ET TU, PQ?

 

Someone in a Facebook group I follow (the "Pit Bull" Co-Op) raised an excellent point. How is it that Quebec plans to ban "pit bulls" as quickly as possible? The province of Quebec recently passed a law stating that animals such as dogs are sentient beings.

They will ban sentient beings because of qualities they can't change, their physical characteristics? Talk about cognitive dissonance. 

We all agree it's not the dogs, it's the owners who are being marginalized.  Dogs don't have civil rights, probably because they can't read or give informed consent. They are just the tool in the toolbox, right?   The way in. 

It's about targeting the perceived 'other': the gangsta, the dealah, the punk, the thug, or, if you prefer your bigotry straight up, the black, the brown, the young, the poor. "Those people" as city official Bob Fitzgerald said in Aurora CO to media, weren't welcome in Aurora if they were trying to escape Denver's ban.*

There are no data to support the rather whimsical view that physical characteristics are a predictor of behaviour.  In fact, researchers who study this kind of thing are finding more evidence all the time that breed is also not a reliable predictor of behaviour.  Neither breed nor shape would be able to predict a behavioural pathology, which is what people who fear "pit bulls" are talking about.

Breed-specific legislation (BSL) could be funny, I suppose, from the right angle.  It is definitely the stuff of theatre and one day, we will hopefully all look back, shake our collective heads and wonder what the hell was going on in our legislative offices in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.  Right now, though,  it's obscene, unsupportable and alien to anyone who believes in a democratic society.  The beauty of targeting a tiny minority - and according to kennel club registrations, the three breeds usually named are among the rarest in Canada - is that most people will not care. They certainly don't care about "pit bulls" (whatever they are supposed to be - the definition seems rather, er, fluid, to say the least) because of a long-running propaganda campaign by a complicit media structure desperate for audience share.

They don't care about punks and thugs either because if you aren't doing anything wrong, well, you know how it goes, except that BSL allows the state to target people in the absence of any wrongdoing. It allows the state to walk into your house, stop you on the street, search your car, seize your property, all without a warrant, simply because you own a dog.

Any dog.

Think about that for a second. 

If you doubt what I'm telling you, take a couple of minutes to read the current version of a once-useful but now destructive law, Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act.  Think outside the "pit bull" and you'll see what I mean.

_____ 

* Council Woman Molly Markert was even more fun:

"Oh, you bet if I could, I would ban the owners, too," said Markert. "By banning the dogs, we lose the violent behavior that comes with the owners."

Markert said, for her, the bottom line is that breed bans make people feel safer.

"It's not about a fact, it's about a feeling," said Markert.

Well, at least she's honest.

More here, from a good page : Majority Project, put together by Animal Farm.

This old blog of mine from 2008 discusses the folly that is Aurora's "pit bull" ban:  Aurora Colorado Must be High

Comments

[Cindy Moynan]

June 15, 2016
In regards to BSL, Breed Specific Legislation
In the light of recent events, we would like to send our condolences to the families who have suffered harm and loss of loved ones. This is not taken lightly and your pain is understood and
felt by everyone.
But we plead please do not turn this into a witch hunt, when we suffer we wish revenge upon the ones who have caused it whether it is a person or in this case a breed of dog. But this is
not our heads speaking it is our pain. The media does a great job vilifying this breed every chance it gets, yet when other events occur, nothing is mentioned about the breed, only big dog
etc...
So we wish to make ourselves clear, Breed Specific Legislation does not work. Just look to Ontario, ask the Montreal SPCA, it does not work it only sweeps the problem under the
preverbal rug.
It is important for all levels of municipal government to take a step back and consider all the aspects regarding this tragic loss of life at the hands of an irresponsible dog owner.It is easy to
ban a breed type in hopes that a tragedy such as this will never happen again.However ,research has shown time and time again that this is not the case.
The media will parallel this tragedy to support the banning of certain breeds of dogs, it will spin the story of Ontario as a success.This however is not true.Since the bans implementation
over there have been more incidents involving dog attacks.Its only the breed involved that has changed.
People who do not support these types of laws believe that no specific breed is inherently bad or prone to aggression..Genes are a road map, not a destination,states LeeAnn O’Reilly,
President of the Dog Legislation Council of Canada ( herein referred to as the DLCC ). “ Underneath the fur, all dogs respond to training, socialization and positive human interaction..With
over 12 different types of known aggression in dogs, all of which can become reality for a variety of reasons, a good dog owner recognizes the signs and makes sure their dog does not
pose a danger to anyone.Genes may be the foundation of a dog but in the hands of a responsible dog owner, any dog is a safe dog.”
Providing for public safety is the only goal upon which we as dog owners and non dog owners alike must agree on and work together to attain .Public safety cannot succeed once
government places dog owners against law makers.Breed specific legislation should not be legislated in a province which prides itself on independent thought and manner, so why would
this province follow in the failed footstep of others?
This is where the Dog Legislation Council of Canada comes in. The goal of DLCC is to help lawmakers to create non-breed specific regulations.The DLCC has worked with over 6
provinces and countless communities to do just that.
Breed specific legislation ( BSL )
What's the worst that could happen?
Home insurance will be more expensive or even refused when a city or a dog breed banned in other countries, canine companions "pitbull" are gentle, or even trained as therapy dogs
heroes.
Photos of garbage pails full of banned breed carcasses are the only remaining testimony of these pets. Imagine how you would feel if you were out for a walk with your family, including
your canine companion, and your dog has been snatched away from you. Without cause or reason your dog would be sentenced to death and you could do nothing to stop it.
Since the implementation of the provincial ban, deaths increased each year (2 deaths in a year and a third in the second) and not by one of the banned breeds or mixtures thereof while
statistics bites also showed no change. Deaths in Canada are attributed to racial / mixtures that are generally not highlighted by the media, nor prohibited in our country (type husky rank
No. 1 target but we NEVER naming breeds) money spent ...... in the application, administrative hours, shelter, and legal costs far exceed any value of public safety and discernible in time
have the opposite effect of what was desired with the increased bans ... Underground farm where dogs are not seen by veterinarians, etc., no socialization, we see little or no change in
bite statistics because careless owners will then have other breeds / type etc. etc.
Maybe instead of condemning a type of dog breed you would be better served in the prevention of cruelty to animals and prohibiting animals sold in stores that promote the breeding of
dogs in puppy mills. Maybe instead of banning breeds you could invoke a law to ban dogs chained 24/7 which is known promote aggressive behaviour in dogs and is a very cruel practice
here in our county. (Dayhttp: //www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/20/quebec-dogs-chained_n_8164292.htm)
http://www.parl.gc.ca/LEGISInfo/BillDetails.aspx?billId=8122718&Language=E&Mode=1 An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Fisheries Act, the Textile Labelling Act, the Wild Animal
and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act and the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (animal protection)
links:
Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) FAQ
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dog-legislation/breed-specific-legislation-bsl-faq/
It is because of so many BSL Pit Bulls end up in shelters in these areas. Some of them are lucky enough to be pulled by rescues and taken elsewhere, but many of them are simply put
down.
I talked a little about how BSL is costly and inefficient, but it bears repeating. Study after study has shown that banning pit bulls does not reduce dog bites, and in fact only increases non-Pit
Bull breeds of dog bites such as Labradors and Boxers. This proves that all the statistics you can find on Pit Bulls attack people more often than other dogs are an example of the
correlation, not causation. All things being equal, Pit Bulls incredibly high rates in temperament tests. Higher even than Golden Retrievers and many other races.
http://barkpost.com/pit-bulls-shelters-question/
Perhaps the most harmful consequence of laws specific to the breed is their tendency to compromise rather than enhance public safety. As some breeds are regulated, individuals who
exploit aggression in dogs are likely to turn to other races, unregulated (Sacks et al., 2000). Following the enactment of a pit bull ban in 1990 in Winnipeg, Canada, rottweiler bites has
increased significantly (Winnipeg reported bites to statistics, from 1984 to 2003). However, following the adoption of Winnipeg of a law on dangerous dogs neutral race in 2000, pit bull
bites have remained low and the two Rottweiler and total dog bites have decreased significantly (Winnipeg bites reported statistics, 1984-2003). At Council Bluffs, Iowa, Boxer and
Labrador Retriever bites have increased sharply and total dog bites spiked following the adoption of a pit bull ban in 2005 (Barrett, 2007).https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-andposition-
statements/position-statement-breed-specific-legislation
Committee Transcripts: Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills - 2012-Apr-18 - Bill 16, Public Safety Related to Dogs Statute Law Amendment Act, 2012 http://
www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committee_transcripts_details.do?locale=en&BillID=2552&ParlCommID=8962&Date=2012-04-18&DocumentID=26206
Moreauville Alderman reverses position we pitbull, rottweiler ban nationwide backlash after-http://www.nola.com/news/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/11/moreauville_alderman_reverses.html
http://spadescantons.com/
https://www.avma.org/public/Pages/Why-Breed-Specific-Legislation-is-not-the-Answer.aspx
http://www.adbadog.com/p_pdetails.asp?fpid=48
http://www.voiceless-mi.org/bsl/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arin-greenwood/why-i-care-about-pit-bulls_b_7992130.html
http://www.pickthepit.com/ very few people can actually correctly identify a "pitbull or pitbull mixed race"
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/publications/38862585_Pit%20Bull%20ID%20Poster.pdf
GILLES PROULX
Friday, October 9, 2015 5:00
UPDATE Friday, October 9, 2015
Whenever a new unfortunate incident occurs involving a pit bull in the news is the same: some are calling the ban this breed. I am against this idea.
The problem is the fool at the end of the leash; not the dog. As German shepherds, who had such a bad reputation with the Nazis and became beloved and gentle dogs, pitbulls are not
"genetically" killers ..
http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2015/10/09/pitbull-la-betise-est-humaine
Cindy Moynan
Green Party of Canada
Dog Legislation Council of Canada (member)
Animal Cruelty Legislation Advocates Canada (member)
[email protected]
LeeAnn O'Reilly,
Pres.Dog Legislation Council of Canada
[email protected]
"Fighting ignorance since 2003..it's taking longer than we thought."
Charlene Myers
President @Animal Cruelty Legislation Advocates Canada and Captain’s Legacy: Ending Animal Abuse
ACLA Canada advocates for the improvement of Canadian animal cruelty legislation and its enforcement. We recognize "The Link," understanding that animal cruelty is a crime of violence
against animals and a red-flag indicator of the potential for animal abusers to be participating in other criminality, including violence toward humans.

[Kathy Green]

Political ignorance, owner recklessness and irresponsibility from the minority, has led us to the ongoing fight to protect pit bull type dogs, end Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) and breed discrimination world-wide.

Hastily made decisions made by political parties at all level of government continue to impact both animals and humans within our communities. On top of these irrational decisions to implement loose laws, the entire enforcement system for animal welfare needs a great deal of improvement as well. The irresponsibility by the minority goes unpunished and the innocent majority are the ones who are made to suffer with this type of knee jerk reaction to implement laws which, at the end of the day, are not correcting the root of the problem.

The citizens of such cities should be outraged by this as no adequate consultation, examining causes or facts was conducted in a democratic manner.

Innocent dogs and their families should not have to suffer further by this type of action and enforcement systems that continue to fail the most vulnerable among us. Every individual animal matters.