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Ordinance to muzzle pit bulls in Malden passes key hurdle

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Matt Byrne November 17, 2010 10:03 AM

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By Matt Byrne, Town Correspondent

A proposal to require all pit bulls to wear a muzzle in public passed a key hurdle last night, after the measure was unanimously recommended to the full City Council during an Ordinance Committee meeting.

Put forth by Ward 7 Councilor Neil Kinnon, the ordinance would be modeled after the City of Lynn's law, which came in reaction to a series of attacks this year.

While no such attacks have occurred recently in Malden to prompt the change, Kinnon said that if passed, the ordinance would put the city in line with a number of municipalities in the region and provide for the safety of people around the city who encounter the dogs.

"When you see the people who are walking these dogs around, it's just another weapon for them," Kinnon said.

Kinnon said most incidents of non-breed specific dog bites occur on the dog owner's property, but research shows that most pit bull bites occur off the owner's property.

Council President Paul DiPietro agreed with Kinnon, and remarked at the volatility of the breed, sometimes even surprising the owners, he said.

Kinnon moved for Malden to adopt a similar ordinance as the City of Lynn, which passed unanimously. The text of the ordinance has not been drafted yet.