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<baltimore-city-law heading="§ 10-405 Animal fights and paraphernalia.">
  <section prefix="§" num="10-405" heading="Animal fights and paraphernalia.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Definitions.">
      <para num="(1)" heading="In general.">In this section, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</para>
      <para num="(2)" heading="Animal fight.">“Animal fight” means any dogfight, cockfight, bullfight, or other combat between animals or between animals and humans.</para>
      <para num="(3)" heading="Animal fighting paraphernalia.">
        <para num="(i)" heading="In general.">“Animal fighting paraphernalia” means any equipment, product, drug, or other substance or material of any kind that is used or intended or designed for use in the training, preparation, conditioning, or breeding for, in conducting, or otherwise in furtherance of an animal fight.</para>
        <para num="(ii)" heading="Inclusions.">“Animal fighting paraphernalia” includes:<para num="(A)">a “breaking stick” or similar device that is designed for insertion behind the molars of a dog for the purpose of breaking the dog’s grip on another animal or object;</para>
          <para num="(B)">a “cat mill” or similar device that rotates 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;</para>
          <para num="(C)">a treadmill or similar device that is designed for animal exercise consisting of an endless belt on which an animal walks or runs without changing places;</para>
          <para num="(D)">a “springpole” or similar device with 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;</para>
          <para num="(E)">a “fighting pit”, walled area, or otherwise confined area that is used to contain an animal fight;</para>
          <para num="(F)">a “breeding stand”, “rape stand”, or similar device that is used to immobilize female dogs for breeding purposes; and</para>
          <para num="(G)">any other instrument or device that is commonly used in the training, preparation, conditioning, or breeding for, in conducting, or otherwise in furtherance of an animal fight.</para>
        </para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Prohibited conduct - Animal fights.">No person may:<para num="(1)">conduct, cause, attend, or participate in any animal fight;</para>
      <para num="(2)">permit any animal that the person owns or keeps to participate in an animal fight;</para>
      <para num="(3)">prepare any animal for an animal fight;</para>
      <para num="(4)">wager on any animal fight; or</para>
      <para num="(5)">breed animals to use them for fighting or to sell them for the purpose of fighting.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Prohibited conduct - Animal fighting paraphernalia.">
      <para num="(1)" heading="In general.">No person may possess, sell, transfer, or manufacture any item of animal fighting paraphernalia with the intent to engage in or otherwise promote or facilitate an animal fight.</para>
      <para num="(2)" heading="Relevant factors.">To determine whether an object is an item of animal fighting paraphernalia, the court may consider, among other logically relevant factors, the following:<para num="(i)">any statement by an owner or a person in control of the object concerning its use;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">any prior conviction of an owner or a person in control of the object under a local, state, or federal law relating to animal cruelty or animal fighting;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">the proximity of the object, in time and space, to a direct violation of this section or to an animal;</para>
        <para num="(iv)">direct or circumstantial evidence of the intent of an owner or a person in control of the object to deliver it to another person who the owner or the person in control knows or should reasonably know intends to use the object to facilitate a violation of this section;</para>
        <para num="(v)">any instructions, oral or written, provided with the object concerning its use;</para>
        <para num="(vi)">any descriptive materials accompanying the object that explain or depict its use;</para>
        <para num="(vii)">the manner in which the object is displayed for sale;</para>
        <para num="(viii)">the existence and scope of legitimate uses for the object in the community;</para>
        <para num="(ix)">expert testimony concerning use of the object; and</para>
        <para num="(x)">any other verifiable information that indicates that the object is intended or designed for use in violation of this section.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(3)" heading="Each item a separate offense.">Each item of paraphernalia that is possessed, sold, transferred, or manufactured in violation of this section is a separate offense.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 11, §32(b)(2nd cl.), art. 19, §10</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 99-548</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 11-573</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 15-430</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
