To celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day many gathered with their dogs by their side at Lemieux Island Park on Sunday.
Organizer Alix Packard from ‘Ottawa Citizens against Breed Specific Legislation’ says together they stand up against any ban on pit bulls.
In Ontario pit bulls have been banned since 2005, but it is only recently that the city of Montreal in Quebec approved a new bylaw that does not allow for new ownership of pit bull or pit bull type dogs.
The changes come after a dog suspected to be a pit bull, but not proven, attacked and killed a Montreal Woman. Despite challenges against the new bylaw, Montreal’s Mayor continues to push forward saying it is being done for safety reasons.
Packard says the city of Montreal can continue to expect backlash.
“I think they’re (protesters) going to keep doing the city council protests every month until the mayor realizes this is a terrible idea and they’re not going to back down, and neither will I.”
The owner of a three-year-old Pitbull, Colleen Sine, says any dog can be aggressive if they are not taken care of properly.
“I think it is racial profiling. It’s not the dog, it’s not the breed, it’s the people that raise them, and it’s the owners and how you train them,” Sine said Sunday at the gathering in Ottawa.
There have been at least three reported attacks by dogs proven or suspected to be pit bulls in Ottawa this year.
Since 2005, the city has recorded more than 4,100 dog bites and 16 on them were by pit bull or pit bull type mixes.
