BALTIMORE, MD (December 19, 2015)– Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen issued the following statement commending a new law in effect today that creates a criminal charge for the possession of animal fighting paraphernalia in Baltimore City:

“Our responsibility is to protect the health not only of Baltimore’s human residents but of our animal residents as well. We know that  prohibiting the possession of animal fighting paraphernalia will help eliminate this vile practice from our city and make Baltimore safer and healthier. Thanks to our Mayor’s efforts, we will be able to keep animal fighting paraphernalia off of our streets, and do more to protect animals in communities across our city.”

Signed by Mayor Rawlings-Blake last month, the new law makes it easier to file charges against people involved in animal fighting if animal control or law enforcement officers enter a enter a location that has clearly been used for animal fighting, but find no animals present.

Items prohibited in the new law include:

• Breaking sticks designed for insertion behind the molars of a dog to break the dog's grip on another animal or object;
• Cat mills which rotate around a central support with one arm designed to secure a dog and one arm designed to secure a cat, rabbit, or other small animal beyond the grasp of the dog;
• Springpoles which have a biting surface attached to a stretchable device, suspended at a height sufficient to prevent an animal from reaching the biting surface while touching the ground;
• Fighting pits or other confined areas designed to contain an animal fight; and
• Breeding stands or rape stands used to immobilize female dogs for breeding purposes.

Under the law, possession of animal fighting paraphernalia is now a criminal offense subject to a $1,000 penalty and up to 90 days jail time