A Winnipeg dog rescue has been nursing a pup back to health and while she’s nearly ready for adoption, there’s an added challenge to finding her a good home — her breed.
Mia was brought to the Winnipeg Giant Breed Rescue in August after she was found starving with severe mange in a community near The Pas.
When she was first brought in, her bones were protruding and her skin felt more like the texture of scales, dog foster Jennifer Hurst said.
As her hair began to grow back, Hurst said she could tell the pup was part pit bull.
“It took a long time once she got her beef back, her hair and her looks. The challenge isn’t necessarily the breed, we need to find her a home outside the city and that’s going to be the biggest challenge we have,” she said.
There’s a ban on pit bulls in the City of Winnipeg that came into effect in 1990 after the city says there were a series of attacks leaving people with serious injuries.
Now the bylaw says you can’t even have a dog with the appearance or physical characteristics of a pit bull.
If you are caught with one of the prohibited animal breeds you could be handed a $1,000 fine.
Hurst says the rescue will soon be looking for a permanent family for Mia — a family living outside city limits.
“We can’t do anything about it until people realize that it’s not the dog — it’s everything else,” Hurst said.
“We do need somebody who knows a stubborn dog. She’s stubborn, loveable but stubborn.”
“She’s going to need a very strong owner.”
Anyone who is looking to adopt Mia can contact the rescue on Facebook.