Faith in motion

Well folks, Faith has left Brantford!

She flew out of Ontario yesterday afternoon to Calgary, the first stop on her journey to freedom. As we speak, she is starting the final leg to her new home in BC. BSL will not be hanging over her head anymore.

From Faith’s perspective, she is a dog like any other. Well actually, from the stories I have heard, she may not realize she is a even dog. And that’s what she should be from our perspective, too.

Faith is a good dog who was living in a province that has bad legislation: Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). It’s legislation that unfairly targets any dog that even resembles a Pit Bull; any dog with a muscular build and a square head. More specifically —

• A Pit Bull Terrier;
• A Staffordshire Bull Terrier;
• An American Staffordshire Terrier;
• An American Pit Bull Terrier; or
• A member of a class of dogs that have an appearance and physical characteristics that are substantially similar to the four types of dogs that have been identified.

Because she was born after the legislation was enacted, Faith is not allowed to live in Brantford… or anywhere else in Ontario for that matter.

But Faith is every bit what people have always loved about Pit Bulls: they are faithful, reliable, trustworthy, and extremely tolerant. Lest we forget, Pit Bulls were known as “Nanny Dog” for 150 years.

“One dog breed became so trusted that despite the fact that no Kennel Club or Association recognized it, despite the fact that it could be found on the poorest farms and bleakest city neighborhoods with kids who didn’t know where their next meal was coming from, rich people acquired them in droves because they were simply the safest, most tolerant breed to have around their gilded progeny.

“Rich, poor, and everything in between, until recently [owners] agreed that there were only a CERTAIN TYPE of people who would own a Pit Bull… PEOPLE WHO LOVED THEIR CHILDREN.

“… Nanny Dog is the victim of a smear campaign that has turned common sense upside-down and robbed us of our historical memory. The dogs that we trusted with our children’s lives are now deemed too vicious to live among us. The dogs that in two World Wars were the symbol of the United States military itself are now ordered off its bases. The Pit Bulls haven’t changed at all. Only the owners have.” [1]

From her demeanor, it’s obvious that Faith was raised in a caring home where she was much loved. I hope the folks who raised her find this message. I hope their loss will be eased knowing she will be living BSL-free in a wonderful home on acreage in the BC countryside.

Imagine if YOU were not allowed to live in your community simply on the basis of how you looked. That is the heart of BSL, and it wrongly condemns many wonderful, happy and healthy dogs to death across the world every year. Read about the world wide failure of BSL. Learn the truth and step up for targeted dogs. I encourage you to support Cheri DiNovo in removing all aspects of BSL in Ontario.

In closing, I extend my heartfelt thanks on behalf of Faith — and myself — for all the efforts of everyone involved in her rescue. And a very sincere “thanks” to the Brantford SPCA for restoring my faith. Under the compassionate management of Robin Kuchma, the shelter has not killed a healthy animal in more than five years! This group works tirelessly to uphold the original intent of SPCA. It is these shelters we want to support.

Please opt to adopt. Be part of the 3% solution*.

* Statistics show that, on average, if 3% of a city’s population would adopt from their shelters, there would be no need for healthy animals to die. In larger cities, this number actually goes down. Another fraction of a per cent would save the cats and dogs in rescue/foster. We CAN do this!