Media down plays dog bite causing car crash

The reason I'm sharing this story from the Ottawa Citizen is the difference it makes between if these were dogs of the Pit bull breeds, the heading would have been more along the lines in bold lettering, 'Pit bull attacks man, causing car to crash in to Gleb coffee shop'.

It would have included the Ontario ban with all the same fan fare that really grabs your attention. When they were banned. Why they were banned. Every juicy tid bit they could glorify their story with.

These dogs were down played whereas had they have been of the Pit bull breeds, the dogs would have been the main focus of this accident.

We already know that the media is one of the breeds worse enemies slandering their reputations and putting fear into the hearts of those that read the articles.

Obviously these dogs, breeds unmentioned simply bit a driver badly enough to cause this collition, but there was no Animal Control officers present and why would there be? For the simple fact that they simply weren't Pit bulls or any type of dogs remotely close to their breeds that could compare.

It only goes to show that the media isn't stating facts as they are suppose to do to inform the public, but rather dramatizing stories to make headlines otherwise why the downplay of these dogs.

Of course, this comes to no surprise to us who are already educated about the Pit bull breeds and stories like this are a dime a dozen rather than a headline breaker.

Dog bites man, car hits Glebe coffee shop
One driver injured, store patrons unscathed
By Tony Spears, The Ottawa Citizen
April 22, 2010


Reader Rich Redmond witnessed a two-car collision at Bank Street and Second Avenue which culminated in one car striking the window of a Bridgehead coffee shop, Ottawa,
Police said the driver of one car — who was bitten by a dog in his vehicle — was treated by paramedics for a dog bite. No others were injured.
Photograph by: Rich Redmond, Reader photo
Do you have pictures of the accident? Share them with us at ottawacitizen.com/readerphotos.

OTTAWA — A dog bit the driver of a moving car in the Glebe, sending it careening into a second car and a coffee shop Thursday afternoon.

The driver, a man in his early 20s, was assessed at the Bridgehead coffee shop on Bank Street between Second and Third avenues for a dog bite, paramedics spokesman J.P. Trottier said.

His female companion, in her early 20s, and the other driver — a woman in her 50s — were also assessed, but no one was taken to hospital, said Trottier.

Two dogs in the man's car were unharmed, he said.

The coffee shop suffered "no real discernable damage," Trottier said, adding it appeared the male driver had only "nudged" the Bridgehead building.

Bridgehead's clientele also escaped unscathed.

Chris Robinson witnessed the "tail end" of the crash and e-mailed the Citizen.

I heard this big booming sound," he wrote. "Then I turned and saw a black car smashing a car from behind … almost nailing this pedestrian (that guy was lucky)."

Paramedics said the original 911 call had been for a struck pedestrian, but that no pedestrians had actually been injured.

Police were investigating late Thursday afternoon. Staff Sgt. Gerry Sabourin said it was too early to say if charges would be laid.

Dogs pass pit bull test, head home

Dogs pass pit bull test, head home
By TAMARA CHERRY, Toronto Sun

Brittany and Rambo are home — and for the record, they’re not pit bulls.

More than three months after the City of Brampton took two dogs from their owners, charging that they were illegally bred pit bulls, the city conceded this week that the dogs were indeed not pit bulls and returned them to their owners Monday.

It was welcome news for the Branco and Gaspar families who say they burned through thousands of dollars in legal fees to get their pooches home — something they say should have happened months ago.

It was Jan. 13 that Brampton Animal Services officers seized the two-year-old siblings from their homes.

Officials alleged the dogs’ father, Tyson, was a registered pit bull. Moreover, the city had a veterinarian sign a certificate stating his opinion that Brittany and Rambo were pit bulls, the city’s lawyer, Barnet Kussner, said Tuesday.

Pit bulls were banned in Ontario in 2005.

But Rui Branco, who owned Tyson until July 2008 and whose sister, Inez, owns Brittany, contended Tuesday that Tyson was never registered as a pit bull. He and lawyer Megan Burkett, who represented the owners in a dogged battle with the city, said the city never showed them the evidence that Tyson was a pit bull.

Branco, along with Maria Gaspar, 75, who owns Rambo, maintained that their dogs are part boxer, part American bulldog.

Though the owners also had a veterinarian agree the dogs were not pit bulls, they faced a deadline to send the dogs to a province that accepts pit bulls. That deadline was pushed aside pending the legal battle.

Under provincial legislation, pit bulls were banned in Ontario in 2005.

“(The Dog Owners’ Liability Act) doesn’t really provide any clear process on how a municipality can determine a breed,” Kussner said. “There’s no formal avenue of appeal by an owner when the breed determination is in question. So really, we were sort of into uncharted waters in certain respects.”

After months of back-and-forth between the city and the owners, the two sides agreed to bring in an independent veterinarian.

The vet examined the dogs Friday and “concluded that the dogs are not pit bulls under DOLA,” a City of Brampton press release said.

“We’re elated,” Branco said Tuesday. “(Brittany) gave the entire family what we call a European wash, which is where she licks us from head to toe ... Her little (tail) was going crazy.”

At the Gaspar home, owner and dog couldn’t be happier, family friend Nelio Dacomceicao said.

“She’s finally smiling,” Dacomceicao said of Gaspar. “Her dogs are like her kids.”

As part of the agreement between the owners and the city, the dogs must be designated and licensed as “potentially dangerous dogs,” which means they have to be microchipped, sterilized and leashed and muzzled in public.

Kussner called the designation an “appropriate compromise” that balances the rights of the owners against the need to protect the community under the dog owners’ legislation and city rules.

“It can still be a dangerous dog or a potentially dangerous dog even if it’s another breed other than a pit bull,” Kussner said. “(The city) has got to be proactive to protect the community under the provincial legislation.”

The Gaspars are concerned about whether Rambo was injured while in the shelter for more than three months as he came home with a bite mark on his head, cuts on his ears and a lump on his ribs, Dacomceicao said. The injuries will be checked out when the family brings Rambo in to be sterilized Thursday, he said.

Cross post freely; Philip and Ginger need your help!

Cross post freely;
Philip and Ginger need your help!

The Government is at it again, we need to fight for our rights in court.

THE DLCC's second annual " DOLLARS FOR DOGS" Campaign on behalf of Phillip and Ginger, the Huggins family.

Law abiding citizens are not being targeted by the ban". Former Attorney General for Ontario, Michael Bryant Sept 2005.

Nothing could be further from the truth if you happen to own a dog of unknown genetics in Ontario.

Knowing that any dog born with the wrong 'look' , Phillip Huggins made sure his best friend, an 8 year old " brown-haired" girl named Ginger was in full compliance with the regulations of DOLA.

On November 29, 2005, while Phillip's Mother was walking Ginger, leashed and muzzled, in a Toronto park, Ginger was savagely attacked by an unleased dog.

So savage was the attack on Ginger, that Buddy ( an alleged border collie/shepherd cross ) tore Ginger's muzzle off and inflicted severe injuries to both Phillip's mom and Ginger. Ginger now has permanent damage to her left eye.

Now you think that it would be the owner of Buddy, that would be charged.
But not so. Buddy's owner walked away VIRTUALLY scott free

Ginger wasn’t so lucky. The City of Toronto Animal Control Officers seized Ginger illegally, without warrant or consent of Ginger's owner.

Within hours, a 'destruction' order was placed on Ginger's life while Phillip was charged with 3 counts under DOLA. .Prosecutors attempted to strike a deal with Phillip, offering to drop all charges if he ' simply ' handed over Ginger to be killed. Phillip would have nothing to do with it and said he would fight to the end.

Ginger spent 3 ½ years incarcerated simply for defending herself and Phillip's mother.

As a result of the charges and the battle in court, Phillip lost his job, ended up on welfare and now suffers with depression.

Out of money and time, Clayton Ruby, an established Human Rights lawyer, took over the case. He knew the City of Toronto was wrongfully holding Ginger in the pound. Within days, Clayton Ruby went before a judge and Ginger was released back to her loving home until the next court date.

Despite a ruling which allowed Ginger to be free, the City of Toronto was granted an appeal on the ruling.

Phillip is yet again scheduled to appear in court again on May 26, 2010 at 10:30 AM The Court of Appeals for Ontario. Ginger is still at risk of losing her life.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

As a result of the city of Toronto being granted an appeal, it is costing a lot more than what was anticipated.

If Phillip doesn't raise the funds, he may lose his appeal, Ginger will lose her life.

He has come this far, if he stops now the city will be granted the destruction order and Ginger will be destroyed.

Your financial help would be greatly appreciated.

Go to http://www.dlcc.ca to donate

or

Please send payment in trust for Ginger to:

Ruby and Shiller
11 Prince Arthur Ave,
Toronto, ON
M5R 1B2