The Nova Scotia SPCA is hoping to find forever homes for three pit bulls that were recently flown to the province from Ontario, where there is a ban on the breed.
The three dogs, named Gus, Ziva and Eva, were seized from an alleged dogfighting operation in Lanark County in Ontario.
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They’ve been in the care of the Ontario SPCA for about a year, are ready to be adopted out, but due to the ban, they can’t be adopted in Ontario. All three dogs participated in a rehabilitation program before being brought to Nova Scotia.
“Ontario was looking to send them out because they know they’re great dogs,” SPCA provincial animal care director Susan Flemming told Global News Friday.
“Knowing of the seriousness of that request, we always take every effort possible to take those animals into our care.”
The dogs arrived in Nova Scotia last Friday night, brought in privately by Pilots N Paws Canada. Flemming said all three of them, two females and one male, are very mild tempered and loving.
“They’re doing awesome — they’re very sweet, they love to be held,” Flemming said.
Gus, Ziva and Ava are all what the NS SPCA calls “tea-cup pitties,” because they are a little smaller than standard pit bulls, weighing in at about 40 pounds.
Breed ban a hot topic in Canada again
Conversations around the banning of pit bulls have been swirling once again in Canada. Quebec City has issued a ban on the breed, and province-wide legislation is in the works. A Montreal woman was mauled by a put bull-type dog earlier this month.
While Flemming says dog attacks and bites like these are unfortunate, the instances aren’t breed specific.
“I think that really it comes down to not so much the breed itself, but it comes down to being a responsible pet owner and having proper care and control of your pet,” Flemming said, adding that personally, she’s had three pit bulls.
“If people are raising them properly and having that care and control, they are safe to have as a pet.”
READ MORE: Dog attack victim calls for pit bull ban in wake of Quebec woman’s death
Flemming said the NS SPCA has been bringing in pit bulls from Ontario for several years with great success. Flemming said that to her knowledge, all pit bulls they’ve previously brought in and adopted out “have been wonderful dogs and are still in their homes.”
The OSPCA has, in the past, euthanized dogs based on dangerous behaviours they deem can’t be rehabilitated.
No breed discrimination at NS SPCA
Flemming said part of the reason Ontario reaches out to the NS SPCA is because they treat pit bulls like any other dog they have up for adoption.
If someone wants to adopt any breed of dog, there are several steps the potential pet owner must take before they can take their pooch home. The organization does reference checks, assesses home situations, whether there are other pets in the home and whether the dogs are compatible with them.
“We have lots of controls in place to make sure that we’re making the best effort to make sure we’re finding the right fit and the right home for each dog that we adopt out,” Flemming said.
Flemming added that depending on the behaviour of each specific dog they may make recommendations for training programs or trainers to the new pet owners.
READ MORE: OSPCA sounds alarm over Ontario dogfighting operations
Flemming said they don’t receive any requests to bring in pit bulls from any other provinces in Canada.