A B.C. dog rescue located on Vancouver Island is now in Montreal to bring attention to the controversial animal control bylaw banning pit bulls.
Jesse Adams co-founded RainCoast Dog Rescue Society two-and-a-half years ago to help rescue and rehabilitate unwanted, neglected, stray, surrendered and abused dogs. “We then place them into forever loving homes when they are deemed ready through a thorough assessment, training, socilazation and a foster-to-adopt process,” said Adams in an email interview.
“We rescue all breeds of dogs big and small, of all ages and genders.”
When Adams learned of the pit bull ban in Montreal, he decided to travel there to help bring attention to the ban and to raise some money for the Montreal SPCA.
“We are here to stand up against injustice, fear, hate and ignorance,” said Adams. “We are here to help do our part, no matter how big or small, we want to make any difference we can to show Montreal, Quebec and Canada that we truly care about all dog breeds equality in Canada and the world. As I sincerely believe most Canadians do. Especially the misunderstood, but the so so loving, sweet and loyal pit bull breeds.”
Adams said they have also been raising money for the Montreal’s SPCA legal fees to help them fight the law when it goes back to the Supreme Court in a few months.
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On Wednesday, Quebec Superior Court Justice Louis Godin ruled in favour of the SPCA and suspended the ban for an indeterminate period of time. The suspension means pit bulls can still be adopted and muzzling is not mandatory.
Adams said the Montreal SPCA is an “amazing organization.”
While in Montreal, Adams has been rescuing some pit bulls and other breeds and will be bringing them home with him to Vancouver tonight.
After being re-assessed at RainCoast in Sooke, the dogs will be placed in pit bull foster homes. “Some I feel are already ready for adoption, but we must always be very responsible in their training, socialization and forever loving home placements,” said Adams. “The biggest thing for us at RainCoast is making sure these amazing Montreal pit bulls or pit bull-cross have been very well assessed, socialized and trained to make them the best dogs they can possibly be.
“We would never want any of these beautiful dogs we rescued here to have any issues or incidents, as we are all about preserving the beautiful pit bull breeds and their natural loving nature.”
While Adams’ time in Montreal has been short, he wants people to know they think Montreal’s breed specific legislation (BSL) was “enacted solely off of fear and ignorance by Montreal’s Mayor and certain city council members. Not one shred of actual science, facts or proof has shown that BSL works. As the Montreal SPCA, the Canadian / International Humane Society, The Canadian Veterinary Association, and many other pit bull rescues and pit bull owners already tried to tell them.”
The SPCA was pleased with Wednesday’s ruling but acknowledged there’s more work to do.
“The fight is far from being over, but we are very pleased with this first victory,” Sophie Gaillard, a lawyer for the SPCA, said in a written statement.
“We are particularly delighted to be able to continue finding adoptive homes for all of our healthy and behaviorally sound dogs, regardless of their physical appearance.”
For now Adams is hoping to educate people across Canada about pit bulls and try to change opinions about them.
“I think the reason pit bulls sometimes get such a bad reputation is because of uneducated dog owners getting certain breeds they do not understand how to properly care for and raise,” he said. “They need to really educate themselves on dog breeds and what that dog really requires to make them a well-trained and behaved dog. Some dog owners, pit bull owners, don’t go to enough training with their dogs, and don’t socialize them enough with other dogs and people.”
He also believes over-breeding can be an issue and that needs to be brought under control.
“We need to get breeding and breeders under control by implementing breeding laws, restrictions and government licenses and inspections of breeders.”
Adams said he knows all breeds of dogs are not suitable everyone.
“We really need people to understand that,” he added. “We don’t ever need or want BSL in Canada or abroad. It just doesn’t work and never will.”
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