Staffys/Pit Bulls banned in Ontario :(

[britishbandit]

This poor misunderstood breed of dog has recently been banned in Ontario, Canada. The dogs that are here now are it. They HAVE to be spayed/neutered, microchipped, muzzled in public, and you MUST have a minimum of $1 million liability insurance (and most people cannot find a company who will insure them). The reasons the government passed this law was that in their opinion, these dogs are dangerous, attack often, and have a special "locking" mechanism in their jaws, which is complete "BULL", their jaws are no different, just that in the past they were trained to fight and not let go. Granted, many owners are irrisponsible and do not train and there can be bad specimens of the breed, but the same is true for all breeds. "Advocated for the Underdog" was created for lovers of these breeds who are trying to fight for the right to keep these dogs a part of their lives.
This ban has got the attention of many dog owners, as these dogs are not the only breed targeted as aggressive/dangerous. There was also talk of banning other large breeds, mainly because of their "bad rep". The Rottweiler, German Shepard, Mastiff and many others simply because of their size and "intimidation" factor. The Ontario government isn't looking at the number of attacks, only the attacks that cause the most damage, which are few and happen rarely. Is it really necessary to ban breed strictly on a few bad specimens? This issue went on for months and months with articles and people writing to the editors of newspapers to either agree with or defend certain aspects of the breed. Numerous council meetings that (in my opionion), could have been used for REAL problems that affect the city and Ontario.
This post is not really a question, but I would like to see what people in other parts of the country or world think about this.
A good friend of my was attacked by a German Shepard when she was 7, and now owns a Pit Bull, her pride and joy, and a wonderful dog. Even she never blamed the GSD breed or that specific dog for the incident, and still loves all breeds. She puts complete responsiblity on the owner of that dog for letting her be left alone outside with it.

[linnie]

you are a little better off than some places. In some of our states they are even taking them away from owners without reason except saying they are banned so have to go

breed specific banning is done by morons

[Rottielvr18]

All I have to say is breed banning is stupid in my opinion. I have never been attacked by a rottie or pit but can honestly say I have been attacked by a lot of labs, and small dogs in general! One time a Golden even tried to bite me but I never blamed the dog in my case. Its just stress of the enviorment that I work in and also the up bringing of the pet. There is know reason a ban so be put on some "intimidating" breeds. Only irresponsable people cause this. Maybe they should do some banning or people who own the breed instead!!!

[staffymad]

i have 3 staffys and they are seen as vicious, i think it is diabolical that the dog is held to blame when it should be the owner. nobody bats an eyelid when they are attacked on the ankles by a small toy type dog. my bitches are harmless and wouldn't hurt a fly, thats because i have brought them up properley and not used them for aggresive purposes.

[PitBullie09]

Thats very sad.. I hate BSL its so stupid.. and it makes me very angry.

[Ashlie]

I do not think that it's right, to do this to an owner, or to the dog.
I have a girl friend who used to show Pit Bulls, and has 6 of them at her home, each in different kennels, except for the Females, who are placed with the males for company. The males are never put together because of fear of aggression. This fear is not light, either, we have had Jack, the beautiful black and white male, climb the chain link kennel wall to attack a male much larger than himself, for no known reason. The attacked dog did not even fight back, he lert jack tear him to piecs, literally, and he is a Pit Bull. Although this shows a red flag, the dog is not people aggressive, and will willingly show me his belly unguarded. He is very female dog friendly, and is simply male dog aggressive.
All of her other Pits have never had problems except for some minor sibling rivalry, and mother-daughter anxiety, when they had just about had enough of each other, those of you who have bred are sure to have run into this before.
I guess in short, this breed as a whole is not to blame. It is the people who have bred into this breed the aggression and fight-happy behavior, and they have run with the idea of a "dangerous dog".
I do believe that there is the occassional "weak-link", so to say, such as Jack, where the aggression that they have been trained for has fused itself to some part of the dogs brain, but I would never assume that any of this breed were dangerous, unless I saw it myself.

Ash