Pit bull ban 'barking up wrong tree'

Keswick, ON (Canada) -- York North MPP Julia Munro, a professional dog breeder, said the McGuinty government "is barking up the wrong tree" with its proposed pit bull ban.

"A piece of legislation is only as good as its enforcement and, ultimately, its ability to stand up to the scrutiny of a court. There are examples in other jurisdictions where they have tried breed-specific bans in parts of the U.S.," she said.

Those bans haven't worked because they didn't survive court challenges, primarily because the breed can be so hard to identify, she said.

Mrs. Munro, author of a bill targeting puppy mills, said she is "much more interested in putting the onus on the dog's owner".

Many pit bull owners like the idea of having "testosterone on a leash" and will likely just find another potentially aggressive cross breed to take their place, she said.

The standard poodles Mrs. Munro raises are generally regarded as intelligent and even tempered, but in the wrong environment and with the wrong owner, even breeds like that can go bad, she said. "It all goes back to responsible ownership."

Mrs. Munro hopes Attorney General Michael Bryant will go ahead with indications he will toughen the Dog Owners Liability Act.

The Ontario SPCA said last week it is "appalled by the Attorney General's failure to grasp the opportunity to introduce measures that would truly protect Ontarians from dangerous dogs, while instead proposing legislation that will result in the killing of large numbers, even thousands, of innocent pets,"

"The society remains opposed to a breed specific ban," said Ontario SPCA chief executive officer Judy Marshall.

Town clerk Roland Chenier, who oversees the town's animal shelter, said he is anxious to see details of the legislation soon so policies can be put in place.

Until then, the shelter is not adopting out any more pit bulls. With a bane, the options faced by shelter staff will be to euthanize or ship the dogs out of the province, he said.

There are two pit bulls currently at the shelter, supervisor Angela Linstead said. One, a Staffordshire cross named Martha, is described as a "gentle" older spayed female. The other is a friendly female American pit bull. Both face a death sentence.

The shelter has had many calls from worried pit bull owners and expects if the bill is passed "people will definitely be dumping them here. We'd have to euthanize them", Ms Linstead said.

"Banning breeds is not the solution. The problem is due to irresponsible owners," she added.

Within 90 days of the bill's passage, no pit bulls can be brought into the province. Pit bulls already here must be muzzled and leashed in public and be spayed or neutered.

Although not a recognized breed, a pit bull is defined as a Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, American pit bull terrier, pit bull terrier, or any dogs substantially similar.

 

Best quote I have read all day.

 

I can't believe people in power can be so stupid to think that this is a solution. I think maybe it's more, ignorant peoples influence on politicians looking to stay in office, that gets laws like these passed.