September 26, 2011
Dog Legislation Council of Canada
Dear Ms. Prothro and Colleagues:
Thank you very much for your letter and survey on behalf of the Dog Legislation Council of Canada. I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond. To answer your questions, I enlisted the help of our number one policy expert: our family dog, Mikki. Unfortunately, a squirrel got her attention and I am forced to answer on my own.
I am a firm believer in the rewards of pet ownership. Having Mikki in our lives ensures that Terri and I get out for regular walks and exercise. Her companionship helps us relax at the end of a stressful day. Simply put — our family adores her and we don’t know what we’d do without her.
As a pet owner, I also know that dog ownership is, first and foremost, a responsibility.
A few years ago, Ontario Liberals made the decision to restrict pit bulls. After a series of horrific accidents around the province, we decided that the interests of public safety would be best-served by restricting that particular breed.
At the same time, we also toughened the penalties for the owners of any dog that poses a danger to the public.
• Fines for offences under the Dog Owners’ Liability Act were increased to a maximum of $10,000 and allow for jail sentences of up to six months for people who allow any kind of dog to bite, attack or pose a menace to the safety of a person or domestic animal.
• Fines were increased up to a maximum of $60,000 for corporations owning such dogs.
• Also, judges can now order restitution to be paid in relation to an offence under the act.
Because of the new legislation, today there are fewer opportunities for serious pit bull attacks — ensuring that the people who are most vulnerable to these attacks are out of harm's way.
I believe we need to maintain our efforts, because the remaining restricted pit bulls continue to pose safety issues. For instance:
• April 13, 2011 — Ottawa — An un-muzzled pit bull tore out the throat of a threeyear-old Shih Tzu that was being walked by his teenaged owner.
• April 27, 2011 — Orillia — a pit bull attacked and killed a small dog outside an Orillia apartment building. The pit bull was wearing a muzzle that came off during the attack.
Our position is that repealing this legislation would be a step backwards. We understand these changes may have presented challenges for some dog owners, but we are confident that all Ontarians want what is in the best interests of public safety.
I want to thank you for taking the opportunity to write to me and appreciate the opportunity to answer your questions. Please accept my best wishes.
Yours truly,
Dalton McGuinty
Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party
Premier of Ontario
If Dexter lived in Ontario who do you think would be next on his list?
ReplyDelete"the remaining restricted pit bulls continue to pose safety issues".. lists 2 instances. What about the other dog bites this year who weren't from "pit-bulls" and who's owners were not held responsible?? Dalton needs to remove his blinders and see that dog bites aren't all from "pit-bulls". I swear this guys reliable news source must be the Toronto Sun..
ReplyDelete“A study performed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and the Humane Society of the United States, analyzed dog bite statistics from the last 20 years and found that the statistics don’t show that any breeds are inherently more dangerous than others. The study showed that the most popular large breed dogs at any one time were consistently on the list of breeds that bit fatally. There were a high number of fatal bites from Doberman pinschers in the 1970s, for example, because Dobermans were very popular at that time and there were more Dobermans around, and because Dobermans’ size makes their bites more dangerous. The number of fatal bites from pit bulls rose in the 1980s for the same reason, and the number of bites from Rottweilers in the 1990s. The study also noted that there are no reliable statistics for nonfatal dog bites, so there is no way to know how often smaller breeds are biting.”
ReplyDeleteIn other words, as the story says, ”Biting has more to do with circumstances, behavior, training (or lack thereof), and ignorance on the part of human beings.”
CBSNews.com
When are we gonna ban stupid premiers who tell lies are closed minded and have no respect for the people who put him there. Banning a pitbull because it makes ontario safer is the dumbest thing i have ever heard. Its like punishing someone cause they might commit a crime.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how this naive idiot was voted in again. Honestly, if he even bothered to look at the stats, he's obviously just trying to cover his and his party's asses. Guess what Dalton, you are an ass.
ReplyDeleteThat reaction is exactly why I didn't vote for the lieberals. The fact that one dog got all the attention is the only reason McGoofy passed the ban. Whats next on there list, cars? because that is the number one cause of accidental deaths. Don't worry, they will make up some stupid statistic supported by their own to justify their next move. Andrea and Tim, band together and rid this province of this wandering idiot.
ReplyDelete