A ruling this week in Maryland's highest court puts certain dog owners and landlords on a tighter leash. The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled in a case involving a pit bull attack that it is no longer necessary for those attacked by a pit bull or a pit bull mix to prove that the dog is violent—the owner or landlord "is strictly liable for the damages caused" by nature of the breed. The decision's author, Judge Dale R. Cathell, wrote that in the last 13 years, "there have been no less than seven maulings by pit bulls upon Maryland residents resulting in either serious injuries or death that …

Counties and cities across Maryland are grappling with a chronic issue: how to deal with feral cats. Feral cats, different than domesticated animals, are wild and can’t be handled by humans. On the streets, they form into packs or colonies, precipitating complaints to animal control officials about yowling, defecation on lawns and fighting, to name a few. Some animal advocates are asking cities, including the City of Laurel, to consider an alternative to euthanizing animals that can't be adopted as pets: trapping, neutering and releasing them, a practice referred to as TNR. “This is a real …

When Beth Lacey Gill graduated from St. Lawrence University and moved back home to Baltimore County, she knew right away she wanted a Golden Retriever. "They have great smiles and are very loyal," Gill said. "I didn't want a dog for protection. I wanted a dog that was my friend." Gill found that dog in 13-year-old Gonzo, who was named for the Muppet, and the father of "Gonzo Journalism," Hunter S. Thompson. Gill adopted Gonzo from GRREAT, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of Golden Retrievers in the mid-Atlantic. Gonzo was 3-years-old when Gill adopted him. There are …

Are pet owners, activists and business owners increasingly at odds over how we acquire our pets? Like the 'Mommy Wars' that have spurred headlines for years, it could all be part of a big culture clash. The options are seemingly endless: breeders, rescues, animal shelters and the Internet. In recent years, discussions over how we obtain our animals have morphed, at times, to online controversies, pet store protests and increased regulations on the pet store industry. “I think nurturing in general is getting a lot more divisive,” said Greg Ealick, a philosophy instructor at UMBC. “The …