Canada. You were once described by the late, great Robin Williams as "... a really nice apartment over a meth lab." You have been a beacon of humanity and sanity for Americans during the epic misfire that has even 2016. 55-year-old even your reputation could not remain spotless forever.
Last week the Montreal city government signed what has become known on social media as a "Pit Bull Ban". This controversial bill could lead to the seizure, impoundment, and euthanization of hundreds if not thousands of pit bulls across the city.
The Background
The push for this bill began when a 55 year-old Montreal woman was mauled to death by her neighbor's dog. The police initially identified the offending animal as a pit bull, but other sources have stated that it was, in fact, a boxer. As of the writing of this article, the DNA test results are still pending.
The Bill
In this bill, a pit bull is being defined as "Staffordshire bull terriers, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, any mix with these breeds, and any dog that presents characteristics of one of those breeds."
The bill prevents the adoption of any such dog after Monday October 3, and those dogs who are unadopted will likely be euthanized. Those owners who already own one of these breeds must adhere to a strict set of conditions including a background check, muzzles for their dog, specific leash lengths, and a registration fee. In total registering your pit bull-esque dog could cost an owner around $650.
The process is not only costly, it will likely be highly inconvenient as well. The registration times the city government is offering is a three-hour window right in the middle of the work day. There is a very real possibility that there are going to be people who cannot make that window of time. What do they do?
The Problem
My problems with this bill are many and varied. First, in my opinion banning an entire breed of dog based on their physical appearance makes about as much sense as discriminating against a person based on their race. Not to mention that the definition of what a pit bull is is incredibly vague. Authorities could seize and euthanize your dog just because it looks pit bullish.
Second, I cannot stomach the thought of thousands of healthy animal being euthanized for nothing other than their appearance. To me that is horrible on so many levels. Apparently, the Quebec's Order of Veterinarians agrees. They wrote a http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-order-of-veterinarians-pit-bull-ban-montreal-1.3778094letter to members stating that "no municipal regulation or provincial legislation can obligate a veterinarian to carry out any veterinary act." Slightly comforting.
Third, this ban will affect lower class citizens more than upper-class ones. Even in Canada there will likely be families that do not have the extra $650 to meet the various certification requirements. That means these families will have to find something else to do with their dog, turn them into a shelter, or risk having them seized. None of those seem like very good options.
The Solution
Luckily there is still hope. This ban has sparked global interest, and there are people and organizations dedicated to getting this law repealed.
You can donate money to the Montreal SPCA to help with the legal costs https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=201163&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fblu177.mail.live.com%2F%3Ftid%3Dcmufj8aUyG5hGQ4wAiZMJHmA2%26fid%3Dflinboxhere.
You can also sign a petition by following https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/my-montréal-includes-all-dog.htmlthis link.
If you disagree with this ban, if you believe that these dogs should not be punished for their breed or their appearance, i urge you to get involved in whatever way you can. Every voice matters!
