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advocates have criticized the bylaw, pointing out that many cities that have implemented similar legislation have since repealed the laws. A spokesperson for the City of Montreal said the municipality has a "well-recognized" right to pass animal control regulations, especially where it concerns the safety of Montrealers. To read more on this story, click here:Montreal SPCA to Take Legal Action Against New Bylaw Targeting Pit Bulls
FOLLOW US!
Montreal just put hundreds of shelter dogs on notice: Get out of the city now or get put down. The Canadian city's new law, which was passed on Tuesday, is a terrifying ultimatum for animals whose only crime is being born a pit bull — loosely defined as American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American pit bull terriers or any mix of these breeds. Since the story broke, hundreds of individuals and rescue groups across Canada and the U.S. have been asking the same question: How can we help? It turns out there are a lot of ways to save these dogs. But not a lot of time. By October 3, just days from now, the legislation will prevent any pit bull from being adopted from the city's shelters. To read more on this story, click here:Here's How You Can Help Victims Of Montreal's Pit Bull Ban
City councilors in Montreal just signed a death warrant for thousands of dogs in the Canadian city. At a council meeting on Tuesday afternoon, legislators voted in 37 to 23 favor of breed-specific legislation, effectively outlawing any dog that resembles a pit bull — unless owners meet a strict set of conditions. "I have a responsibility as the mayor of Montreal to protect the citizens," Mayor Denis Coderre told reporters after the vote. But pit bull-type dogs currently in city shelters need not apply. Under the ban — which loosely covers American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers — no dog considered a pit bull can be adopted from Montreal shelters. "For dogs that don't have an 'owner' on the day of the passing of the legislation, the way the legislation is drafted, the dogs have to be euthanized," Alanna Devine, of the Montreal SPCA, told The Dodo last week. To read more on this story, click here:Montreal Just Delivered A Death Sentence To Thousands Of Dogs
