Category Archives: Canada

Winnipeg, MB, Canada: City will not repeal breed ban

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Contact information for Winnipeg City Hall:
City Hall, Council Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1B9
Contact page for Councillors: http://www.winnipeg.ca/council/contact.stm

Facebook group to repeal the ban: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Repeal-Winnipegs-Pit-Bull-Ban/166789433355315?v=wall

City won’t lift ban on pit bulls

By: Jen Skerritt
Posted: 1:00 AM

WINNIPEG’S ban on pit bulls is here to stay as officials worry lifting it could cause more overcrowding in city animal shelters.

Last year, animal advocates urged the city to consider repealing the pit-bull ban as part of its wider review of responsible pet ownership. [...]

Winnipeg’s revamped pet-ownership bylaw will not be made public until fall, but on Monday, animal services chief operating officer Leland Gordon said the department does not support repealing the ban. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/29/12 from http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-wont-lift-ban-on-pit-bulls-155263825.html

All alerts for Winnipeg: http://stopbsl.com/?s=winnipeg

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Wagmatcook, NS, Canada: Whispers of BSL

Posted on May 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Back in January, Wagmatcook First Nation reserve band council had a “pit bull” ban on their agenda. That effort did not succeed, but after a recent dog bite(involving a dog that was tethered), some in the community are apparently calling for a breed ban again.

Wagmatcook First Nation is a reserve. This is all the contact information I have.

Council of Wagmatcook Band, P.O. Box 30001, Wagmatcook, NS B0E 3N0
Chief Norman Bernard, Wagmatcook First Nation
Tribal Council: Union of Nova Scotia Indians, P.O. Box 237 Baddeck, NS B0E 1B0
Phone: (902) 295-2598
Fax: (902) 295-3398

Pit bull attacks Cape Breton woman

New calls to ban the breed on Wagmatcook reserve

CBC News Posted: May 18, 2012 7:47 PM AT

[...] The January attack sparked calls for a ban on pit bulls on the reserve. Peck seconded that call, adding there are a lot of them in the community.

“They should ban the dogs around here, because the owners are making them more aggressive. They’re already aggressive anyway,” she said. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/20/12 from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/05/18/ns-woman-bit-pitbull.html

All alerts for Wagmatcook: http://stopbsl.org/?s=wagmatcook

 

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Posted in Canada, Whispers of BSL

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Ontario, Canada: Final committee hearing on Bill 16, May 9

Posted on May 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Bill 16, which would repeal the breed ban in Ontario, will have a final hearing in the Standing Committee of Regulations and Private Bills on May 9 at 9:00 AM.

If the bill passes the committee, it will be ready for a third reading in the full Ontario Legislative Assembly—but the majority party has to call it for a third reading, and it’s not clear if that will happen.

There should be a live webcast on May 9, starting at 9:00 am, if you want to follow the clause-by-clause voting on Bill 16: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/go2.jsp?Page=/webcast/webcast_main&locale=en&menuItem=dandp_webcast

You can read the transcripts from the previous committee hearings here:

(April 25) http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committee_transcripts_details.do?Date=2012-04-25&ParlCommID=8962&BillID=2552&Business&locale=en&DocumentID=26243

(April 18) http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committee_transcripts_details.do?locale=en&Date=2012-04-18&ParlCommID=8962&BillID=2552&Business&DocumentID=26206

All alerts for Ontario Bill 16: http://stopbsl.com/?s=%22Bill+16%22

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Posted in Canada, Proposal to Repeal

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Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Dog owner wins battle against breed misidentification

Posted on April 29, 2012 by | 1 Comment

After nearly two years, an Oshawa dog owner has won a legal battle with the city. Animal control identified her nonaggressive dog as a “pit bull” and scheduled it for death; she fought the breed ID in court and finally won.

Ontario Bill 16 would repeal the “pit bull” ban and put a stop to senseless legal nightmares like this. If you have not already written to Ontario lawmakers to show your support for Bill 16, please do so today. (If you have, please continue to do so.)

‘Pit bull’ dispute: Oshawa woman wins battle to keep dog from being euthanized

Alyshah Hasham, Staff Reporter

If Scarlett is a pit bull she dies, if she is a Rhodesian ridgeback-boxer cross she lives.

Differentiating the two took a year-and-a-half-long legal battle for Scarlett’s owner Jane Nolan after Oshawa animal services workers labelled the dog a pit bull when she escaped into a neighbour’s yard. [...]

Since the pit bull isn’t considered a breed of dog in Canada — it’s a generic term used in the Dog Owner’s Liability Act to ban breeds like Staffordshire bull terriers or even dogs resembling them — it can be near impossible to identify them, even for vets.

“There is no scientific basis to assess whether a dog is a pit bull or not … Veterinarians, some will identify them, some don’t feel comfortable identifying them,” said Jerry Conlin, director of municipal law enforcement and licensing in Oshawa. [...]

Full article retrieved 4/29/12 from http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1168114–pit-bull-dispute-oshawa-woman-wins-battle-to-keep-dog-from-being-euthanized

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Posted in Breed Identification, Canada, Results of BSL

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Ontario, Canada: Bill 16 committee testimony from April 18 hearing

Posted on April 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Bill 16, which would repeal the Ontario breed ban, had a public hearing in committee on April 18.

Testimony was unanimously in favor of Bill 16 and breed ban repeal. Several excellent speakers made smart arguments.

If you would like to read the hearing transcript: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committee_transcripts_details.do?locale=en&Date=2012-04-18&ParlCommID=8962&BillID=2552&Business&DocumentID=26206

If you would like to watch the hearing video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BkkKPt5WbLA

The next committee hearing on Bill 16 will take place on April 25.

All alerts for Ontario Bill 16: http://stopbsl.com/?s=%22Bill+16%22

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Posted in Canada, Proposal to Repeal

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Ontario, Canada: Committee public hearing on Bill 16, April 18 & 25

Posted on April 16, 2012 by | 2 Comments

The Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills will hold public hearings on Ontario Bill 16 (to repeal the province-wide “pit bull” ban) on April 18 at 8:00 AM in Room 1 and again on April 25. More information about attending committee hearings.

If you wish to make a written submission in support of Bill 16, please read the below information.

Bill 16, An Act to amend the Animals for Research Act and the Dog Owners’ Liability Act with respect to pit bulls

The Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills will meet to consider Bill 16, An Act to amend the Animals for Research Act and the Dog Owners’ Liability Act with respect to pit bulls.

The Committee intends to hold public hearings in Toronto on Wednesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

Interested people who wish to be considered to make an oral presentation on Bill 16 should contact the Clerk of the Committee by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, 2012. [Testimony sign-up date already passed.]

Those who do not wish to make an oral presentation but wish to comment on the Bill may send written submissions to the Clerk of the Committee at the address below by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

An electronic version of the Bill is available on the Legislative Assembly website at: www.ontla.on.ca

Room 1405, Whitney Block/Bureau 1405, édifice Whitney
Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON  M7A 1A2
Telephone/Téléphone: (416) 325-3506
Facsimile/Télécopieur: (416) 325-3505
TTY/ATS: (416) 325-3538
E-mail/Courriel: tamara_pomanski@ontla.ola.org

Read More About Bill 16

Previous alerts for Bill 16: http://stopbsl.com/?s=%22Bill+16%22

You may read the text of Bill 16 here: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet&BillID=2552

Local groups working for Bill 16: http://supporthersheysbill.com/http://www.bringbackthebulls.com/

Facebook pages/groups: http://www.facebook.com/groups/168292380876/ http://www.facebook.com/Supporting.Hersheys.Bill

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Posted in Canada, Proposal to Repeal

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Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: City committee to discuss possible BSL repeal, March 19

Posted on March 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Community Services Committee is set to discuss the possibility of BSL repeal on March 19 at 9:30 AM. View the agenda and supporting documents. The supporting documents are a particularly interesting read.

Please continue to send RESPECTFUL correspondence that highlights the many problems with BSL, offers effective breed-neutral alternatives, and requests the removal of the breed-discriminatory language in the current ordinance.

City of Edmonton, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 2R7
Phone: 780-442-5311
E-mail: 311@edmonton.ca
Mayor contact form: http://webproxy.edmonton.ca/forms/Contact311/default.aspx
City Councillors: Councillors@edmonton.ca

Sadly, the following news article is fairly inaccurate. Contrary to the article headline, the city report did not make a recommendation to either keep or repeal the city’s BSL. The article made several other inaccurate statements. The supporting documentation at the agenda link, provided above, is a much more informative and accurate primary source.

Change dog breed restrictions: city report

BY TANARA MCLEAN, EDMONTON SUN
FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012 05:07 PM MDT

City dog breed restrictions could be pooched in the near future.

A city committee is set to hear the pros and cons of whether or not changes should be made to current animal control bylaws. [...]

As it stands only two breeds are restricted under city laws — the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier. [...]

Full article retrieved 3/18/12 from http://www.edmontonsun.com/2012/03/16/change-dog-breed-restrictions-city-report

All alerts for Edmonton: http://stopbsl.com/?s=edmonton

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Posted in Canada, Proposal to Repeal, Results of BSL

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