Opposition to pit bull ban gains momentum

A pair of MPPs are joining forces to bring an end to the Liberal government’s 2005 ban on pit bull-style dogs.

MPPs David Piccini and Rick Nicholls have asked that the ban – put in place after a Toronto man was mauled by two such dogs – be lifted, arguing “all animals are capable of aggressive behaviour.”

“When I worked with local animal welfare advocates to break up a dog fighting known as the ‘Chatham 21’ some years ago, it became clear to me that our laws on Breed Specific Legislation were not accomplishing their intended goal, ”said Nicholls.

“Since then several provinces have moved away from bans on specific breeds of animals and towards regulation and education on responsible pet ownership. I intend to table a private member’s bill upon the return of the Ontario Legislature to begin this process for Ontario.”

Ontario’s current pit bull ban requires owners to muzzle, leash and sterilize pit-bull type dogs. The ban also outlawed the breeding and import of the dogs in a bid to eradicate them from the province.

The ban has been controversial. On the one hand, supporters of the ban believe that pit bulls are dangerous and that reasonable restrictions can better protect people’s safety. On the other hand, opponents argue that it is unfair to define a dog breed as dangerous or not, this is a form of discrimination.

The Windsor-Essex County Humane Society has long opposed the ban and along with the Green Party, urged members of the provincial legislature to review and update these laws to ensure that Ontario’s dogs are judged by their behaviour, and not by their breed.

According to Melanie Coulter, executive director of the WECHS, breed specific legislation isn’t effective for a variety of reasons.

“It’s extremely difficult to enforce, as research has shown that even experts have difficulty determining a dog’s breed based on appearance alone,” Coulter said. “It ignores the importance of responsible pet ownership, which is a far more significant issue when it comes to a dog’s risk to the community.”

Coulter said the ban has also created an imposition for shelters.

“If a dog is determined by our veterinarian or another veterinarian to be a pit bull they would be assessed medically and behaviourally, and then we would seek a placement for them outside the province,” she said.

“Just this year we have flown one pit bull to Newfoundland and transferred seven others to a shelter in Michigan. It wastes shelter resources by forcing us to take extraordinary steps to transfer friendly, healthy dogs out of the province simply because of their breed when there are wonderful homes in Ontario willing to adopt them.”