By Stacey Coles & Dante Barboy
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writers
The City Council Monday approved a measure that prohibits the possession, sale, transfer, or manufacture of animal fighting paraphernalia with the intent to engage, promote or facilitate an animal fight.
“This is to give animal enforcement officers from the health department and the K-9 crew extra tools to prosecute animal cruelty if they find animal fighting paraphernalia in the location,” Council member Robert Curran said. “A lot of times when there is animal fighting, these things move around. But sometimes animal fighting paraphernalia is left behind, so now this gives officers the opportunity to prosecute you for a felony.”
The bill is designed to provide law enforcement with the opportunity to mitigate animal cruelty in the community.
“Nothing pushes people’s buttons like animal cruelty,” Curran said. “People get very sensitive about their animals.”
In other action, the council approved the reversal of a budget cut made to the Baltimore’s Senior Center Operating Funds Award. The budget increased from $45,000 to $146,000 after a recent hearing on the matter.
“It’s not often you get money back from the government, but in this case we did,” said Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, a sponsor for the resolution.