If you know anything about me you know I am in love with animals. That is why I was annoyed when Montreal chose to put a ban in place for pit bulls. Montreal would be joining a long list of cities who choose to judge and punish a dog bases on his appearance. This ban would require all pit bulls currently living in Montreal to be registered for $150. The adoption and/or purchase of a pit bull would be prohibited. In addition, all pit bulls will be required to wear muzzles in public and placed on 1.25-meter leashes. All of this would have effected nearly 7,000 dogs.
If you think that isn't that bad think again.
In today's world many people obtain pets through exchanges with neighbors or someone looking to get rid of a pet. This means the animal is lacking in the necessary paperwork that is needed for registration. So what happens to those pit bulls? What about dogs in shelters or from low-income families. In addition, bans have been notoriously unsuccessful in the past. This is in large part due to the broad definition of a pit bull. The definition of a pit bull is so a dog with a bulky body and large head - a description that covers a large range of dogs. This would make it very difficult to identify which dog can and cannot enter certain spaces, even for people who are always around dogs.
First, let's clear some things up. The name pit bull is a common name for several breeds of dogs. Pit bulls generally have a bulky body type and a square shaped head. They do not, however, have locking jaws and they are not hyper-aggressive dogs. In fact, they are loyal dogs, who make excellent family pets. 100 years ago the pit bull was even one of the most common family dog. That dog in "The Little Rascals" everyone loves? Yup, he was a pitbull.
Pit bulls are not the only dogs who suffer from a bad rap. Rottweilers, Huskies, Dashhounds and more are all feared for being hyper aggressive in nature. But it is not the dogs we should be blaming. A dog will behave the way it is trained it. If a dog is trained to viciously attack humans and other dogs will be aggressive. Just like a dog who is treated with kindness and love will be a loyal and friendly companion.
Creating a fighting dog is no easy feat. Their aggressive behavior is achieved through abusive methods such as beatings, secluded, and starvation. These dogs are often abandoned or killed once their owner feels that they may no longer have use for them.
Thankfully, due to the efforts of many dog owners, lovers, and officials the ban has been suspended … for now. This small victory will allow many pit bulls the opportunity to be placed in homes outside of Montreal where they can live freely. However, there is a valuable lesson to be learned from this fight. We need to remove the stigma and blame for pit bulls and other dogs and place them on the owner. It is the responsibility of a dog owner to ensure that their dog is raised properly. Killing and banning these dogs will not solve the issue, but putting the proper measures in place to hold owners accountable can help all dogs dramatically