ontario pit bull ban vote tomorrow

[elegy]

several months ago legislation was proposed in ontario canada to ban pit bulls from the entire province. the bill, bill 132, has gone through the process and faces the final vote on monday. at this point, things are not looking good.

assorted groups have spoken to the legislature against the bill- everyone from the canadian veterinary medicine association to the humane society to dog advocacy groups. they all encourage non-breed-specific dangerous dog laws which would hold the owner accountable for the actions of the dog and look at each bite specifically, not just label pit bulls as bad.

the wording in the bill is also extremely and frighteningly vague. one clause states that any dog accused of being menacing can be taken from the owner's home at any time, but there is no definition of "menacing". if a dog is accused of "being a pit bull", the onus is on the owner to prove that the dog is not, not the other way around.

you can read the bill in its entirety here: bill 132

a couple of good sites about it: kill bill 132, brok.ca.

it's past the point where letter writing is going to help. it's past the point where knowledgeable people speaking out is going to help. we're down to the need for prayers from people who own and love dogs, and who don't want the same thing to happen to their dogs.

breed banning does not work, plain and simple. legislators who propose this legislation and argue as hard for it as michael bryant has are intentionally ignorant. dogs of all different breeds bite. many dog bites can be prevented through responsible ownership and responsible parenting. but it's easier just to outlaw a breed and say you're doing something, i guess.

i love my dogs so much. i don't live in ontario, but countless pits are right now being dumped in the shelters, and they are no longer allowed to be adopted out, even outside the province. these dogs don't have a chance. in many cases, they've done nothing wrong except were born with big heads and strong muscles. you don't even have to be a pit bull to be killed by this bill. you just have to look like one.

[Rip's Girl]

I feel awful for the dogs that won't get a chance at life just because of their breed. I can't feel the way a Pit Bull owner would feel about this, but as a dog lover I am disgusted.

Michael Bryant and the legislators who strongly support this, surely are closing their eyes and humming as loud as they can to avoid being presented with any evidence that they are in fact wrong about this. Unforunately I don't think anything is going to change their mind.