The above picture is of Lucky a purebred Labrador Retriever
We were contacted this week by one of our readers in response to the article “Persecution, Ontario Style”. She was offering support in light of a very similar incident which happened last year to her mother, who wishes to remain anonymous.
The reader’s mother lives in
On a hot summer day in July, 2006, out of the blue, the doorbell rang.
The 64-year-old woman opened the door to find an Animal Control Officer (ACO) standing there. As it was such a hot day, she invited the officer into the house where it was cooler. He asked if he could see her dog. The woman obliged, assuming they were following up on the licensing program in Thornhill.
“Lucky”, a five-year-old Labrador Retriever, was licensed with the city. The woman went into the backyard and brought Lucky, who was wearing her collar and licence tag, into the house to meet the ACO.
The officer began to take many pictures of Lucky. He didn't ask Lucky's breed, age or anything else about her.
After he had taken the photos, he pulled out some papers which explained DOLA (Dog Owners Liability Act) and the amendments which ban American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and any dogs which are substantially similar to those breeds.
He then informed the woman that he was taking Lucky with him to be destroyed.
The shocked and horrified dog owner didn’t understand what was happening. She started to cry for fear of what would happen to her dog. To have an ACO arrive at your house unexpectedly and to invite them in on a hot day and then hear them say that they are taking your dog for destruction is almost incomprehensible.
At this point, the woman’s husband came into the room. He promptly escorted the officer off the property and told him not to come back unless he had a warrant and court order for the destruction of their dog.
One month later, two police officers showed up at this couple’s door and charged them under DOLA with owning a prohibited dog.
Lucky is a five-year-old black, purebred, registered Labrador Retriever.
The couple took the registration papers to their set court date which proved their dog is not banned in the
Imagine what would have happened had Lucky not been a registered purebred dog. How many dogs in the province are unregistered? How many are mixed breed dogs that CANNOT be registered? There is NO proof of your dog’s breed without registration papers. The Canadian Kennel Club estimates that only 10% of
The couple feel this whole situation may have started over a neighbour dispute over how to cut the hedge bordering on both properties. They have no proof because Animal Control won't release the names of complainants, but can’t think of any other reason why that ACO came knocking on their door on that nightmarish day.
Between the time of the visit and subsequent charges being laid and the court appearance the woman had a heart attack and was diagnosed with stomach ulcers. Her doctor attributed both to stress!
We hope she is well on her way to recovery!
It is sickening to think about what this Ontario Liberal Government has done to responsible citizens of this province!
It is now a crime to own somebody's idea of the wrong shape of dog in
It makes us very angry to know that responsible dog owners in the Province of Ontario were legislated into SECOND CLASS STATUS AND HAD THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS STRIPPED BECAUSE OF GRANDSTANDING AND GOVERNMENT IRRESPONSIBILITY!!
Footnotes:
Lucky is a shorter than standard, stocky pet dog. In the words of the owner “she still looks like a Lab, just a fat one!”
Lucky was named as such because the woman felt she was “lucky” her husband agreed to let her get a dog..
Notice to the dog owners of
No dog is safe in
On October 10, 2007, PLEASE VOTE! If you have never voted before, go to your polling station with identification and vote!
Please remember WHO LEGISLATED
Remember who is proud of their record and of their inhumane, unfounded legislation!
DO NOT VOTE LIBERAL!
Please educate yourself about who has the best chance of ousting the Liberal in your riding, and vote accordingly!
That is a shame!! another case is misidentification, except usually its the other way around, truly shows it does effect us all. Hope the owner is getting well, and Lucky is lucky again! and sudos for not giving up the fight!
Lori in NB
This was predicted when the law was proposed, that vindictive people would use the law against innocent dog owners and their unoffending dogs.
More blood on the Fiberals' hands.
Doesn't this sound like WWII Germany, Poland, etc. where if you had a largish nose, you were labeled a Jew, sent to the ghetto (if you were lucky!) or put on a train and invited to take a shower or tossed in an oven?
Why is the pendulum swinging so far the other way that our rights no longer exist thanks to our elected government “officials”? The burden of proof is on the innocent, and in a police state there is no one who is innocent.
God help us all.
– An Outraged and Ashamed US Citizen
Remember the attorney saying, “If it's brindle, it's a 'pit bull'“?
My BRINDLE rescue Great Dane is, in all likelihood, a purebred, and registered with the CKC. (Like many adult Danes, the tattoo inscribed on her as a puppy is now stretched and illegible, although the first letter appears to match her presumed year of birth. …Which tends to support the notion that she is a registered, purebred Great Dane.) However, as a rescue dog, her history is unknown. She was handed over as a stray. Had anyone been able to contact her original breeder, they would have. (Reputable breeders take back their dogs anytime, thoughout the dog's life, should ownership issues arise. No reputable breeder would let one of his/her dogs languish in rescue or face euthanasia at a shelter.)
Yet my Dane is sometimes “confused” for a 'pit bull'. Never mind that she's 3-4 times the size of a typical 'pit bull', or that she is, by every measure, the picture of a purebred Great Dane. She's brindle, and in the minds of some, that makes her a 'pit bull'.
The thing about the law is, if some flakey animal control officer or police officer (who likely know a lot less about dogs than I do) were to decide my dog is a 'pit bull', they're perfectly legally allowed to do just about anything they want to her. And unlike the owners of this Labrador Retriever (who earned his name, “Lucky”), I would have no definitive way of proving my dog is not a 'pit bull'. In fact, no one does…really. (The judge accepted the owners' registration papers, but nothing says he/she must.) My girl is a rescue dog, with an uncertain history…like every other dog I've, personally, owned, throughout a lifetime of dog ownership. Like the majority of dogs in Ontario, she's vulnerable to this kind of ignorance and hysteria.
There isn't a day that goes by I don't reflect on how terrible the situation is for all dog owners in Ontario.
Oh my, words cannot express how terrible this legislation is in our current society! What an awful story about Lucky. It's another reason for me not to vote Fiberal, never have and never will.
This is all BS! I'm not a fan of the Liberals but if this was true then the dozens of “pitbulls” at the humane society woudl have already been put down and not waiting for adotpion. Stupid Anti-Liberal BS propaganda.
Any dog owner is at the the mercy of their neighbours when disputes arise. The first day I moved into a townhouse the neighbour complained to animal control that my dogs were too big for my house (a sporting breed), nuisance barking, and that my yard was full of feces. I was served a summons to court within a month which I was able to get stayed. I ran a voice activated tape-recorder everyday and recorded the total amount of barking each day which was about 10 miinutes in total. Eventually there was nothing I could do right … the man had issues with my snow clearing, lawn mowing, house-keeping, garbage disposal, etc. Even the city lawyer said that the man had a vendetta for me and even if she was to put me and my dogs up against a wall and shoot us he still would not be satidfied. One day I came home late from work and the animal control was waiting across the street in an unmarked car. This was around 6 pm so well after working hours for them. Three of them came up like the gestapo demanding that I let them in my house. I refused and they walked away saying they would just get a court order. I was already looking for another house to buy and had a pre-arranged mortgage. Because of that they gave me time to move – I sold the townhouse at a huge loss just to get away from the situation. I am a person who shows my dogs and a responsible dog owner and this situation occurred years before BSL became an issue. Municipalities have far too much power over dog ownership and a person is assumed to be guilty under the legislation. That a Lab would be misidentified by an animal control officer as a pitbull is unbelievable. And even if Lucky was a pitbull why should she be banned for just being a pitbull? There is a difference between being a member of a breed and being a dangerous member of a breed due to poor socialization and training. There are more dangerous members of the human race doing unspeakable acts every year than in the dog population.
Actually, it isn't BS at all. This is a story forwarded to us by a reader we trust.
The thing is, there's no such thing as a 'pit bull', as stated by the lawyer defending the ban at Remedy this past June 28 and as ruled in a Guysborough, NS case.
Since the thing does not exist and cannot be defined objectively, every unregistered dog can be dubbed a 'pit bull' and the onus then lies with the owner to prove the dog isn't something that can't be defined and that doesn't exist.
It's called a witch hunt.
The dogs in shelters dubbed 'pit bulls' are not necessarily slated for death – only dogs perceived to have violated the provisions of the 'pit bull' regulations in Bryant's nightmarish legislation may be seized and put to death, sent to a research facility or shipped out of the province.
These violations could include escaping the yard, barking through the fence, being unmuzzled in public, being off lead, being intact and not a show dog, being too young, and more.
I'm not at all surprised that ACOs, acting on a tip from a nasty neighbour, would decide that a Lab is a 'pit bull'. Conformation Labs these days look like double-coated 'pit bulls', if you think about it. Same physique, same head, same size as one of the purebreds ignorantly called 'pit bulls' by people such as our current (and hopefully soon to be former) Attorney General.
Ontario is a hellhole for dog owners these days – nobody has to make stuff up, that's for sure.
hahahahahahahaha…
The “BS” comment was meant to be satirical, right?
Oooooohhhh..(wiping away tears of laughter)…thanks, Anonymous! That was hilarious!!
(The shelters that refuse to kill innocent dogs that were handed over, dumped, or confiscated, simply because they're of a 'pit bull' shape and are now illegal and reviled in Ontario, are the absolute best!!!)
With regret, I hate to tell you this story is absolutely true! What I am about to tell you is fact; since Ontario has been fact free since 2003. Dozens of purebred breeds have been targeted by this law because there is NO SUCH THING as a “pit bull”! Thousands of dogs have been killed in this province in fact the number was up over the 2000 mark shortly after the ban came into effect in Aug 2005! You don't hear it in the news because the media doesn't care. We have been directly, hands on involved in (to many to count) cases across the province of people being charged. There have unfortunately been few cases like this one (Lucky) where the owner has not given the dog to the authorities. Some of those dogs that have been seized, have been shipped out of province only because of public outcry and pressure. Most of them (the dogs) don't get the outcry and quietly disappear.
There is NO training required for ACO officers. I have first hand experience with this as well! It absolutely boggles my mind that people with NO animal experience are allowed to work as a bylaw enforcement officer. I have spoke to numerous ACO officers who willingly admit they have no idea how to catch a dog much less what breed it is! This is a crime in our communities. The Liberals downloaded ALL the enforcement onto the municiplities. They are simply NOT equiped to deal with the expense much less knowledge of how to enforce DOLA! There are many cities and towns that are quite anti (certain) breeds which is common knowledge. Windsor and Kitchener both had breed bans before Bill 132, along with many other towns! They have been on a witch hunt for some time prior to 2005. All it takes is an overachieving ACO officer, neighbor dispute, irrational fear of a stranger etc etc and you have a recipe for disaster for you and your dog!
The stories I have posted on this blog are truthful since I have physically gone to court with people, met them, talked to them and keep in constant contact with some of them to support them as they go through the process of fighting for thier dog! Unfortunately we do not have to spin stories. There are plenty of true life situations that would make your hair curl!
Before you throw around the comment of “this is BS” there should be some consideration for the thousands of people being terrorized by their own government in their own home! Don't blame the messenger, that this sounds ridiculous. The only blame that should be laid is toward the Liberal Government of this province! They are to blame for disregarding 4 solid days of committee hearings of 103 presentations, 86 which were AGAINST BSL! They are to blame for people loosing thier pets because of not muzzling, altering or simply being born later than Nov 29, 2005! And this includes crossbreeds of any breeds since there is NO WAY of proving your dog's breed unless they are a registered purebred! Your crossbreed dog's breed identification is 100% at the mercy of the ACO officer. They are to blame for having the FACTS presented to them from around the world and disregarding it like it didn't exist! They are to blame for stripping rights of responsible dog owners in Ontario, denying the truth, fighting us every step of the way instead of listening to reason, educating themselves with the alternatives (that actually work). They could have admitted they were wrong and implemented reason, logic and comon sense, instead of grandstanding and photo oping. That grandstanding, photo oping and implementation of Bill 132 has ruined many lives and stolen many pets from responsible owners in this province!!!
This I speak from experience. I hope next time you call BS you think of those who have suffered at the hands of the Liberals in Ontario!
To begin I've been anti-liberal for many reasons and now this ads one more. I was recently forwarded the link to this site by my Shar-Pei Breeder. Fortunately enough I have never heard of an officer coming to a home in my community to aprehend a dog, maybe its a Northern Community advantage. However it truly does bother me that those who are in charge of deciding a future for a family pet that has caused no trouble are not better educated on dog breeds. Its amazing how many people have labelled our pure-bred Chinese Shar-Pei (with papers) a pug. (go on those of you who know your dog breeds and have a good laugh) I usually look at them like they have rocks for brains and then politely correct them. This is not my may fear though, my fear lies in the love of my live, my white pure-bred boxer (without papers). On many occassions people will walk to the other side of the street or stop and stare and I just know they presume he's a “pitbull” simply because he is white and many people have never seen a white boxer because they do not meet so-called breed standard and many breeders kill white pups because of this. I am always quick to tell them he is a boxer, not that I have anything against pitbulls but because too many people are judgemental and I don't want someone judging my loving baby. My boyfriend and I take exceptional care of our pets, they are our family. They are well socialized with humans and other pets. But there are owners out there who take pride in watching their dogs fight or bark and pull at the end of their chains, and many of whom own dogs other than “pit bulls”, but no one is keeping an eye on them. I cannot believe that this poor black lab would be considered a “pit bull” by anyone without rocks for brains. I also know a lot of responsible stafforshire terrier owners and beautiful dogs who are as loving as my boys and then I rescued a Akbash (turkish sheepdog) from a co-worker of mine who had been the runt of his litter, in constant competition for food and had been sprayed with a hose by a neighbour who had no reason not to like the dog, on the third day with this dog I went to put his dinner dish down and he attacked me, sunk his teeth into my arm and jumped at me with all his 120lbs. The humane society monitored him for 10 days before putting him to sleep and they suggested he had been overbred with some mental health issues. You never really know, I was also bit as a young child by a dog that was half cayote and still i have no fear of dogs, I am just more cautious and know when it is safe to approach a dog other than my own. I really hope this legislation is changed more to the affect of protecting the good owners and pets and protecting good pets from bad owners. I know where my vote is going.
WOW…
I would think that with the passing of such a vague law, that they would train the ACO's a bit on how to identify a dangerous breed of dog,( on a side note, most times the owner is to blame for the anti-social behavior of the pet) and perhaps make it manditory to get a court order before removing and destroying a member of a persons Family!
Being from a family with multiple dogs,(rescues for the most part) I can empathise with the woman spoken of in the above artical, and I am absolutly Flabberghasted by the bullying tactics used by the ACO's.
As for the forementioned BS comment, some day when they knock upon your door the capture and kill ur chiwawa ( or what ever you own) under the pretense of it being a pit bull, I firmly believe u will change your tune… and it will be a sad tune indeed!
I am an avid dog lover and all the dogs I have ever owned (approximately 10), including the 4 I currently own are rescues. I do not agree with this 'pit bull' law at all. We are holding the breeds (for lack of a better word) responsible for the owners LACK of responsibility. I am a dog owner who trains my dogs to sit, stay, be quiet, come when they are called and be nice to people. I understand that some dogs have more of a natural instict to be agressive. One of my very lovely mutts is fear aggressive but as a responsible dog owner I do everything in my power to keep him out of harmful situation. The problem lies with people who do not train their dogs, who abuse or neglect their dogs and who do not respect the responsibilities that comes with owning a dog.
Every dog has the capacity to be agressive no matter how small or large. Just because you have a dog that is large does not mean it will be a problem, it just means you have more of a responsibility.
This issue saddens me that as a society we put the blame on an animal and do not step up and resolve the main issue.
- A sad 22 year old dog lover
Many pit bulls have been put down, or moved out of province through rescue organizations. I know this from personal experience. The Toronto Humane Society has a no-kill policy and if you look at their web site you will notice an unusual amount of the breed and type looking for homes. These dogs can be kept if the owners wish to muzzle them at all times and adhere to other unfair measures policies spelled out in the bill. At the time of the passing of this bill several MP”s were shown pictures of many dogs and asked to pick out the pit-bulls/ Staffordshire dogs and not one picked out the proper dogs yet expect the public to do so. As in the Lab article even the animal control officer didn't realise, or want to take the chance, that the dog was not a pit-bull like dog and had the authority to destroy the dog upon seizure. The really sad thing is that there is not a documented case of a Staffordshire attack in Ontario yet they are listed. This is not stupid Anti-Liberal BS propaganda. It is Liberal BS.
I am no fan of BSL and I am no fan of the Liberal gov't, but I do question the legitimacy of some of the “true life” stories posted here. It seems to me that Lucy, if indeed misidentified as a pitbull/pitbull mix, would still only be considered a restricted dog becuase of her age. Lucy was on private property and was therefor not in violation of the muzzle or leash law. It seems a bit far fetched to think the AOC was prepared to remove the dog for extermination on the spot, based on the dogs age alone. The ACO's may not be qualified enough to properly identify the 'banned' breeds, but they surely are familiar with which dogs are illegal and which are restricted. I have just read too many inconsistencies in these stories and find very little facts offered to back up the claims. It makes me uncomfortable and I too find myself questioning the agenda(s) of this site.
Exaggeration and/or sensationalism used to push your agend(s) is as distasteful to me as the anti-pitbull propaganda out there.
Hoo boy, another twit who thinks this whole thing is about 'pit bulls'…yawn….
I wish you Fiberals would stay on your own blogs, which likely advocate discrimination against citizens because of the appearance of property, stigmatization, subjective random enforcement, reversal of the burden of proof, the killing of innocent family pets because of their appearance and more.
I can't help but chuckle over all these commenters who are experts on Ontario's legislation. I wish we had a buck for every half-baked opinion we've heard over the past three years. Whether or not a dog is on 'private' (not mentioned at all in the law) property is irrelevant.
Obviously, like many others in extreme denial, you are unaware that with this law, they don't have to actually catch you doing anything wrong. That's one of One Trick Bryant's specialties.
One complaint from a nasty neighbour and you get put through the Inquisition. If you don't have registration papers, which is true of 90% of dog owners according to the CKC, there's no way in Hell you can prove your dog's breed, yet the onus is on you to do just that. Why do you think they put the burden of proof on a defendant? Because it's an impossibility. Makes a great legal precedent for a lazy, arrogant, incompetent government, doesn't it? Ask the car clubs how they're enjoying being on the receiving end of this crap now.
Get it?
Probably not, but Lucky for you, some of us do and are gong to bat to preserve your right to own legal property, to be presumed innocent and to be free from discrimination.
Thanks for coming out, now get back to Fib territory where you belong.
Here is something that might send the “BS” people for a loop. I own a purebred American pit bull terrier. She spent the first 3 years of her life in the city of MIssissauga. From 7 seven weeks on until she was three years of age. No stranger or aqaintance has ever identified her as her breed..a purebred APBT. She has been identified as (1) a boxer, (2) a plot hound, (3) a redbone mix, (4) a boxer lab cross and (5) a hound mix. I am not making this up. MY husband and I still talk about and we can not believe this!! People have been brain washed into believing something about three purebred dogs that just is not true. The fact that we bulldog people have educate people to this degree proves to me that there is a large percentage of people that should own dogs at all. And you say breed identification is a snap. Get with the program. And by the way, she fits the standard to a T whic means she does not weight 150 like ignorant Bryant said.
Ok, I'm not going to lurk here any more. I just can't take the idiots calling LUCKY's (and it is LUCKY not LUCY…fiberals need to learn to spell or type or something) story BS. Lucky is MY mother's Lab. She is a real dog., and the crap that the government put MY mother through was heartwrenching. MY mother suffered a heart attack and developed stomach ulcers because of the stress of the situation. All because of a nasty neighbour!
put up or shut up fiberal!
Are YOU kidding Me???? You think this is JUST about Liberal Propaganda? You HAVE got to be kidding me!!!! It is about the lives of innocent dogs which are being killed and MOSTLY FOR NO REASON AND it dosen't matter how sweet tempered they are, if they have wonderful disposition and have been raised in a loving and caring family IT IS BECAUSE OF HOW THEY LOOK. (God help us.)
Toronto Star Jan 23.07 500 DOGS KILLED IN PIT BULL BAN'S WAKE! I had a 14.5 year old Pit who was the best trained and SWEETEST dog you would EVER meet (people were amazed by her beautiful nature). For the LAST year of her life I had to MUZZLE this wonderful old girl. Someone who was around KIDS for the whole 14.5 years, other animals and humans and NOT ONCE did she do anything but love and obey. Before the muzzle happy! AFTER I couldn't get her to go for a walk and THIS alone could have KILLED her earlier rather than later. I KNOW of people who have had their dogs taken and know of other's that have incurred serious court costs. SHAME ON YOU.
I have NEVER know a Pit to weigh 140 lbs. My girl Glory was a Big Girl and weighted 55 lbs. Any idiot who is around dogs KNOWS that a dog OVER 55/60 lbs IS NOT A PIT. I have read so many papers blaming Pits but giving the weight and if it were NOT SO TERRIBLE it would be laughable. Bryant The Tryant didn't and hasn't got a clue. The bible says in Proverbs that man must respect and regard his animals. Boy is HE going to pay a price some day and RIGHTFULLY so.
Go talk to the president of the Toronto Humane Society (I have, in person). Ask him about the WEEKLY “visits” by Toronto Animal Services looking for illegal pit bulls.
They have a HUGE sign at their front door. The following is a paraphrase, but if you'd like the exact wording, feel free to visit and talk to them at the same time:
“If you are giving up your pit bull and, because of embarassment or some other reason, you tell us that the dog is a stray, it MUST be given to Animal Services and destroyed. Please, if you are giving up your own dog, bring in its veterinary paperwork so that we can prove it's a legal dog.”
I have also talked with a number of dog owners whose non-pit-bull dogs have been mistakenly identified BY AUTHORITIES (i.e., people who have the power to confiscate your dog and kill it). Some of these owners were able to convince the Animal Control or police officer. Others had to go to court to do it. Others had to move their dogs out-of-province (despite the misidentification) and still others have had their dogs killed.
I have talked to each personally. In some cases, I have met the dogs.
Bull Terrier
- stockbroker in Toronto walking on the street, stopped by police, forced to search basement of new house for registration papers
- city of London issued orders to register “pit bulls” to all London residents who owned bull terriers
Dogo Argentino / Mastiff cross
- owner (young Asian male) repeatedly stopped by police while driving
Great Dane / Whippet / Dalmatian mix (as identified by Canadian Kennel Club breed identification team)
- involved in an attack in Cambridge, identified by Animal Control and media as a “pit bull”, very few retractions later
Hungarian Vizsla (hunting hound)
- identified and confiscated by Animal Control, released out the back door on condition that the dog moved to live with the lady's husband in Alberta
Husky or Border Collie mixed with Lab
- owned by a friend who has had both Animal Control personnel and regular members of the public identify the dog as being “part pit bull”, I can't see any at all, but then what do I know?
Labrador Retriever
- the current case being discussed in Thornhill
Labrador Retriever / Boxer mix
- one dog owned by a vet in London where both parents are known (obviously one is a Lab and the other a Boxer), identified multiple times as a “pit bull” – used as part of expert witness testimony in court
- a dog owner in Kitchener charged with having a “pit bull” eventually after closing down her business, hiring a lawyer, and fighting the city in court, won the right to keep her dog
Neapolitan Mastiff
- world class breeder verified, PRIOR TO MOVING, that moving her kennel to a particular Ontario township would not be a problem – after moving, was told by the town that these “pit bull” type dogs were not allowed – hired a lawyer, fought the town, and won ($10,000 later).
Collie/Jack Russell mix
- dog attacked and killed its owner near Woodstock – owner and wife had had dog for five years – bought it as a Collie/Jack Russell mix – dog was identified as “pit bull” by Animal Control AFTER attack – Animal Control officer has admitted to not liking the breed
Three seven-week old mixed-breed puppies (possible Golden Retriever mixes)
- identified by Animal Control as “Staffordshire Bull Terriers” – identified by prosecutors as a “menace to public safety” – dogs only stayed alive by being moved to Quebec
Jack Russell Terrier mix and four-month-old mixed breed puppy
- identified by Animal Control as “pit bulls” – ordered for destruction – still alive because dogs are no longer at the residence and have not been produced for the prosecutors
Rottweiler
- not identified as a “pit bull”, but identified by police as a dog that is banned in Ontario – fortunately, owner was well-versed in the current law and told the police to go home
These are off the top of my head.
I have more.
Steve
Let's not forget that the editor of Dogs in Canada, who owns two Basenjis, often has her rescued boy mistaken for a 'pit bull'.
Then there was the kid who thought my Digby was a Rottweiler. Digby is a nine-pound smooth Brussels Griffon.
Someone here in the village thought I was being alarmist about the ban – until her UKC-registered American Bulldog was threatened with seizure in front of the variety store by a bored OPP officer. She had to go home and get his registration certificate – luckily, she had one.
The people I know who moved back from California with three Boxers, one a rescue and no show dog. They are super-paranoid about officials kicking in their front door to seize their unpapered Boxer. They live in Forest Hill, an expensive area of Toronto.
I think I'll move these over to a post on breed misidentification – always fun in an ironic kind of way. Then, everybody else can add theirs.
…All because of the previous THS board's foolishness, and losing the long-time city contract to take in strays.
I'll happily add mine to the list. (I've published this list many times, but I'm happy to do it as many times as is necessary for people to “get” it.)
My (by every rational measure) purebred, female, brindle Great Dane has been mistaken for the following breeds:
- 'pit bull'
- Mastiff
- Greyhound
- Boxer
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Doberman Pinscher
- Catahoula Leopard Dog
- Irish Wolfhound
- “a standard” As in, “A Great Dane? Oh, I thought that was a standard.”
…and, I'll admit, I still get a giggle when I type my (INEXPLICABLE!!!) favourites…
- Afghan Hound Dog owner@off-leash park explaining the rationale, “They shave Afghans, sometimes.”
- Dalmatian Pedestrian at off-leash park smiled and stated to me, “Nice Dalmatian,” and kept walking.
I don't think that what happened in this case has anything to due with the Liberal party or any party for that mater.
I think it had to do first off with the stupidity of the Animal Control office and his not presenting himself truthfully to this woman who could have corrected the situation immediately
So one stupid man and his lack of knowledge caused this not the government, get over it people and don't be so stupid
Uh-oh…I think 'Anonymous' super-sized his order of Stupid today.
Dude (and I assume you're a dude), who do you think brought in a ban on an imaginary breed of dog? Who legislated the owners of all breeds into second-class status? Who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of loving family pets and innocent puppies? Who cast a pall on dog ownership in the province? Who reversed the burden of proof, restricted the mobility of dog owners, allowed for warrantless entry and unreasonable search and seizure? Who failed to listen to the experts?
It wasn't Thornhill Animal Control…it was the Ontario Liberals, led by their own little martinet, Michael J Bryant, hopefully soon-to-be-former Attorney General of Ontario.
Therefore, the blame lies with them.
See?
Where can I get me some of those registration papers in a hurry??
Quick,somebody come and shave me,dye me or something.
I`m freaking out over here!
Another Twit?
After reading their comments,I wonder if it`s this Twit??
Although the video is gone,I kind like their grad photo from Law School.
Me thinks this blog is getting to someone!
Is this OUR KENN??
Is LUCKY OUR COUSIN???
How come we`re the last to realize this?
I thought Lucky looked a lot like Tupper!
No wonder Tupper keeps looking over her shoulder for Fibs.
I completely agree. I have a rescued APBT and he only weighs 53lbs. He is rather small for a male but also very true to the standard. Most people that meet him never think of a pit because he is small. They think these dogs should be what you would consider a mastiff. I think these people accussing these dogs should know what they are looking for and most of them are NOT APBT. These are dogs that have been breed up to a fighting size, which takes them out of the standard. You need to take every dog as an individual and not as a mass. BAN THE DEED NOT THE BREED. I love my dog and if that requires me to leave the area, so be it. He is my family.
That is horrible someone did this to you. Lucky is definitely a labrador retriever NOT A PIT BULL. You would not believe how many people make stupid mistakes like this. You said lucky was shorter. He is what they call an English labrador retriever. The American labrador retriever is taller with longer legs. I know I own 4 labrador retrievers. They are my babies. I am so glad your husband showed up and stopped them. I volunteer at a shelter and am trying to save as many animals from getting euthanized as possible. You would not believe how they mislabel breeds. I constantly have to complain trying to keep the breeds straight. The had a chocolate labrador labeled as a pit bull. She was a purebred labrador.
I see this happen all the time and it horrible. I think if you are going to be in an occupation that deals with animals you need to know the breeds before you make decisions.
well first of all, the pitt bull ban came into effect in 2005 I believe? So this dog, being 5 years of age and if it were a pitt bull has every right to walk this earth. We own one, and trust me, he is the most talked about dog on our street. He's a bit taller than a pitt bull, but unfortunatley looks like one. We believe he has a bit of Dogo in him. He is the most well mannered dog in Etobicoke. He doesn't beg nor steal food. I could have a plate of food inches from him and he sits and doesn't mind it. He's such a suck really, and just wants to play.
It's too bad that woman lives in a neighbourhood with uneducated people. I would put my house up for sale immediately as who knows what is going to happen next?
The Labrador is considered the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in the world, and is by a large margin the most popular breed by registration in the United States (since 1991), the United Kingdom, and several other countries.It is also the most popular breed of assistance dog in the United States, Australia, and many other countries, as well as being widely used by police and other official bodies for their detection and working abilities. bocanci de protectie
This is what is happening now all over the world with this insane banning of dogs!!! I hope this family can sue and win their case. I live in the United States and it is happening here too. Dogs that have done nothing wrong, being seized impounded for months and then sometimes killed in the end. Not to mention the heart break, anxiety for the owners and their dogs, and the financial costs, they are being charged daily, while trying to go through the court system to get their dog back, and sometimes after all of this, the dog is killed anyway.
We need to do all we can in your country and mine to stop this insane banning of dogs.
The Labrador retriever is the greatest dog .. it is like so gentle and cute and funny and very playful and it is great with kids. scarpa lavoro
What is your point? Or should everyone list a breed of choice and substitute it for Labrador retriever? I think we are all grown up enough to know this isn't about breed! and no dog owner is immune to the BS of BSL!
His point is he's a spammer/troll.
Ignore him.
I have been setup by pure hate and false allegations and my poor baby girls have to pay for this. What is this world coming to……. ?? SO TWO INNOCENT DOGS THAT WERE INSIDE THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT GET THE BLAME. THERE IS NO PROOF … BUT ONLY A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. SO HOW DID MY DOGS EVEN STAND A CHANCE…………. TO ME THAT IS IN HUMANE.
In the mean time my dogs Ginger and Nyla are developing physical and psychological trauma and it appears that the court may be waiting for me to voluntarily euthanize my dogs. My dog’s physical and mental health is deteriorating while waiting for an appeal. I have been visiting my dogs at this horrible place and you should see the way these animals are being treated. It will make you sick to your stomach how even 12-week year old puppies are being put down. Please read my petition and sign it. This is just way out of hand.
I have been setup by pure hate and false allegations and my poor baby girls have to pay for this. What is this world coming to……. ?? SO TWO INNOCENT DOGS THAT WERE INSIDE THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT GET THE BLAME. THERE IS NO PROOF … BUT ONLY A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. SO HOW DID MY DOGS EVEN STAND A CHANCE…………. TO ME THAT IS IN HUMANE.
In the mean time my dogs Ginger and Nyla are developing physical and psychological trauma and it appears that the court may be waiting for me to voluntarily euthanize my dogs. My dog’s physical and mental health is deteriorating while waiting for an appeal. I have been visiting my dogs at this horrible place and you should see the way these animals are being treated. It will make you sick to your stomach how even 12-week year old puppies are being put down. Please read my petition and sign it. This is just way out of hand.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/19017.html
Online petition – Release Erica's dogs: Nyla and Ginger from custody
i live in bc and recently bought a puppy myself, they told me she was a hound/heeler mix of some sort. well getting her home and to the vet we realized she was infact a chocolate lab pitbull mix, shes a georgous little girl with a wonderful disposition even the vet said so when we brought her in, it sickens me to think that if i lived just a couple provinces away someone could take her and kill her and i could do nothing to prove her innocence, my own heartfelt apologies go out to those who have already lost their beloved family members to this cruel, unfair, and plain corrupt government and its bad decisions in legislation. hopefully this mess can be corrected before more good dogs are unjustly murdered
Vets are not trained or authorized to assess breeds and nobody can definitely identify a mixed breed dog, especially a pup.
Do NOT licence your dog as a 'pit bull' mix and tell your vet to put 'houndxheeler' on your records. If he/she argues with you, change vets.
BC is heating up, BSL-wise and I strongly advise every dog owner there to avoid mentioning, licensing or having their dog recorded as anything that could be thought to be a 'pit bull', even though the breed does not exist.
Be careful. The noise in the media and in public offices is very similar to the lies and propaganda that were spewed here before our ban came in.
How is this possible? People should have rights, to own a dog, without risking some jerk, is taking the law into his own hands.
Read more about dog rights at: http://www.hunderacer.info
Don't waste another minute – by searching the internet
There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain by getting on board now.
The inhumanity of it all! Even if a dog might be dangerous, with proper training it can be as harmless as a kitten. I don't see any connection between Labradors and Pit bulls so why kill the dog?
_________________
Mary-Anne Davis, part of Traduceri autorizate team.