There has been a lot of media attention on breed banning of pit bulls, after the City of Montreal recently passed a contentious pit bull ban. The city council vote was 37-23 in favour of the ban.
Pit bull is the common name for a type of dog that includes the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier. The American Bulldog and Bull Terrier are sometimes included in the breed classification.
In the changes made to the animal control bylaw, the City of Montreal announced that the new rules, including the ban on new ownership of pit bull or pit bull-type dogs, will go into effect across all 19 Montreal boroughs starting October 3.
Grandfathered dogs must be registered by the end of the year and owners will have to be screened for a criminal record. The owners must also provide proof the dog has been sterilized, micro-chipped and vaccinated against rabies. Pit bulls will have to be muzzled outdoors and kept on a short leash with few exceptions. If owners don’t follow the rules, their dog can be euthanized.
Animal rights advocates were also quick to pan the bylaw, pointing out that many cities that have implemented similar legislation have since repealed it.
The debate on the breed banning issue was due to an unfortunate death, nearly three months after a brutal dog attack that claimed the life of a Montreal woman. Supporters of the pit bull ban argued the new regulations give priority to human safety over dog safety and that pit bull bans in other jurisdictions decreased the number of severe dog bites.
Every dog has their own set of personality traits that make them unique, and it’s impossible to predict a dog’s behavior solely on its breed type, because the way a dog is raised and the environment in which he is raised in has a significant impact on behavior, regardless of breed.
The key to reducing the number of dog bites and keeping people safe is not to ban an entire breed, but instead to make all dog owners accountable and responsible for their dogs’ behavior while encouraging them to raise their dogs appropriately. Good socialization and using only positive training methods creates emotionally balanced dogs.
A dog that is untrained has the capability of becoming a “bad” dog. Unfortunately, some owners take pride in training their dogs to be aggressive. Even more unfortunate is the vicious world of dog fighting, illegal in many places, that is considered entertainment value and thus increases the number of dogs that are trained to be aggressive.
Proper accountability for dog owners is important no matter the breed of the animal. As a dog owner or a person controlling a dog, you are responsible and accountable for the actions of your dog.
It is possible to get good laws passed to protect animals and legitimate animal-related activities, but it takes cooperation and hard work. Dog owners can band together to show local governments that they are reasonable and responsible.
