After nearly 30 years, Prince George’s County has finally voted to repeal its outdated and ineffective pit bull ban. The decision comes after years of public pressure, expert input, and evidence showing that banning dogs based on appearance does not improve public safety.

Now that the council has passed the bill, the real work begins.

We are calling on Prince George’s County County Executive Aisha Braveboy to ensure the new law is implemented with fairness, transparency, and public accountability. That means enforcing leash laws, penalties, and dangerous dog rules based on a dog’s actual behavior, not breed labels or outdated stereotypes.

The old system failed on every level. It cost millions in taxpayer dollars, led to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of adoptable dogs, and punished responsible families while failing to prevent attacks. Meanwhile, shelters have been overwhelmed with pit bull-type dogs simply because of how they look.

The new bill increases penalties for truly dangerous dogs, regardless of breed, and strengthens leash laws across the board. That is the right direction. But it must be enforced consistently and thoughtfully. Without proper training, oversight, and public communication, the same biases could remain in place under a new name.

We urge county leaders to:

Ensure that all dog-related enforcement is based on behavior and evidence, not breed assumptions
Provide public guidance and training to shelter staff, officers, and residents about the changes
Track and publish data to show how the new law is being applied in practice
Prince George’s County residents want safe, humane, and effective animal policies. This repeal gives us the chance to start fresh and get it right.

Sign now to demand that Prince George’s County follow through on its promise: fair enforcement based on what a dog does, not how it looks.