Prevent a BSL/pit bull ban in Montréal

Update the Mayor of Quebec has announced there will be no ban pit nulls YAY!!!!!

The call for the ban of pitbulls is a bad decision on so many levels. Every time there is news of an injury due to a dog, the assumption is that it is a pitbull who caused said injury. The public is incredibly misinformed and have created a stigma against pitbulls and other similar breeds. Animals are euthanized simply because humans choose to assume and ignore facts. Any dog can be "vicious" regardless of their breed. On the subject of vicious dogs of breeds other than 'pit bull', Mr. Bandow (of the National Center for Biotechnology) states, "under-inclusiveness has to do with the fact that all dogs can and occasionally do bite, and that dogs referred to as 'pit bulls' are not the only breeds that have the fighting instinct. All dogs, no matter what their breed, are a product of their environment. A dog's personality is derived from a combination of genetics, treatment, training and socialization." While nobody ignores the fact that there are, in fact, vicious and/or deadly individual dogs presenting a public safety risk to our communities, it is unsound policy to assume that every individual dog of any breed presents such a risk simply on account of that dog's breed. If that were the case, every "pit bull" type dog would bite, maim, and/or kill other dogs and/people. This is obviously not the case. Over-inclusiveness causes Animal Control Agencies to waste precious resources rounding up, housing, and destroying friendly dogs simply because they fall into a man-made category or happen to look like a dog which fits into that category. http://www.opposingviews.com/i/case-against-breed-specific-legislation http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-pit bull-dangerous-dog-law-1.3630979 Many cities around the world ban pit bulls. Such regulations, however, have been the target of much criticism and many cities are now reversing their policies. The Quebec College of Veterinarians, like the Montreal SPCA, argues banning breeds creates "a false sense of security" and does not necessarily reduce the number of bites. It gives the example of Ontario, which has banned four breeds of dogs considered to be pit bulls since 2005, only to see the number of dog bites increase."Banning a breed means in the long term there will be other mixing of races, creating another dangerous animal that people will love," said Valérie Trudel, president of the Association of Veterinarians of Quebec. "Banning a breed skirts the problem." http://globalnews.ca/news/2527882/torontos-pit-bulls are-almost-gone-so-why-are-there-more-dog-bites-than- ever/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pit-bull-ban-toronto dog-bites_us_56c8cd2ce4b0928f5a6c218e Even the President of the United States does not support BSL: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/08/21/obama-blasts-legislation-targeting specific-dog-breeds/ BSL does not improve public safety or prevent dog bites. BSL ignores the plight of victims and potential victims of non-targeted breeds. BSL is costly. BSL requires each and every dog to be identified as a breed—something that has proven impossible to do accurately and objectively. BSL makes targeted breeds more desirable to irresponsible and criminal owners. BSL does nothing to make irresponsible dog owners accountable. BSL punishes responsible dog owners. Not a single canine welfare organization supports BSL. There are other options to prevent dog bites. Together as community we can find a solution that does not include discriminating against certain breeds of dogs. The city should be working alongside veterinarians as well as the SPCA. For example, the Quebec College of Veterinarians, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Université de Montréal and the Montreal SPCA are all in favour of wearing halters to prevent bites. The head harness prevents the dog from biting while allowing it to breathe, unlike a muzzle. Please sign and share this petition.