Actually, the implementation of these bylaws have absolutely nothing to do with public safety. There are already dangerous dog bylaws in place that have proven to be ineffective since they were enforced there too.
What started this hate on Pitbulls in Montreal was a very serious and critical dog attack. the story goes that a Madame Vadnais was killed by a city known dangerous dog due to previous attacks where the owners was neither cited or warned. This registered Boxer dog was actually a Boxer/Lab Mix. In fact, no Pitbull type in his DNA was ever found,but again never acknowledge by the City of Montreal either.
Why wasn't the owner of the dog charged in the first place? Another question why did the media not report it as a Boxer/Lab instead of once again going to the scapegoat breed the Pitbull. I'll tell you why, because it doesn't sell papers? that's why, but stick the word Pitbull in it, and every hater of the breed glams onto it.
In point of truth, with the last 6 dog attacks in Canada in the last year the majority of them were Husky related. In reality, even qualified vetrinarians cannot positively identify a Pitbull mix without DNA testing. Therefore 98% of reported attacks in hospitals by victims are mostly incorrect!
Certain Politicians that are in favor of BSL protect their own interests because of political longevity in their riding. That's right, god forbid, if they lose their quarter of a million dollar salary pension.
The bottom line here is the administration such as Mayor Dennis Coderre's back is against the wall. He refuses to budge on the issue, accepting false information and outdated stats on dog attacks, thus realizing that Montreal's leadership is sorely lacking right now.
If you asked a Pitbull owner regarding everybody's attitude it would be "Generally there are no bad dogs, just very bad owners!"
It is also a proven fact that Ontario's Pitbull Ban has been ineffective over the last 15 years since it was implemented. It hasn't even reduced the number of dog bite incidents. Why is Mayor Coderre taking his lead on this from Ontario's archaic Pitbull Ban when it is proven it doesn't work?
The Ontario bylaw penalizes a specific breed solely, thereby thinking that will eliminate the unnecessary dog bite problem. There are many large breeds of dogs in that province, so they really shouldn't target one breed more than any other, but unfortunately they do.
Shouldn't he look at the Province of Alberta, specifically Calgary, and why it does work?
The Calgary model is based on proper education and training of the Pitbull breed. Animal Control Officers go out and enforce the bylaw here. They educate people and explain why the dogs have to be on leashes and harnesses. They instill licensing and why it is important, along with microchipping, proper animal ownership, spaying and neutering of the breed as well.
In this way people don't neglect their dogs, thereby making the animals behavior better, more relaxed and laid back. They instill the thoughts that owning a Pitbull is not a privilege but a responsibility.
Sadly it is even worse for the Pitbull in the United States, as they pretty much declared genocide on the Pitbull. Each year 1.2 million dogs there are euthanized and approximately 40% of them are Pitbulls. Nearly half a million Pitbull-Type dogs are unnecessarily killed in shelters annually. Pitbulls are by far the most likely to be put down as they are the 3rd most likely pet to be adopted.
There are two primary reasons for Pitbulls intake in shelters being as high as it is and the main one is over population. Due to backyard, casual and just plain breeding there is financial gain to be made when an owner decides to do this. Despite all the negativity in North America surrounding this dog, a Pitbull is still quite a popular dog to own. Another problem is over population of the breed as Pitbulls do tend to have large litters of puppies, anywhere from 6 to 12 per litter on average.
BSL creates prejudice against them, which makes it extremely difficult for families to take in and keep a Pitbull. Currently, there are 28 states across the country that outright ban the ownership of them. In fact overall, it has been statistically proven that BSL does not work. Study after study has shown that banning Pitbulls doesn't decrease dog bites but increases them in breeds such as Husky's, Labradors, Boxers and other mixed breeds with a Pitbull.
All things being equal, Pitbulls rate incredibly high in temperament tests. In fact higher than even Golden Retrievers, German Shepards, and Rottweilers. In point of truth, a Pitbull rated 86.8% in low aggression, panic, and avoidance testing.
In conclusion, 84% of dogs involved in fatal attacks, they were neglected or abused. Also 86% of fatal dog attacks involved unneutered dogs. It all comes back to the owner as they are specifically targeted as the problem.
Prejudice against these dogs will continue through poor uneducated grandiose media reporting with incidents of dog bites involving non-pitbull bred dogs.
It has gotten to the point where now even many landlords refuse to rent to families with Pitbulls. Many insurance companies allow the denial or cancellation of coverage if a homeowner owns a Pitty.
Sometimes families who own them lose their homes and they find it next to impossible to find "Pitbull Friendly" renting accommodations. Tragically, that leads them to surrendering their beloved pets to animal shelters where they are on borrowed time.
My wife and I have now owned 4 Pitbulls throughout our 23 year relationship and not one of them were ever proven to be vicious. They are amazing, loyal affectionate dogs you tend to fall in love with. Once you have such affection for them, then you want to love everyone of them you meet. Generally, they just want to be part of a family, want to lick your whole face and just be your best friend! I think I have said enough, and time to get off my soap box about the Pitbull, but I can tell you this, I will never stop fighting for such an awesome breed that God put on this earth.
Here is another excerpt taken from my 3rd book Road History regarding owning a Pitbull, enjoy.
As I pulled into the lot, I focused my eyes on what could only be an abandoned white stuffed teddy bear lying there on the pavement. I don’t know why I did it, but I stopped my truck, got out and picked up this little guy and placed him on the floor in front of the passenger seat in my truck. He was dirty, had a bit of grease on him, and he smelled of diesel, but that was okay. My first idea was I would clean him up and maybe give him to my future grandchild that would be born in the upcoming month of May. However after I had washed him at the laundry-mat they had at this particular truck stop I decided to keep him. I named him “Highway Bear” and placed him up in the right corner of my windshield. I grabbed him a pair of black sunglasses I had a second pair of; furthermore I made sure he wouldn’t fall off from where I placed him.
Highway Bear became my truck mascot, so he was my little confidant, I talked to when I was lonely driving through the night. I know that almost sounds like I was losing it, but I bet you there’s not a truck driver out there who hasn’t talk to himself. I guess if you answer yourself back from the question you ask, maybe you’re going “road crazy” I’m not sure. One thing I do know is you see lots of stuffed animals in people rigs in the United States especially when you’re fuelling up.
The following month I returned back home to Sylvan Lake to discover a few things had taken place.
For one thing, Carol now had a roommate that had come to live with her named Madeline. I guess Carol had knew her from when she was cleaning rooms at Chateau Suites. Speaking of where Carol worked, she had left that place to go work with one of Jack’s best friends, Cole. He was this rich kid, whose parents were loaded and that had lived in Marina Bay with his Mom and Dad. I guess he had persuaded his old man to give him a substantial amount of cash to start up a landscaping and irrigation business. Cole needed workers desperately so he gave Carol a job digging holes working the irrigation system job. The money was obviously too good to pass up, so Carol had suddenly quit her long-time employment with Chateau Suites for a better opportunity. It was quite apparent to me that Carol seemed to go on with life without me now, as she needed to pay the costs in that small cottage we were living in. I have to say again, it was because of the lousy money I had previously been making hauling cars that this 50 year old woman now was subjected to this. Carol told me that she had to make a couple of trips to the local food bank prior to her even getting the job. The reason was that she couldn’t manage any of our debts coming into the household now, along with the fact, we were now in a few collection agencies at the time too. The following week I left Carol to fend for herself, as well as her new roommate Madeline.
In the meantime, it was very tough for her working plus watching over Brodi’s pregnancy. She was due any day now to birth her first litter of pups. When I saw her that evening Brodi had on this blue sash that was attached to a diaper. She looked absolutely ridiculous, but I guess that is what she needed as she was now spotting, obviously, due soon. I guess they were even separating Sampson when she was going to do her business outside. It was also around that following weekend that Brodi gave birth to her first litter of puppies. I believe she had four of the cute little critters. Now as for Sampson the new father, he seemed overjoyed with his own new family. If truth be told Sampson actually took better care of his own kids (puppies) than Brodi was doing in the following days. Brodi originally had six of the darlings, although she lost three of them two during birth but, one that was born had severe complications. We even took the little gapper to the vet, but it was too late to save the pup, alas it too passed away. As a fitting memorial of the event, we placed them in a small box and buried all of them under a tree in our backyard. I grabbed one of my larger birthstone amethyst rocks I had purchased back in Northern Ontario and placed it just above the deceased young-uns. In the meantime, Brodi’s other 3 surviving pups were doing well with their new mother.Skyler who was there to witness the birth had named two of them, including “Kilo, & Stains.” The youngest one that resembled a mini-likeness of Sampson, Carol called “Wee Willy Winkin” but I just called him “Little Sam” for short. He had one blue eye and the other eye was a kind of reddish hue because it looked a bit offset but at least they were all healthy, that much I was relieved about.
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