TORONTO – Nearly five years after a controversial pit bull ban came into effect in Ontario, critics are still fighting to have the legislation overturned, arguing that it has led to the unwarranted deaths of hundreds of dogs yet has not decreased the number of dog attacks.
One of the people leading the fight is NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo, who introduced a private member’s bill Monday urging for the immediate removal of the amendment targeting pit bulls in the Dog Owner’s Liability Act (DOLA).
"This legislation is just so wrong-headed," said DiNovo, who represents Toronto’s Parkdale-High Park riding. "This idea of mass euthanization of a particular breed due to silly legislation is simply cruel."
The act, which was spearheaded by then-attorney general Michael Bryant, came into effect in October 2005. It was passed in response to a rash of dog attacks in the province.
Similar bans exist in Austria and England, while Florida is also considering putting in place legislation against traditional fighting dog breeds.
In Ontario, it illegal for anyone to own, import or breed a pit bull, American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or any dog that resembles these breeds.
People who owned pit bulls before the ban were permitted to keep their dogs, but had to ensure they were neutered or spayed, and muzzled and leashed in public at all times.
The act also gave judges the right to order a dog put down if it bit or was involved in an attack.
Although she didn’t have specific statistics, DiNovo said the ban has led to hundreds of dogs being destroyed – some of which may not have been pit bulls. She argues that the act unfairly puts the burden on owners to prove their dog is not a pit bull.
"There’s no such thing as a pit bull," said DiNovo. "We cannot test for `pitbullness.’ It’s a backyard breed that has developed over the years. … What is happening is that it’s being used as a grudge bill by neighbours angry at their neighbours who have dogs."
She said her office has received hundreds of letters and e-mails about this issue, and a number of Facebook groups have thousands of members who support the elimination of the ban.
"The ban doesn’t work. Nothing has proved that it works in reducing the number of dog attacks," said DiNovo. "It’s the deed, not the breed. If the dog is dangerous, anyone who knows anything about dogs, psychology and behaviour, they know it’s the owner that’s the problem in these cases."
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association is critical of the act for targeting one breed, and not aggressive dogs in general.
"As veterinarians, we would like to see legislation getting to the root of the problem," said Dr. Warren Kippon, the group’s manager of national issues and animal welfare. "Slicing off one breed and banning that breed is not effective legislation."
He said it was difficult for veterinarians to identify pit bulls due to the cross-mixing of several breeds, and instead the association would like to see new legislation requiring owners to register aggressive dogs.
"It really comes down to responsible pet ownership," said Kippon. "People choosing dogs that are well matched to their lifestyle and choosing dogs selected for temperament, not for their looks."
Last month, one of the most high-profile pit bull cases in the province ended when Bandit, a pit bull-Labrador mix was put down by the Toronto Humane Society.
The dog had been ordered to be euthanized by an Ontario Superior Court Justice in 2004 after it mauled a three-year-old boy in his grandmother’s kitchen. The boy required more than 200 stitches and extensive reconstructive surgery to his head.
On Sunday, a Wellington, N.S., man and his 16-year-old son were forced to lock themselves in their car from an aggressive pit bull mix. The dog was shot by RCMP officers when it lunged at them.
The week before, a five-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital with several deep lacerations to his leg after he was attacked by multiple dogs on Cornwall Island, south of Ottawa. The dogs – a female husky, a male pit bull-type dog, and a pit bull-type puppy – have been quarantined. It’s unclear whether they will be put down.
The Toronto Humane Society, an outspoken opponent of the ban, recently released a survey showing there has not been a significant drop in dog bite cases across the province since 2005.
According to the statistics, there were 5,714 incidents in 2004, with that figure dropping to between 5,350 and 5,500 in the last four years following the introduction of the ban.
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