<br />1601 Light Street<br />Baltimore, MD 21230-4916<br />(410)547-8385<br /><br />Account is under Michelle McDonald/EBBRR.<br /><br />Use our ChipIn Page:<br /><object height="250" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/ba7534f76874b69d"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="color_scheme" value="red"><br /><embed src="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/ba7534f76874b69d" flashvars="color_scheme=red" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="250" height="250"></embed></object></p></div>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-12307573360762089422011-07-14T10:41:00.000-07:002011-07-28T06:43:50.312-07:00Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.....<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjdnyB2Rhwjnuv39h_Cg_Yt0Ut1kbXS-ugEy2TKHrUrVsAcE5x6ZLydDJrdmf1zF81Vlvlk49GvyJ_R5P-PO_-r44b9lzMMrPSZ63uXfrz5w33r9SDEVm3v0iaU7glUiJqKKkVQ/s1600/princess1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629265278657934322" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjdnyB2Rhwjnuv39h_Cg_Yt0Ut1kbXS-ugEy2TKHrUrVsAcE5x6ZLydDJrdmf1zF81Vlvlk49GvyJ_R5P-PO_-r44b9lzMMrPSZ63uXfrz5w33r9SDEVm3v0iaU7glUiJqKKkVQ/s320/princess1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br />Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.<br /><br />We know we are a dog rescue... but hey lets don't discriminate when it comes to furbabies needing help. We are assisting an elderly woman rehome over 20 cats. We are networking with cat rescues in the area but like us foster homes and funding are hard to come by. If you would like to help by fostering, networking, or financially please contact us.<br /><br />The cats range in ages from 12 weeks to 13 years. We are working on making sure everyone is spayed and neutered to avoid any more litters!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><img style="WIDTH: 288px; HEIGHT: 228px" height="232" src="http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/MD178/MD178.19927475-1-pn.jpg" width="300" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fr_ELxVjHwS0NGkFtE74eT-kYTmuooegICK4y7US7pQmWBXtU2QLnfAfy3K84Z648_2ic_LnwCH3nq2WqT_G1-ZKWp2tyyBcAkyGqyAqGuMPrU72SxcGXw1dAz6K5ng_oWSodA/s1600/calipso1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629265274088170818" style="WIDTH: 295px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fr_ELxVjHwS0NGkFtE74eT-kYTmuooegICK4y7US7pQmWBXtU2QLnfAfy3K84Z648_2ic_LnwCH3nq2WqT_G1-ZKWp2tyyBcAkyGqyAqGuMPrU72SxcGXw1dAz6K5ng_oWSodA/s320/calipso1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fr_ELxVjHwS0NGkFtE74eT-kYTmuooegICK4y7US7pQmWBXtU2QLnfAfy3K84Z648_2ic_LnwCH3nq2WqT_G1-ZKWp2tyyBcAkyGqyAqGuMPrU72SxcGXw1dAz6K5ng_oWSodA/s1600/calipso1.jpg"></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fr_ELxVjHwS0NGkFtE74eT-kYTmuooegICK4y7US7pQmWBXtU2QLnfAfy3K84Z648_2ic_LnwCH3nq2WqT_G1-ZKWp2tyyBcAkyGqyAqGuMPrU72SxcGXw1dAz6K5ng_oWSodA/s1600/calipso1.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fr_ELxVjHwS0NGkFtE74eT-kYTmuooegICK4y7US7pQmWBXtU2QLnfAfy3K84Z648_2ic_LnwCH3nq2WqT_G1-ZKWp2tyyBcAkyGqyAqGuMPrU72SxcGXw1dAz6K5ng_oWSodA/s1600/calipso1.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Please contact Michelle at mdebbrr@yahoo.com for more information.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><img src="http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/MD178/MD178.19943613-1-pn.jpg" /><img src="http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/MD178/MD178.19943575-1-pn.jpg" /><img style="WIDTH: 190px; HEIGHT: 194px" height="230" src="http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/MD178/MD178.19928523-2-pn.jpg" width="257" /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="right"></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object height="250" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/ba7534f76874b69d"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="color_scheme" value="brown"><br /><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/ba7534f76874b69d" flashvars="color_scheme=brown" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="250" height="250"></embed></object><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629265276376647458" style="WIDTH: 201px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 304px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLXe3VzQnhrrxuXlO-KjBIC88Do5T4GBWSpgix549V6i5Rtv8-eDbteh3mKIwHD-WPsFPkuwCvaNgwxmECvcE4DQQuJ415GXgozpTblLD6jKObfvgaJOtgRsoUVwNoQg4d-yu2w/s320/calipso2.jpg" border="0" />mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-87930390877617463492011-07-07T08:35:00.000-07:002011-07-07T10:46:20.509-07:00Starr - Medical Foster Needed ASAP<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUocYzuB-mmckQst7WFF44hnR1x4Wh6o3LXrz5oi3EAnKKI5MODEvLOvUCfZT7Sj9NW7Xk44ml6vVO-6IRU-qen8G0td7OEg5Kea34Ccl3ouKXxJCl8yFTVh82CAj6RfQpSzZnkg/s1600/starr2.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626666993491357586" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUocYzuB-mmckQst7WFF44hnR1x4Wh6o3LXrz5oi3EAnKKI5MODEvLOvUCfZT7Sj9NW7Xk44ml6vVO-6IRU-qen8G0td7OEg5Kea34Ccl3ouKXxJCl8yFTVh82CAj6RfQpSzZnkg/s320/starr2.bmp" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiMG0fCX_i71Mp9co9symxc3KUXSM6yiW0qArhaIscil7zsGoaTpFCSj2T-I2XUW3y8DSC5fIKihVqKAGMkqHeBoTJW8x8RCYE8foBEIgkAWMm7jRSMDDDwsuO9M8Oe2esCrP8w/s1600/star.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626667046649994210" style="WIDTH: 265px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiMG0fCX_i71Mp9co9symxc3KUXSM6yiW0qArhaIscil7zsGoaTpFCSj2T-I2XUW3y8DSC5fIKihVqKAGMkqHeBoTJW8x8RCYE8foBEIgkAWMm7jRSMDDDwsuO9M8Oe2esCrP8w/s320/star.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Before & After Pics - More Pics to Come</div><br /><div></div><br /><br />Starr is located at <a href="http://www.bmorehumane.org/">The Baltimore Humane Society.</a>.<br />Baltimore Humane Society<br />1601 Nicodemus Road<br />Reisterstown, MD 21136<br />410-833-8848<br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Starr was turned into BARCS with bilateral cherry eyes because her family thought she was ugly. She was 10 months old at the time and had been raised around other small children in the house. Jen, her guardian Angel, swooped in and fostered Starr the next day because she wanted to get her eyes fixed. She didn't know that cherry eye isn't painful, but boy did it look like it was.<br /><br />Jen fostered her and had her vet send a request over to Janet Isherwood for surgery. Starr did great and needed 2 weeks of quiet before going to a forever home. Starr is such a puppy! Rambunctious and fun and silly and waggy and licky! She had an adoption application and the person looked like a good candidate. BARCS had originally thought Starr was 2, but her teeth were brand, spanking new. The adopter's dogs got along great with Starr, and the adopter was really excited that Starr was as young as she is. A week later, the adopter says she wants to return Starr because she was too much of a puppy. Apparently, the adopter failed to mention that she had 2 small children and an infant in the home. Starr is great with kids, but she doesn't have a really good off switch. Adopter couldn't redirect Starr, and Starr came back to BARCS. She then came back to Jen's vet for boarding until she could find a home for her.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bmorehumane.org/">Baltimore Humane Society</a> told BARCS they would take Starr. They thought she would love the wide open spaces and swimming pool and such. It was thought that the cherry eye was returning. She did have another surgery, and then another surgery.<br /><br />One of the gals who works at Towson Vet was trying to take some pictures of Starr. There is only one, because, despite her cone on and after effects of anesthesia, she was a total wiggle butt and all the other pictures were blurry. She called Jen to tell her that BHS recommended medical fostering for Starr until her eye really heals. She needs to be in a laid back environment where she won't play or run or be her puppy self for about 3 weeks.<br /><br />Her Guardian Angel loves this dog and she wants to follow it through to the end, ensuring she gets a forever home. Starr is still under her Angel's watch. She is about 15 months old now, but you'd never know it. She is great with dogs, cats, kids, adults, men, women, everything. She was interested in cats when I had her for walks and stuff, but I found her to be very easy to redirect. She does need mental stimulation. She needs her mind to be exhausted so she can physically rest.<br /><br />If you can think you can take Starr on as a guest for about 3 weeks, please email Michelle at <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">mdebbrr@yahoo.com</a> and we will put you in contact with the shelter.</div></div>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-76249979922904318142011-05-26T15:02:00.000-07:002011-05-26T15:46:49.434-07:00I Never<p><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><em></em><br /><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#000000;"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">WOW...some days when you are ready to throw in the rescue towel...someone amazing makes you think twice. I have been blessed working along with many great people that want the best for the animals in our community. I received a wonderful email this week, that I kept reading over and over. Then I asked if I could share it.... </span></em><br /><br /><br /></span></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#000000;"><em>I met Jen saving Jelly Belly..... a 102lb pit bull. She is now right where</em> <em>she should be in a loving home and half her weight!</em></span></span></strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh3RkDrhAHFYPK8blYPtc2_t7-O7lcJOfRbWcQLxmdbv4zXLmKYetH2fGJ6Djze7QQbZm5rthBKgEOwjPwTUp5r5IjKSxBI6GL3eHj4gjCsnGaoSrntLiui5_9coLWJkwFveF0g/s1600/jbskinny.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611159078743173170" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh3RkDrhAHFYPK8blYPtc2_t7-O7lcJOfRbWcQLxmdbv4zXLmKYetH2fGJ6Djze7QQbZm5rthBKgEOwjPwTUp5r5IjKSxBI6GL3eHj4gjCsnGaoSrntLiui5_9coLWJkwFveF0g/s320/jbskinny.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><strong>Shortly after Jen saved Raven...and the rest is history!<br /></strong></span></em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYGuPJUJnZqyrqL072PThFN1an4qPjh3hpuBEXRUxcfwB3Fwv24auG3y62uX6UfO-u74UQ7VYKshVF3BhCYOHBYQW7DAghZFwhqDCqoRPMbO94Vsz4vuEtbWxgDGqh1nG_dwWNw/s1600/raven+dec+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611159072342668722" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 181px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYGuPJUJnZqyrqL072PThFN1an4qPjh3hpuBEXRUxcfwB3Fwv24auG3y62uX6UfO-u74UQ7VYKshVF3BhCYOHBYQW7DAghZFwhqDCqoRPMbO94Vsz4vuEtbWxgDGqh1nG_dwWNw/s320/raven+dec+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Subject: I never properly thanked you.<br /><br /><br />Dear Michelle,<br /><br />It occurred to me today, that I never actually sat down to write you a note of thanks for helping me help the dogs at BARCS. Today was Kat Knauff's last day there, and she and I stumbled down memory lane. One of the things we laughed about was the use and overuse of the same name for the animals. There was Jelly Belly the emaciated dog, and Jelly Belly the way overweight dog. It seemed so funny to use the same name on two totally different shaped dogs.<br /><br />Jelly Belly the emaciated dog went to rescue right away. It seems as though there is always space for a super thin dog because they have no energy and are so listless. Unfortunately, Jelly Belly the curvy dog was not so lucky. I had offered to pay for medical boarding for JB so she could get a full physical to determine if she was healthy overall. BARCS would be able to adopt her out later. Kat thought that was a great idea but reminded me that I had to have a rescue pull her in order for me to "foster" her medical care. Kat suggested that I contact you.<br /><br />I believe I started our conversation rambling "Hi Michelle, my name is Jen and Kat from BARCS gave me your number to see if you and I could work together to save a dog." You heard the words Kat and BARCS, and you gave me your full attention. Without knowing me if you fell over me, you trusted me and my commitment to the dogs at BARCS and agreed to pull Jelly Belly and take her to the vet and then find a forever home for her. OMG! I could not believe what a load you took off of my heart and shoulders at that moment. You and I talked and emailed and stayed in touch throughout JB's care, and it was, and continues to be, a wonderful relationship.<br /><br />I called you a couple of other times for dogs at BARCS, but those dogs were either adopted or found a different rescue before you could call Kat. And then there was Raven. I swooped into BARCS when it was clear broken legged Raven was not going to be rescued. It was October and rescue funds were completely dried up. She was going to be humanely euthanized. I told Kat that I was on my way to BARCS to get Raven and for her to figure out how I was going to take her without a rescue being involved. I became Raven's foster. I took her to my vet and had her broken leg x-rayed and splinted. She was in otherwise perfect health, so Raven would just need to come to the vet once a week for five weeks to get her splint changed. I put a plea out on facebook. Kat put a plea out on emails. No one responded, and then I called you. I believe I started that conversation with "I have another dog for us to save."<br /><br />I explained that Raven's leg would be paid for by me and that she needed quiet. I had brought her home with me for a weekend, and she growled at the other dogs and my kids. I told you that when you asked if she was reactive. It never occurred to me to lie. We did so well together with Jelly Belly, I felt I could give you full disclosure. I may have been begging for you to take her at that point. And then you did something no one else did. Instead of ignoring the email and facebook pleas for help, you told me the truth.<br /><br />You had the guts to tell me what no other rescue would: Raven was a long shot. She was reactive and growly, and it was very possible that she was going to need a lot of training and socialization. You told me that Raven was a huge risk to take on because the time it took to rehabilitate her may be the same amount of time to work with five other dogs with less issues. In other words, it was a numbers problem. No rescue could afford to take the financial or moral risk to work with her.<br /><br />That really, really pissed me off. I saved this dog from being euthanized so she could be euthanized after her leg was repaired? Not a chance! I wasn't mad at you, although, I'm sure my tone of voice changed significantly when you told me that; I was mad at the sheer numbers of dogs that are out there that need our help. We are euthanizing the wrong species. Dogs didn't ask to be over bred and uncared for.<br /><br />I then did what everyone knew but me; I adopted Raven. She is the funniest, cutest, most maddening, intelligent dog I've ever had the pleasure to be owned by. I became a foster failure. I was worried and told Kat that adopting Raven meant not helping other dogs as much. Her leg rebroke twice and she drained me financially. I could have helped 20 dogs with what I spent on her medical bills. Kat gave me her blessing.<br /><br />I want to thank you for being there for me when I called you out of the blue about Jelly Belly and a couple of other dogs. You didn't hesitate to help me. When I asked you to help me with Raven, you said no and told me why. I have such a great appreciation for your honesty. I know Raven's story would have ended differently if you didn't return my calls.<br /><br />So, we've worked on two dogs from start to finish, and we continue to update each other on our success stories. You and I have made a difference together, and it is a privilege to "know" you and work with you.<br />I know in my heart of hearts that any dog I ask you to help me with will get 100% of your attention. You are a blessing.<br /><br />With profound respect,<br /><br />Jen Carle</div><br /><br /><strong>This is Raven!</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0TWfjuZmx6yPX6BPKZKSQnRnthvaTGOFbqL-f3rsnZVAk6taMy5494DhO83IAQydS-6HRJwZI8iTQq0y8_EcZmv5iTXcC9U4CaEnGUkfXzoLa77ZOJg1VTLCQwVT_x6LXVpc6g/s1600/ravkiss.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611157399192381106" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 181px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0TWfjuZmx6yPX6BPKZKSQnRnthvaTGOFbqL-f3rsnZVAk6taMy5494DhO83IAQydS-6HRJwZI8iTQq0y8_EcZmv5iTXcC9U4CaEnGUkfXzoLa77ZOJg1VTLCQwVT_x6LXVpc6g/s320/ravkiss.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZTDPSTX5d2VhQYq_dbTxI72BbwQNGc6MQS3xP_BRQHMP9jmH51eZGItWdIpycYqEdafUWW8Tg_B39VRwX7yRR2w5PHLI9rnwFGyicEkAPdmRTxHcsF6xnCE-wd1Q3_8sHYFn-Q/s1600/tubby+time6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611157390348473906" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 181px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZTDPSTX5d2VhQYq_dbTxI72BbwQNGc6MQS3xP_BRQHMP9jmH51eZGItWdIpycYqEdafUWW8Tg_B39VRwX7yRR2w5PHLI9rnwFGyicEkAPdmRTxHcsF6xnCE-wd1Q3_8sHYFn-Q/s320/tubby+time6.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t93wR_8zAU-LmE8AykP4Y0vFgdbejepKrONvfAzqn91hV59a3yn_IVYeOOqAHB0FxtfBPxJtgH1uHZelPsT_qMee18g2n5DxMS3N9BicLrTEqDdM4wT2OwCm7THJIQar5zQ5hg/s1600/raven+at+the+table.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611157374559064082" style="WIDTH: 241px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t93wR_8zAU-LmE8AykP4Y0vFgdbejepKrONvfAzqn91hV59a3yn_IVYeOOqAHB0FxtfBPxJtgH1uHZelPsT_qMee18g2n5DxMS3N9BicLrTEqDdM4wT2OwCm7THJIQar5zQ5hg/s320/raven+at+the+table.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></p></div>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-3094594990496968882011-05-20T07:22:00.000-07:002011-05-20T07:40:00.352-07:00Gizmo & Omega May 2011<strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">URGENT: HOME NEEDED FOR TWO DOGS - CONTACT <a href="mailto:MDEBBRR@YAHOO.COM">MICHELLE</a> IF INTERESTED IN FOSTERING OR ADOPTING GIZMO AND/OR OMEGA</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweVLSyTu4jW5eGqDDOGjCNTXmpVpdib7N5KrLYJmFfwh8v6YC4qaVv9Gt4W4yXt0uAHJ4-7n6HIj7462UD2jO0J9qiogtI9qiM319vLx45ywKVooXivxQoWNfKscRU2yUU4EBcQ/s1600/gizmo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608804227561234786" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 249px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweVLSyTu4jW5eGqDDOGjCNTXmpVpdib7N5KrLYJmFfwh8v6YC4qaVv9Gt4W4yXt0uAHJ4-7n6HIj7462UD2jO0J9qiogtI9qiM319vLx45ywKVooXivxQoWNfKscRU2yUU4EBcQ/s320/gizmo.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><strong>Gizmo</strong> (White and Brindle) and <strong>Omega</strong> (Black with white chest and socks) are looking for a home together or seperately. Their family is going through a divorce, a move and a new baby. Sadly Gizmo and Omega need to be rehomed. Gizmo was adopted by this family 5-6 years ago. Omega was adopted from BARCS about 4.5 years ago. </div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Both dogs are up to date on shots and spayed/neutered. Gizmo does well with Omega but he does not do well with other dogs. Omega is fine with other dogs. Both have lived or been around small animals. (birds, ferretts, cats)</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKT6ygXMm9Udqy4Sxmw8vJ3rBJQX5v4CwTkpvmcHoLDUSzglKohXXXhApzXUjew2N32OwQPFh5X1jyBEIVNYX0XSlSoQBdifVoNeZOzCfFbiELXo-b8lhHp17d6Gylv5YkQ6T4KA/s1600/omega.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608804163955675746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 172px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKT6ygXMm9Udqy4Sxmw8vJ3rBJQX5v4CwTkpvmcHoLDUSzglKohXXXhApzXUjew2N32OwQPFh5X1jyBEIVNYX0XSlSoQBdifVoNeZOzCfFbiELXo-b8lhHp17d6Gylv5YkQ6T4KA/s320/omega.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Please contact <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">Michelle </a>if interested in fostering or adopting!!! Michelle at <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">mdebbrr@yahoo.com</a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-79732172726842505722011-03-17T15:00:00.001-07:002011-05-20T07:16:37.134-07:00Clarice Available March 2011***Clarice was adopted on 4/13/2011 - Updates to follow soon!***<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4ZaR8T8fva2XIwSDbppibbCVxT0J1Y4a7SCZMOgBKQQT4DccfiOrYIKqRAWMS0OzmjPDObVNxDqL-oIBOiG168hhVkxBEvMIL-qdqOYuADFtFvW3FSQBKsD9qVpLvsRY9EAeSw/s1600/clar1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585175477478518722" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 374px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 280px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4ZaR8T8fva2XIwSDbppibbCVxT0J1Y4a7SCZMOgBKQQT4DccfiOrYIKqRAWMS0OzmjPDObVNxDqL-oIBOiG168hhVkxBEvMIL-qdqOYuADFtFvW3FSQBKsD9qVpLvsRY9EAeSw/s400/clar1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This beautiful pup is Clarice. She is an American Bulldog/Pit Bull Mix. Clarice was born around 11/1/10. Last weigh in she was around 26lbs. She is crate tained and housebroken.<br /><br />Clarice is your typical pup, very playful, wants to play fetch, she even gives her paw for treats. Clarice is looking for a family to grow old with. Please email <a href="http://www.blogger.com/mdebbrr@yahoo.com">Michelle</a> if you think you are the one for her!<br /><br />Clarice is up to date on shots and on heartworm medicine. She will be spayed and microchipped shortly. Please email <a href="http://www.blogger.com/mdebbrr@yahoo.com">Michelle</a> for details.mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-44185982885774512692011-03-15T11:25:00.000-07:002011-03-15T11:51:50.481-07:00Mica Still Looking for a Home or Foster<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgI7vx5BGrZtw1O1FnnlLkErSvwuC_AEOs-5xPXLFXLXh_k0ssW9ltc2GdO-09NnKqmi9PN2F2B3VV48g_vQgHg4at4MW59gqzL4ejIXhffcj93BK321TJczLEG-2kahddCIHiA/s1600/micastick.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584376918212343730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgI7vx5BGrZtw1O1FnnlLkErSvwuC_AEOs-5xPXLFXLXh_k0ssW9ltc2GdO-09NnKqmi9PN2F2B3VV48g_vQgHg4at4MW59gqzL4ejIXhffcj93BK321TJczLEG-2kahddCIHiA/s400/micastick.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mica is such an eager student! She is looking for a foster or forever home that has the time and "energy" to keep up with her. She has a lot of energy and we think she will ROCK at obedience school or agility!<br /><br />Please check out her link here:<a href="http://ebbrr.blogspot.com/2011/02/mica-available-for-adoption.html">Mica</a><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ByGMYrl97ho" frameborder="0" width="480" height="390"></iframe><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvOC_KpCeLdv7znOr1OyfSR5wuAPECDpCbqEtROLtSJGCoEJrA2Z9719UxBymF9tjlDJV0zl2uUQlSgwEHryqsJ4OrFAA3RZlLDnlTzWPdASoGUCAXVn2dq5MrfX01doYeie_5w/s1600/micaplay3.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 121px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvOC_KpCeLdv7znOr1OyfSR5wuAPECDpCbqEtROLtSJGCoEJrA2Z9719UxBymF9tjlDJV0zl2uUQlSgwEHryqsJ4OrFAA3RZlLDnlTzWPdASoGUCAXVn2dq5MrfX01doYeie_5w/s200/micaplay3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584381185923743170" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5QgS8FG6T4L-HlSBp-0KkN8sMaCRO8b9jSBSMJbXj3xODUSMPBY2B8RkHP3J58pyTKSiaGXNu15BLH756kxq60-P99qELbFrmQfBkuTzyhPjm93PvlTVwdDypQcmcxJT8FIbXA/s1600/micaplay.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5QgS8FG6T4L-HlSBp-0KkN8sMaCRO8b9jSBSMJbXj3xODUSMPBY2B8RkHP3J58pyTKSiaGXNu15BLH756kxq60-P99qELbFrmQfBkuTzyhPjm93PvlTVwdDypQcmcxJT8FIbXA/s200/micaplay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584381114460362146" /></a><br /><br /><p align="left"> </p><div align="left"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt5640RyXeI6y0Ka1SQVuv-TRqHAlC9VAzGpeKbeiJvAlGFmHeh8uJ7mafT66fRq6aeAxYvSJ3m7MuJ_dM2co0xz4Xd9k1A0TPVmE70Qd3Kz7DXqsfGIVOExgx9fNFyfgywA1rw/s1600/micaplay2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584380657153830706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt5640RyXeI6y0Ka1SQVuv-TRqHAlC9VAzGpeKbeiJvAlGFmHeh8uJ7mafT66fRq6aeAxYvSJ3m7MuJ_dM2co0xz4Xd9k1A0TPVmE70Qd3Kz7DXqsfGIVOExgx9fNFyfgywA1rw/s200/micaplay2.jpg" border="0" /></a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-25245109573085519192011-03-09T06:17:00.001-08:002011-03-09T06:18:45.273-08:00Website IssuesHello all....we are having technical difficulties with our websites... we are working on getting them fixed. Please check back later... Email Michelle with any questions, mdebbrr@yahoo.com<br /><br />www.ebbrr.com and www.ebbrr.orgmdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-454468707079979302011-02-12T08:15:00.000-08:002011-03-15T11:20:02.995-07:00Mica - Available for Adoption<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjjKVuZKBcznFMaBRcPcJvMFhSbk_jvqJ_yfxLCmBkJxLPH3q_OOZ96yMGem_VQeG5pG-q2J3uHGEbEjvkjmEf3ZdA9OchNK7DgaETiWM9w3-HzDLHAUg0e3IuaDxx0GXK_4e5Q/s1600/micarun2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572858097911405154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjjKVuZKBcznFMaBRcPcJvMFhSbk_jvqJ_yfxLCmBkJxLPH3q_OOZ96yMGem_VQeG5pG-q2J3uHGEbEjvkjmEf3ZdA9OchNK7DgaETiWM9w3-HzDLHAUg0e3IuaDxx0GXK_4e5Q/s400/micarun2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH_O-hToRsHOCX3uOY05p0ZimaxI1JL9mwaEimiCldQ6dOn2KM213Zl5oDBvJfR2tCp13y718pemxVBhXZpeEXy5ZTed-GzHQ9-LZgisuBq7hUtCbDpYr1tLvOR2qFmh1siljWg/s1600/mica4.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEo0pomuJdAbeAyfAQbn2Ei68xYvsEQ9wXsgeO849eJZevTnBiWOD9fCoba_qfeQAklXwZVuz2aR4tLp8moJYmlfy8KMv7PYCtQ0o8GyoEgMXkBYXOZUfdC2gQEHtJbnHQFONjw/s1600/mica3.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjzw7RjUQa8QU9nU0vKbJ2D0PQKZ_9TEuxgIxTXFD2Aq9wyuVosBqDcz5aDCt7cTdlqDkrWLEybfTZBW8r8IXhMQreueRYUONFUaW85j6BLN74VkPvONhyphenhyphenxlgKRrTH7hSAszPYA/s1600/mica2.jpg"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>**Mica is currently being listed as courtesy listing. Mica met with our trainer who gave her a great report.**<br /></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjfsC_JxyrNCy796nKEZ5vtT3roEUx5_lPlw0DNcJS9KR9a1-uHiZqnGIMhnNRtEedXrIiJwYjsZ_AKRccOaADpplrQpuO7aaE5y7UV6rwsswx8beEOq1Kqf6dS-Yr0xYfHSRJA/s1600/micaframe.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 152px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572858959340996802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjfsC_JxyrNCy796nKEZ5vtT3roEUx5_lPlw0DNcJS9KR9a1-uHiZqnGIMhnNRtEedXrIiJwYjsZ_AKRccOaADpplrQpuO7aaE5y7UV6rwsswx8beEOq1Kqf6dS-Yr0xYfHSRJA/s200/micaframe.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Here is what Mica's rescuer, Maddy has to say about her!<br /><br /></span>Mica is nearly a year old APBT. She was found wandering the streets of Baltimore in bad condition. Efforts to find her owners were unsuccessful. I've been fostering Mica for a couple months now. She is a great little dog with much drive and spunk. She is incredibly smart and will work for anything so long as its food-dry kibble will have her doing back flips for you! She is very human motivated, and very concerned about what her human thinks of her. She wants to please so badly!<br /><br />Mica is spayed and up to date on shots. She has a mild heart murmur which will most likely cause her no trouble. She is 41 pounds. She has displayed some allergies to beef.<br /><br />Mica is great with new people she is meeting in her own home, though bashful with strangers outside of the house. She is still learning that the outside world isn't such a scary place, and a little bit of hot dog on walks is helping her learn this. Mica loves all people and with a gentle and strong hand she will blossom into a confident dog.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BBAAyqNX5cMStAktIGx1iUjSXJeoYrP_ghGJts-cXTJwBG2Lo4Rkm0CD0C_yTyMDeQNa_sH-2E-ShFJboTaB1bWajiAoa4CXFXOZ_F4PMh_46fLogkgYu-pF2LDQUiLUa7hZXA/s1600/micarunsnow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BBAAyqNX5cMStAktIGx1iUjSXJeoYrP_ghGJts-cXTJwBG2Lo4Rkm0CD0C_yTyMDeQNa_sH-2E-ShFJboTaB1bWajiAoa4CXFXOZ_F4PMh_46fLogkgYu-pF2LDQUiLUa7hZXA/s200/micarunsnow.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572865377646783234" /></a><br /><br />Mica is house trained and crate trained. She does not chew so long as she as appropriate toys are provided. She has also learned that baby gates are boundaries to be obeyed. She knows basic commands and is a good listener, though does need some work on leash walking (she's not a big puller, but she only has two speeds-fast walk and stop). She has a huge potential in obedience. Mica is always thinking outside the box to work for you. Just the other day I had her lay down and when I called her to me, she crawled across the floor on her belly because she didn't want to break her down!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPIW4A5i-x5vtx4tUEQM6oQJIBOveOZL5g0Hqr1tS_NwU3KP3gw2AkIaUtxE8fCLgtAKaDqEKtsZmkgi7NpfzXKbbTgXbHkfUi4PlK_h6djfWE2uXizg7w8hIatY-FzjSdYd1KQ/s1600/mica4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572864904750417634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPIW4A5i-x5vtx4tUEQM6oQJIBOveOZL5g0Hqr1tS_NwU3KP3gw2AkIaUtxE8fCLgtAKaDqEKtsZmkgi7NpfzXKbbTgXbHkfUi4PlK_h6djfWE2uXizg7w8hIatY-FzjSdYd1KQ/s200/mica4.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Mica would do best as an only dog. She has little personal boundaries with other dogs and will most definitely NOT back down from a scuffle. She is excellent with cats she knows, though she does have prey drive and would probably chase a cat a yard.<br /><br />Please email <a href="mailto:mdebbrr@yahoo.com">Michelle</a> if you would like to learn more about Mica. </div><p align="justify"></p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyFU6JzXfIu89LaXOMBpZITL5gNkvhefgswOI8_kIe-IiHpVaFMe25n0cYF3fAMWBXeUvBN_usmHPh6sPBxzN_1Wd7Fl6rZBI-Y9pJlQNM5SWMh3ZJs-OYqimsqif6n2NmFZjBA/s1600/mica.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572842613392823730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyFU6JzXfIu89LaXOMBpZITL5gNkvhefgswOI8_kIe-IiHpVaFMe25n0cYF3fAMWBXeUvBN_usmHPh6sPBxzN_1Wd7Fl6rZBI-Y9pJlQNM5SWMh3ZJs-OYqimsqif6n2NmFZjBA/s200/mica.jpg" /></a>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-25530615954440269082011-01-13T12:21:00.000-08:002011-01-20T13:21:50.317-08:00Ellie Found A Home<strong>**Oh No! Ellie is not feeling well and going back to the doctors... read down for the updates.**</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xt8KRvK9pM5yPiGAC6Yi0lLAU3ZKNCFKhLs3hu3abaz5VagiOrqn5sMsYXG7FNl72Mj1Z3ZL6Zlkw6uoNVzxJvibVxK9Vx2IzG7mAQwrDIqJWn6A60d7htJUI07mee_i-DoB0g/s1600/skinny.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xt8KRvK9pM5yPiGAC6Yi0lLAU3ZKNCFKhLs3hu3abaz5VagiOrqn5sMsYXG7FNl72Mj1Z3ZL6Zlkw6uoNVzxJvibVxK9Vx2IzG7mAQwrDIqJWn6A60d7htJUI07mee_i-DoB0g/s200/skinny.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564349052750498594" /></a> <em>Look at Miss Skinny Minnie!</em><br /><br /><strong>01/13/2011 </strong><br />Wow! This year is starting off great! Ellie, formally known as Jelly Belly, has officially been adopted by a wonderful family in MD. I am sure they will send updates to share with her fans on the web! <br /><br />Pics to come!<br /><br /><strong>01/19/2011</strong> <br />Well I guess we spoke to soon. Ellie has not been herself since her spay surgery. We knew she was in heat during her surgery we did not know she was going through a false pregnancy. She has not been as active as she usually is and started the bad habit of only eating people food. (We had to spoil her during her recovery!! We wanted to make sure she ate something!) So back to the vets she went today and $538.00 later she is back home resting with her family. Let's see if she is back on her feet soon. We will keep you posted!<br /><br />If you would like to contribute to her veterinary care, please feel free to donate via paypal or our vet office! Details below. Thank you.<br /><br /><strong>1/20/2011</strong><br />Ellie is feeling better today and was walking around some. She looks a lot better then she did last night. I picked her up so that her family doesn't have to deal with all the "yuckies" that come with taking care of a sick dog. She has a nasty infection going on. We are taking her to our vet, Dr. T, at Light Street Animal Hospital. I think she needs a drain for all this fluid but lets see what the doctor has to say. She will probably stay a night or two but I will let you know tomorrow when I get online to update everyone. We are low on funds, if you would like to help please feel free to contact our veterinarian.<br /><br />You can donate directly to the Animal Hospital by calling in or stopping by.<br />Light Street Animal Hospital<br />1601 Light Street<br />Baltimore, MD 21201<br />410-547-8385<br />Our Account: EBBRR or For Jelly Belly (They love her there!)<br /><br />You can also donate via paypal by using guardianambull@aol.com or the link below. Any help is appreciated and not expected. Thanks for wishing Ellie good luck!<br /><br /><form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"><br /><input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick"><br /><input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="NGUZU7GU27WDY"><br /><input type="image" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!"><br /><img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1"><br /></form>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33115997.post-76008304995086053542011-01-02T10:35:00.000-08:002011-01-04T10:16:53.746-08:00Ellie Update 2011 (aka Jelly Belly)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2UbWfUt6m-txianUDAM4kXi2VYMSNfp2-pMzxmS-TzCrlcNj1rH7tDZ9_QOfuVwiGZNr-0Uw166y-R3OJnQCE718Fv87SSizvMrPZ7C3DC4hctZtsS2EC7V8_Sz4Wdd5S0U9GQ/s1600/MAM+jb75.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557660019904586418" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2UbWfUt6m-txianUDAM4kXi2VYMSNfp2-pMzxmS-TzCrlcNj1rH7tDZ9_QOfuVwiGZNr-0Uw166y-R3OJnQCE718Fv87SSizvMrPZ7C3DC4hctZtsS2EC7V8_Sz4Wdd5S0U9GQ/s200/MAM+jb75.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Wow, it is 2011! Happy New Year everyone! Ellie, formally Jelly Belly, is doing great in foster care. She is now 75lbs! It is hard to believe she was 102lbs 3 months ago. Ellie is a perfect house dog, I can't believe no one has scooped her up yet.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXkI3DrYJdEj5EJfT82VQM3c8sk-1eZ-P2bv21lGwrHVKnLThg2V6F2ybnPHqJbrQXNdP4SGQavxFWnt7glRzFmL8VG7KokmTwM8dAq2ehG7Da6U2b9mW76dBz_VjARgkWPc6Ng/s1600/MAM+yawnjb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557660025054207154" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXkI3DrYJdEj5EJfT82VQM3c8sk-1eZ-P2bv21lGwrHVKnLThg2V6F2ybnPHqJbrQXNdP4SGQavxFWnt7glRzFmL8VG7KokmTwM8dAq2ehG7Da6U2b9mW76dBz_VjARgkWPc6Ng/s200/MAM+yawnjb.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />We spent New Years at the park. Enjoy the pictures of Ellie in all her glory! She told me she wants a tummy tuck when this is all over.... I don't blame her! :)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557660017850866114" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 156px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMQ8tTmYLh-kh0JL07DqfyNxtnh53ZYZe0W2rszA1-BxjdyAeshBIDuVVU8ZtcA9sA0AF1HyDOAbIa7NTPT5u5tRU5yvSbIT-y_3jbn48lY-MSPB9j3Ecpy7Y3BDukWeT72Dx4Q/s200/MAM+0122.jpg" border="0" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3nCZvaun0-Jw5Qaxk_0pFLScZanmmzXbX85HXzMEd6SUvxwl7R1ubFBpnWF6L3uFU6qoV78v1kachfR7PID8tfiPDVGXLOYf37usDyhqKlTvy_H7u6lwX7EOq79L8aJ8RjNGBA/s1600/MAM+run2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557660032889394898" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3nCZvaun0-Jw5Qaxk_0pFLScZanmmzXbX85HXzMEd6SUvxwl7R1ubFBpnWF6L3uFU6qoV78v1kachfR7PID8tfiPDVGXLOYf37usDyhqKlTvy_H7u6lwX7EOq79L8aJ8RjNGBA/s200/MAM+run2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"><br /><input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick"><br /><input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="NGUZU7GU27WDY"><br /><input type="image" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!"><br /><img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1"><br /></form><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aUGCQoVbOHw?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="425" height="344"></iframe>mdebbrrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04573033811272638159noreply@blogger.com0