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| Montreal’s Pit Bull Ban Is Suspended Until Wednesday | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A Canadian judge on Monday temporarily suspended a new Montreal law that would have prevented residents from adopting or buying pit bulls and would have required anyone who already owns one of the dogs to register the animal, the Associated Press reported. | A Canadian judge on Monday temporarily suspended a new Montreal law that would have prevented residents from adopting or buying pit bulls and would have required anyone who already owns one of the dogs to register the animal, the Associated Press reported. |
| The regulations, approved last Tuesday, were drawn up after a woman was fatally mauled by a dog in June, and they were set to go into effect on Monday across all 19 boroughs in the Canadian city. The bylaw requires owners to pay higher fees for the animals than for non-pit bull types; to go through a criminal-background check; and to keep a muzzle on the dogs outside, even in fenced backyards. | The regulations, approved last Tuesday, were drawn up after a woman was fatally mauled by a dog in June, and they were set to go into effect on Monday across all 19 boroughs in the Canadian city. The bylaw requires owners to pay higher fees for the animals than for non-pit bull types; to go through a criminal-background check; and to keep a muzzle on the dogs outside, even in fenced backyards. |
| “The safety and sense of security of Montrealers are a priority,” Mayor Denis Coderre said in a statement after the vote, which he said provided for more stringent control measures. “I was deeply shocked at the recent events involving dog attacks,” he added. “As a responsible administration, it was our duty to examine this issue closely and make the appropriate decisions.” | “The safety and sense of security of Montrealers are a priority,” Mayor Denis Coderre said in a statement after the vote, which he said provided for more stringent control measures. “I was deeply shocked at the recent events involving dog attacks,” he added. “As a responsible administration, it was our duty to examine this issue closely and make the appropriate decisions.” |
| But opponents denounce the regulations, saying that they unfairly paint all pit bulls, and those dogs similar in appearance, as dangerous. Opposition council members, animal advocates and social media campaigns have protested, saying that the bylaw does not define “pit bull” and that it uses a breed-specific approach that has not worked in Canadian cities before. | But opponents denounce the regulations, saying that they unfairly paint all pit bulls, and those dogs similar in appearance, as dangerous. Opposition council members, animal advocates and social media campaigns have protested, saying that the bylaw does not define “pit bull” and that it uses a breed-specific approach that has not worked in Canadian cities before. |
| “We call it panic policy-making,” said Sterling Downey, an opposition councilman with the Project Montreal party. | “We call it panic policy-making,” said Sterling Downey, an opposition councilman with the Project Montreal party. |
| The regulations are suspended until Wednesday as Judge Louis Gouin considers a request from the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to throw them out, the Associated Press reported. | The regulations are suspended until Wednesday as Judge Louis Gouin considers a request from the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to throw them out, the Associated Press reported. |
| The group filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the city, saying it would seek to prevent the regulations from being enforced. It said that the bylaw would discourage adoptions and lead to more dogs being euthanized. | The group filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the city, saying it would seek to prevent the regulations from being enforced. It said that the bylaw would discourage adoptions and lead to more dogs being euthanized. |
| The decision to enact the measure came after a 55-year-old Montreal woman was bitten and killed by a dog in June. A Montreal police spokesman, Benoit Boisselle, said a neighbor found the woman dead in her backyard. The police shot and killed the dog when they arrived because it was too aggressive for the officers to approach, he said in a telephone interview on Friday. He said he did not know the breed of the dog. | The decision to enact the measure came after a 55-year-old Montreal woman was bitten and killed by a dog in June. A Montreal police spokesman, Benoit Boisselle, said a neighbor found the woman dead in her backyard. The police shot and killed the dog when they arrived because it was too aggressive for the officers to approach, he said in a telephone interview on Friday. He said he did not know the breed of the dog. |
| With their blocky heads and square jaws, pit bulls have a fearsome reputation in popular culture. They have often been portrayed as overly aggressive toward humans, or natural-born fighters and guard dogs. | With their blocky heads and square jaws, pit bulls have a fearsome reputation in popular culture. They have often been portrayed as overly aggressive toward humans, or natural-born fighters and guard dogs. |
| The dogs known by the catchall phrase as pit bulls fall into four breeds: the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier and the American bully. But pit bulls are also known as any mixed-breed dog with a blocky head and muscular build. | The dogs known by the catchall phrase as pit bulls fall into four breeds: the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier and the American bully. But pit bulls are also known as any mixed-breed dog with a blocky head and muscular build. |
| Online, they are either vilified or defended. There are videos of pit bull fights, gruesome bite photographs and archives of attacks. Animal experts say that the dogs’ reputation is unfounded and that blame for aggressive behavior should fall on their handlers. | Online, they are either vilified or defended. There are videos of pit bull fights, gruesome bite photographs and archives of attacks. Animal experts say that the dogs’ reputation is unfounded and that blame for aggressive behavior should fall on their handlers. |
| “There is this idea that somehow they are unstable, relentlessly aggressive and treacherous,” said Bronwen Dickey, whose book “Pit Bull: The Battle Over an American Icon” also questioned the basis for the fearful reputation of the animals, such as that they have extraordinarily strong biting jaws and are prone to using them. | “There is this idea that somehow they are unstable, relentlessly aggressive and treacherous,” said Bronwen Dickey, whose book “Pit Bull: The Battle Over an American Icon” also questioned the basis for the fearful reputation of the animals, such as that they have extraordinarily strong biting jaws and are prone to using them. |
| “There is always this narrative that they turn on you, that they are unpredictable,” she said. | “There is always this narrative that they turn on you, that they are unpredictable,” she said. |
| The dogs are generally about 65 to 80 pounds. Centuries ago, they were bred to be used in slaughterhouses to prevent bulls from escaping, said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University’s veterinary medicine college. As terriers, they tend to be territorial and individualistic. | The dogs are generally about 65 to 80 pounds. Centuries ago, they were bred to be used in slaughterhouses to prevent bulls from escaping, said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University’s veterinary medicine college. As terriers, they tend to be territorial and individualistic. |
| “They are not more aggressive than any other dog,” she said in an interview. “But the terriers tend to have, I would call them, a shorter temper,” she said, meaning they switch “from their thinking brain to their emotional brain faster.” | “They are not more aggressive than any other dog,” she said in an interview. “But the terriers tend to have, I would call them, a shorter temper,” she said, meaning they switch “from their thinking brain to their emotional brain faster.” |
| “If the human owner doesn’t have the ability to prevent that switch into the emotional brain, then that dog is off on its own,” she said. “Most of the times when these bans come into effect, it is one or two very tragic events that involved big dogs.” | “If the human owner doesn’t have the ability to prevent that switch into the emotional brain, then that dog is off on its own,” she said. “Most of the times when these bans come into effect, it is one or two very tragic events that involved big dogs.” |
| Harout Chitilian, a council member and the chairman of Montreal’s executive committee, said that since January 2015, there were 426 situations involving dog bites. Of the 362 cases in which the dogs could be identified, about half were pit bulls. | Harout Chitilian, a council member and the chairman of Montreal’s executive committee, said that since January 2015, there were 426 situations involving dog bites. Of the 362 cases in which the dogs could be identified, about half were pit bulls. |
| “It was a very, very difficult debate, but we looked at the figures,” he said. “We had a choice to be even more harsh, to eliminate ownership, but we recognized that they are part of the family.” | “It was a very, very difficult debate, but we looked at the figures,” he said. “We had a choice to be even more harsh, to eliminate ownership, but we recognized that they are part of the family.” |
| But Mr. Downey noted that the dog in the June attack was registered as a “bulldog” and that there were no DNA tests to prove it was a breed of pit bull or a mixed breed. | But Mr. Downey noted that the dog in the June attack was registered as a “bulldog” and that there were no DNA tests to prove it was a breed of pit bull or a mixed breed. |
| Certain breeds of dogs have also been banned in the United Kingdom, and in the United States the effectiveness of such laws is controversial because it is not clear whether they work, and they single out one type of animal. | Certain breeds of dogs have also been banned in the United Kingdom, and in the United States the effectiveness of such laws is controversial because it is not clear whether they work, and they single out one type of animal. |
| Other Canadian boroughs and cities, like Calgary, have tightened measures on animal ownership instead of instituting an outright ban. In Ontario Province, Ottawa has said it does not enforce the province’s ban, and Toronto is revising its breed-specific ban to include dangerous dogs, but not those specific to a breed, Mr. Downey noted. | Other Canadian boroughs and cities, like Calgary, have tightened measures on animal ownership instead of instituting an outright ban. In Ontario Province, Ottawa has said it does not enforce the province’s ban, and Toronto is revising its breed-specific ban to include dangerous dogs, but not those specific to a breed, Mr. Downey noted. |