Pit bull pwners get final notice
Home here in the London Free Press is this article. I'm actually surprised at the amount of dogs registered as it was at least 1/2 that amount of the due date. It was only a matter of time that the city was going to clean up and look for the unregistered dogs and owners.
I was beginning to feel like I was the only responsible owner in my area as any Bullies I saw weren't muzzled or even altered.
I also noticed that two people I was really working on to get their dogs fixed, registered and muzzled, as far as giving them both the City bylaws and the Provincial Laws regarding the Ontario Pit bull Ban and it's requirements are no longer seen. Perhaps they moved, but one of the guys came over and wanted to know where I bought Shasta's muzzle. He said he needed to get it immediately. I never saw him nor his dog after that as well as the other guy with his dog that I saw all the time.
It makes you wonder...and saddened. That to me was no different than playing Russian Roulette with your dogs life. It's only a matter of time until you get caught.
Pit bull owners get final notice
Mon, June 12, 2006
They're told to register their dogs by June 30. After that, 'hardline' enforcement is planned.
By JOE BELANGER, FREE PRESS CITY HALL REPORTER
The City of London is warning nearly 300 pit bull owners that they have till the end of the month to register their dogs.
Jay Stanford, the city's manager of environmental services, estimates there could be about 290 unlicensed pit bulls in London, based the number of owners who haven't renewed their dog licences from last year.
A bylaw passed last fall requires all pit bulls in London to be licensed.
On May 30, the city issued its fifth and final notice to pit bull owners to have their dogs licensed, demanding full compliance by June 30.
Stanford described the enforcement approach as "balanced" as opposed to "hardline," especially given the uncertainty created by a court challenge of a provincial law banning the breed.
"If a situation requires a hardline approach, it will be implemented immediately," he said.
The issue of dangerous dogs was thrust into the spotlight last month when a 77-year-old Middlesex County man was fatally mauled by his unlicensed pit bull crossbreed.
John Martin's wife and a taxi driver witnessed the attack in the driveway of Martin's home in Welburn, south of St. Marys.
The dog is in quarantine but is expected to be euthanized.
The city has issued 685 licences to pit bulls owners since the province passed legislation last year banning the breed.
When the province amended the Dog Owners' Liability Act, the city followed up with a supporting bylaw.
Existing pit bulls were grandfathered under the law.
The laws require owners to have their pit bulls sterilized and microchipped. The dogs must be leashed and muzzled in public. The licensing fee is $50 plus an application fee of $10.
Bylaw infractions carry fines ranging from $200 to $500. Violations of the Dog Owners' Liability Act carry fines up to $10,000, six months in jail, or both.
Some pit bull owners may have moved or shipped their dogs outside the city or province, Stanford said.
"Some people don't believe they have a pit bull . . . so there's potential for denial," he said.
Some pit bull owners may be awaiting the outcome of the court challenge of the Ontario ban before spending the estimated $200 to $300 to sterilize and microchip their dogs, Stanford said.
"And there are people out there who are just taking the chance of not getting caught," he said.
The law bans pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers and any dog "that has an appearance and physical characteristics substantially similar to any of those dogs."
The province imposed the ban after a number of vicious attacks by pit bulls on people and pets.
This year, London police have laid eight charges under the Dog Owners' Liability Act, compared with two last year and one in 2004.
Police have responded to 56 pit bull related occurrences this year, compared to 29 last year and 22 in 2004.
9 comments:
...i dont beleive people should risk not going by the bylaw..as it is only going to end up hurting the pet they love with the conseqences...yet i do not beleive in the by-law itself...what right do we have to distroy one of gods creatures..as you state the increace in occurrences this year(29last to 56 this year)but what about occurrences with other breed... whats next rottweilers...its already started in some parts...how many people who voted for this banned own a dog or had experience with this breed...personal knowledge before they took this extreem step... and do you think the people are going to sit back and not fight this... these dogs can not speak...but us the owners and humaitarians will not shut up....it is not the responsable owners and there beloved pet that should suffer an ill fate it is the irrisponsable owners of these breeds that should be held accountable.
In some areas, rotty bans ARE in place. We have been fighting this for 3-4 yrs now. No responsible rotty or bully owner wants this ban and never sat back and let it happen. These places are small in population and don't listen to outsiders in that town or village. We as rotty and bully owners got to stand together instead of apart. The problem is that people don't realize that once the law is passed in their area, ANY dog can and will be added whenever the government wants. People who don't have "our" breeds think it CAN'T happen to their dog. But it will.
Gail is absolutely right. There will be no stopping at bullies and other breeds, such as rotty's are are banned in some places too. Which breed will be next and how far will government go? Is your dog next on the list and don't think it has to be the big, muscular types.
As far as in Ontario, the people did not decide to ban the dogs. 80% of Ontario residents were against the BSL.
This was decided in the House of Commons in Parlament by Michael Bryant (who wrote up the bill)and his Liberal coneys that voted for it.
We, the citizen of Ontario has no say in the matter. How's THAT for dictatorship!
Oh...one more INTERESTING point about this article. If the 'pit bull' related occurances are higher this year than all the others, what is this saying about the ban? Plus, you must remember, what are they calling Pit bulls these days?
That's right....they don't have a clue what is or isn't a bully. Same with rotty's. I have had people think my dogs were bull mastiffs,bermese mtn dogs,dobies,even a bully. Just goes to show ya,some people are not very smart or educated on what is or isn't a certain breed or even what is in the mixes either. Even though where I live ( HRM, N.S.) there isn't a ban on rotty's or bully's, don't mean I don't fight the BSL for the areas that do have it. There is a place about 2 hrs away and also another province that only 2 townships have a rotty ban. Everyday I try to do something, anything to help turn it around. I don't care what the breed the ban affects. I will fight it tooth and nail. To me there is no distinction on the breed. Everyone ( responsible people ) has the right to own whatever breed they choose. My choice is rotty's but if I didn't choose them I would have chosen bully's. So yes I am affected by the bans for both . Everything I do is for both and in the end for all dogs. There are certain breeds I will never have but in those breeds I have met some that I truely liked. I judge by the individual dog and owner.
I'm a glutten for punishment, if it wasn't for my love of Shasta and now the bullie breeds, I'd also want an old English Sheep Dog which would kill me trying to keep it well groomed with my nerve damage or a Great Dane which would eat me out of house and home and bigger than I am. But just as I trained Shasta to be sensitive to my disabilities, I'm not sure if the other two breeds are nearly as intuitive. Although, I could always ride the Great Dane rather than walk him. LOL
Because of my size and disabilities, I always have to train differently so that the dog is not over powering me as Shasta could if she had a mind to. The thing is, she wouldn't because because of her mind set to please me.
Whether it be a rottie, bullie, GSD, lab or any dog, if the owner doesn't properly train their dog you're looking for trouble. Responsible ownership and education is KEY!
You are so right,my friends have OES,GSD & GD'S and for the OE & GD'S they are more goofy and don't understand how strong ( they don't eat any more then another large breed ) lol. My sister has a GD/GSD mix and he is a sweety but don't realize his own strength. His prey drive is great and has to be watched, but he is also they type that wants to make friends ( he is a rescue ) He is really rough playing and scares alot of other dogs and people. Oh BTW Connie....with danes you will be replacing TV'S alot....they seem to want to see where all the animals go when they disappear off the screen. LMAO my friend had to replace 5 TV'S in 4 wks. Finally he learned to put the TV higher ( like up to the ceiling).
No problem Gail. I can't afford cable and the one station I get isn't worth watching. If the Great Dane wants it that much, he can have it. Besides, less food he would need to eat.
Spanky was like that as a pup. He ate EVERYTHING...well, not EVERYTHING becuz he has a taste for my white summer shows, but only one from a pair, Go figure.
He LOVED to eat my phone cords and remote contols went missing.
I swore if I took the dog by his hind legs and shook him I'd get everything back. He was a diffinate rascal and how could you not love him.
The only thing he didn't eat were people and all my other 15 pets so there were no valuables missing. Everything else was materialistic which drove my hubby nuts. I LOVED IT!!! ROFL
But in reality, if not trained properly, a bullie would also be too strong for me. They don't feel the pull of the collar, etc., so they have to learn to heel and walk by your side gently. Same with any dog. With a dane I'd buy a saddle. I've always wanted to be a jockey and I'm the right size and weight for one. Maybe even underweight, so get me a step stool and I'd have it made.
We had a purebred blue/back GS. That dog had better instint than me. I was single then and ran into trouble, after that I made sure any guy that asked me out met Shebia first. If she approved him, then and only then did I go out with him.
As far as training,we made this deal (her idea), she made me look GREAT in class, but after class and for the whole week, she took control. She pulled it off too. We made it to the end and we were top dog and owner. You think I told anyone? NOT IN YOUR LIFE!!! ROFL
The ESD would have a black spot around one eye. Soooo furry and comical. Naturally, he would roll in dirt and need grooming all the time. It would KILL me but what a combo we would make. Naturally, I would still have my Shasta. Daughters stay for EVER even if other fur-kids came in.
Ok...so I'm dreaming becuz I always wanted a great big gorilla too and a chimp I could dress. Yes, I know, I had a spider monkey as a kid and they aren't the cleanest, but what I riot we had watching all the fun.
I almost got a chimp becuz he looked so much like my brother. I was even going to name him Billy. Some how my parents talked me out of it buy buying me a car instead...or was it my horse? I loved my horse, but rather than a Triumph (car) I would have rather of had a motorcycle. I was a deprived kid! LOL
ROFLMAO...You sound like my sister and I. I think I have an animal from every letter in the alfabet. Unfortunitly I found out last yr I have developed a bad allergy to shavings ( all kinds) which now limits my adopting certain pets who has to use shavings. But I will always find great homes for those I know about. I gave away my rat and last chinchilla last yr. Just so happens my Bullet loves to make friends and he tries with a SKUNK. The skunk didn't want to and my house and dog was sprayed BAD!! We had to fumigate for a week and I had to place my rat and chinchilla with a gf of mine while my daughter went with my sister and the dogs and cats came with hubby and I. We sealed the fish tank and came by to feed them everyday. Anyway, the gf who had my rodents fell in love with them. I decided that if she wanted them she could have them because it was to the point I could no longer take care of their needs because of my allergies. Needless to say they have a great home and well loved. I can see them whenever I want. I normally don't give away my animals but knowing this friend I knew they would be well taken care of and safe. It was hard saying good bye to them but it was for their best interests.
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