WASHINGTON — A local rescue organization said that behavior, not breed, is key in evaluating whether dogs could be put up for adoption.
On Monday, 64-year-old Robin Conway, of Columbia, Maryland, was apparently killed by the pit bull that she adopted just two weeks ago. Howard County police said they’re waiting for the results of the autopsy before they can say for sure how Conway died.
Seth Hoffman, a spokesman with Howard County police, said there’s no additional information on the dog, only that it had been adopted from an out-of-state organization.
Mauling cases, especially those involving pit bulls, often put the spotlight on the so-called “bully breeds”– pit bulls, bulldogs and some terriers. There are rescue groups who work to promote the breeds and say they’re misunderstood.
And, there are others who feel the dogs are inherently dangerous.
In Prince George’s County, pit bulls, Staffordshire bull terriers, American bull terriers, “or, dogs that exhibit the characteristics of a pit bull more than any other breed of dog” are banned.
Stephanie Shain, chief operating officer with Humane Rescue Alliance in D.C., said there are no such breed restrictions in the District. The dog in the Howard County case did not come from HRA.
Shain said when dogs come to the shelter — whether they’re found, brought from other shelters or turned over by owners — they’re evaluated carefully.
“What we’re trying to do through those temperament evaluations is to see what the dog is willing to show us about how he or she interacts with people or the rest of the world,” Shain said.
Among the questions staff at HRA asks, Shain said: “Does this dog like people? What does this dog act like around other dogs? How does this dog behave around food?” Some dogs will become snappish around food, displaying what trainers call “resource guarding.”
Shain said the animal caretakers at the shelter can provide valuable information, such as whether the dog will tolerate having a toy or object taken out of its mouth.
While at the shelter, Shain said dogs may display behavior that isn’t evident when they are in a foster home. “We know that being in animal shelter is a stressful place for animals, no matter how nice we try to make it, and we take that into account as well,” she said.
When dogs are placed in a new home, Shain said, HRA staff provides initial guidance and advice. If the dog’s new owner wants more help in training or dealing with a particular behavior, that’s available with HRA staffers in group classes and private lessons.
But, there are times, Shain said, when a dog clearly can’t be placed for adoption. Its behavior may be so aggressive that it can’t be considered safe.
“Then, we do make that hard choice to euthanize them because we feel that responsibility to that individual animal and to people and animals in the community,” Shain said.
But, she said that’s behavior-related, not breed-dependent.
For information on adopting or training a dog, go to the Humane Rescue Alliance’s website.
