I would like to publicly thank the following Southern Maryland legislators for helping to pass House Bill 583 which will make it a crime in the state of Maryland to possess dog fighting implements such as rape stands, cat mills and breaking sticks with the intent to fight dogs: Senate President Mike Miller, Senator Waugh, Senate Chairman Middleton, Delegate Jackson, Delegate Fisher, Delegate O’Donnell, Delegate Jameson, Delegate Patterson, Delegate Proctor, Delegate Wilson, and Delegate Morgan. These legislators are champions for mistreated dogs and understand the brutality of dog fighting and the ancillary crimes that are usually coinciding during a fight. I am very disappointed that Delegate Deborah Rey of St. Mary’s County did not support this very important bill. In fact, she was the only legislator in both chambers to oppose this common sense bill. Delegate Rey is no friend to the animals especially those suffering in dog fighting.
