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Edwin Allen was among the first to show up. He adopted a 2-year-old dog he fell in love with last week, but couldn’t take home.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. — Hours after the Prince George’s County Council voted on Tuesday to lift its 27-year-old pit bull ban, residents rushed to the county animal shelter to adopt dogs who had been placed on an “urgent list” because of overcrowding.
Edwin Allen was among the first to show up. He adopted a 2-year-old dog he fell in love with last week, one he wasn’t allowed to bring home until he proved he no longer lived in the county.
“I fell in love with this lovely dog here, and I don’t regret it at all,” Allen said. “When I went to see her last week, I had to show them proof that I didn’t live in Prince George’s County.”
Allen said Tuesday’s vote came as a relief, not only for him, but for the many dogs who could not be adopted locally because of the decades-old breed restriction.
“There’s a lot of amazing dogs in there,” he said. “Her chances of leaving out of here were very low.”
The council’s decision was celebrated by local animal welfare groups, including the county’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Humane Society, which thanked leaders on social media.
Advocacy groups that have pushed for years to repeal the ban also welcomed the vote. Members of the Pet Unity Project, a resident-led organization, said the decision was long overdue.
“We were very proud — it was an incredible feeling,” said Maya Fiellin, a co-founding board member. She said the group understands community concerns about safety but believes education and responsible ownership will help bridge the divide. “We’ve heard both sides. We see both sides. We’re all part of the same community.”
Still, advocates said the work doesn’t end with the vote. Volunteers have been highlighting the shelter’s urgent list — a roster created when the facility becomes so overcrowded that staff must decide which dogs will be euthanized by 6 p.m.
On Tuesday, 19 dogs were on that list. Thirteen were deemed ineligible for adoption within the county because they were identified, often by visual evaluation alone, as pit bull-type dogs.
“Based on a visual analysis, it has nothing to do with their DNA,” Fiellin said. “We don’t actually know their breed. They’re not adoptable inside Prince George’s County, so what you see is dogs being displaced from our families.”
Volunteers like Yves Mathieu East spent the day introducing potential adopters to dogs in need of homes, including a 2-year-old, 44-pound dog named Brandy.
“These dogs deserve to be in loving families with yards and people that love them,” East said.
For adopters like Allen, taking home a dog felt like making a difference.
“I’m glad I was able to make a difference in her life,” he said.
The ban is set to be officially lifted in 45 days. The Prince George’s County Animal Shelter is accepting adopters and rescue partners now.
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