Montreal pit bull owners: prove a dog's breed

[MikePal]

Small hiccup in their 'knee jerk' plan...

Some Montreal dog owners say they still don't know how the registration process for a pit bull permit will work, with less than a week to go before the proposed rules are expected to come into effect.

Owners of American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers, or mixes of these breeds, will be required to obtain a special $150 licence and comply with other restrictions in order to keep their dogs.

But the bylaw also states dogs that share "several morphological characteristics" with these breeds must also obtain the licence.

The new rules are expected to come into effect Oct. 3, but dog owners will have until the end of the year to get the licence.

Montrealer Mireille Goulet said her dogs are registered as the breeds that she thinks resemble them most closely: a Patterdale terrier and a Dalmatian-Boxer cross respectively.

"They're just mutts with short hair and medium size," she said. "I have no way of knowing what they are because I adopted them from shelters in the United States."
She's concerned that a municipal inspector might consider them to be pit bulls.

Bylaw unclear

edit add: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/pitbull-ow...090000728.html

[skypilot]

Another over reaching government mandate.

Government has no business in determining what common dog "breed" is legally ownable as a pet any more than they have profiling a certain car or boat as most likely to be in an accident or what house footprint is most likely to be involved in fire.

[stragglelake]

Another over reaching government mandate.

Government has no business in determining what common dog "breed" is legally ownable as a pet any more than they have profiling a certain car or boat as most likely to be in an accident or what house footprint is most likely to be involved in fire.

Exactly !!
The problem is not going after the owners of dogs that bite like the recent one in Windsor with a bullmastiff.
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-ne...zu-at-dog-park


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[Roper]

Its a sad time when efforts are made to eliminate dog breeds. Any person who has owned a pit bull knows they are wonderful dogs. One of the best. My 2 kids grew up as babies with loving pit bulls in the family.

[Sharon]

Another over reaching government mandate.

Government has no business in determining what common dog "breed" is legally ownable as a pet any more than they have profiling a certain car or boat as most likely to be in an accident or what house footprint is most likely to be involved in fire.

Well said. That how I feel about it. ( I have a 30 pound JRT , but don't come into my house uninvited.)

[Gilroy]

Its a sad time when efforts are made to eliminate dog breeds. Any person who has owned a pit bull knows they are wonderful dogs. One of the best. My 2 kids grew up as babies with loving pit bulls in the family.

Not to mention bad owners (bad guys) simply switch breeds and you get even bigger and badder dogs.Very easy to create a designer bad boy.Might make more sense to ban some folks from owning a dog period.

[BDH]

I perceive the issue will eventually fall to one of two situations. It may be years away but:::
Insurance companies will ask on your home insurance policy if you own a dog, if yes up goes your insurance premium to off set lawsuits from dog bites.
Or
Government intervenes and requests all dog owners to take a prerequisite course on owning, and the responsibilities of dog ownership.
Regardless of which, it will cost all dog owners added aggravation and monies
Dick

[MikePal]

I see Montreal's SPCA is taking an active stance;

Montreal SPCA to take legal action against new bylaw targeting pit bulls


Montreal's SPCA will ask the Quebec Superior Court to review the city's new animal control bylaw in a bid to have the sections targeting "pit bull-type dogs" declared illegal.

The SPCA said the action will be presented at the Montreal courthouse on Thursday.
The bylaw, which will ban new ownership of pit bulls and pit-bull type dogs, was passed by city council on Tuesday, and goes into effect Oct. 3.
But the SPCA wants the sections of the new bylaw concerning "pit bull-type dogs" declared illegal on the following grounds:

• It discriminates by creating additional and punitive obligations for owners and guardians of pit bull-type dogs, which the SPCA argues are not dangerous.
• It is "vague and imprecise" in its definition of pit bull-type dogs and makes it "impossible to know which dogs fall into this category."
• It fails to include a means to challenge the designation of a dog as a pit bull-type breed.
• It contravenes Article 898.1 of the Civil Code of Quebec, which grants animals the status of sentient beings, as well as sections of the Animal Welfare and Safety Act.
• It is unreasonable that the bylaw treats all pit bull-type dogs as dangerous dogs despite what the agency says is the lack of credible evidence that they are inherently dangerous.

Animal rights advocates have criticized the bylaw, pointing out that many cities that have implemented similar legislation have since repealed the laws.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...ulls-1.3782670

[Gilroy]

I perceive the issue will eventually fall to one of two situations. It may be years away but:::
Insurance companies will ask on your home insurance policy if you own a dog, if yes up goes your insurance premium to off set lawsuits from dog bites.
Or
Government intervenes and requests all dog owners to take a prerequisite course on owning, and the responsibilities of dog ownership.
Regardless of which, it will cost all dog owners added aggravation and monies
Dick

Could you imagine,insurance company,do you own guns,what types,how do you secure them....$$$$$

[BDH]

Could you imagine,insurance company,do you own guns,what types,how do you secure them....$$$$$

There already doing different rates for male drivers vs female, young driver vs old, sports cars vs sedans. As home owners insurance has to pay more on liability cases regarding dogs the question will be asked when you apply for insurance. Up will go your premium. Over reactive , vote seeking politian's will jump on the wagon and impose legislation that all dog owners must be licenced, just like the boating society, and firearms.