On Sunday I Will March for Pit Bull Freedom! Where Will YOU Be?

When BSL was first introduced in Ontario in 2005, I disagreed with it, but since I did not have a pit bull at the time, I did not feel it affected me personally. (At least that is what I thought at the time.) Then in August of 2010, five years after the passing of BSL, I took over the running of Let’s Adopt Canada, and it fell to me to be “up” on the issues. One of the first things I did in my official capacity was to attend a BSL rally at Coronation Park in Toronto. It was at that rally that I interviewed Joseph Branco, the owner of Brittany, a boxer mix who had been caught up in the BSL hype despite the fact that she was not a pit bull mix.

In speaking to Joseph Branco I learned first hand why BSL affects ALL dogs. His dog faced a fight for her life because an ignorant person had identified her as a banned breed. In meeting and speaking with Joseph, I also met Brittany, a friendly dog, who clearly does not have a drop of pit bull in her bloodline. I got down on the ground with Brittany, right in her face, for my trouble I was rewarded with doggie kisses and a wagging tail. This dog was far from vicious. Unless her scheme was licking people to death, I had nothing to fear. Yet Brittany, who had never bitten or menaced anyone was now labeled a dangerous dog. Her family must place a sign on their property saying a dangerous dog lives there, and Brittany is NEVER again allowed to roam in public without her Hannibal Lecter mask. Because someone mistook her for a pit bull, Brittany now has no life. She did nothing wrong, she is being punished for the ignorance of someone else.

This is what BSL has wrought. Pit bull owners can no longer walk down the street with their dogs without seeing fear in the eyes of citizens they pass. Pit bull type dogs no longer have the freedom to run and play with other dogs. As we saw with the case of Leo a pit bull in Oshawa who ended up on death row because his owner gave him a drink of water on a hot day, pit bull owners are not permitted to remove their dogs muzzles long enough to allow them to be treated in a humane manner.  Leo and his owner have since relocated to another province which does not have BSL as have many other pit bull owners.

According to the provincial government BSL was introduced in Ontario to stem the tide of dog bite incidents. It has not done so, and the reasons for that are simple ones. Any dog no matter what their breed has the potential to be a dangerous dog, breed has absolutely nothing to do with it. Dog bites still happen in Ontario, as we all knew they would. The idea that banning a single breed or mix thereof will stop dog bite incidents from happening is unrealistic. But will the government admit they have made a mistake? Of course not!

The government wants to ban MORE dog breeds. They figure that if banning pit bulls did not stop bite incidents they must have banned the wrong breed. There has been discussion about adding breeds to the ban, meanwhile Ontario dog owners want the ban lifted. The government has dismissed any advice from experts that does not support their breed ban, instead going outside of the country to seek “experts” that agree with their take on things.

If we do not defeat BSL now where will it take us? Will we end up like Italy, a country which now has over 90 breeds of dog on their BSL list? Or Australia, who has added Chihuahuas to their banned breed list? Where will the maddness end, and how many breeds will have been eradicated when the smoke clears?

On Sunday March 27th, 2011, I will raise my voice for those who can not speak for themselves. I will walk with my dogs (non-pits) through the streets of Toronto from Queen’s Park to Nathan Philip’s Square, and we will tell the Ontario government that OUR ONTARIO INCLUDES ALL DOGS! Join us! Be the voice for those who have none!

Here’s the info: (please note there is also a march in Cambridge on Saturday March 26th, 2011 information on that one is also listed below.)

We hope to see you there!

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette