Cumberland, BC has repealed their law that required all 'pit bulls' to be muzzled. Dogs are now judged based on their behavior.
City officials noted that problem dogs come from problem owners -- and that the city needed to focus it's attention on finding those dogs instead of using up resources just tracking down pit bulls.
Darby Arsenault, the city's animal control officer, said that a lot of her focus had been on searching out dogst hat were pit bulls "even when they had done nothing wrong".
She also noted that a lot of cities are now moving toward a more breed-neutral, behavior-based appraoch.
The tide continues to turn against archaic breed-specific laws. Congrats to the folks in Cumberland for getting it right and joining the movement toward more-effective, behavior-based ordinances.
Yeah! As a visitor to Vancouver Island on occasion with my dogs, I appreciate this move. Makes me want to spend some $$ in Cumberland. My dogs would be baffled if they had to be muzzled, as would most dogs owned by loving owners. And how would they give us kisses?!
Posted by: Jen Brighton | June 20, 2011 at 04:53 PM
this is great news, but in the meantime Saginaw, MI apparently passed BSL. I can NOT believe cities still think BSL is effective.
Posted by: kmk | June 21, 2011 at 12:14 AM
They need to pass Human Specific Laws instead. That would be more effecive.
Posted by: Melinda Smith | July 15, 2011 at 07:39 PM
I meant effective. Darn keyboard!
Posted by: Melinda Smith | July 15, 2011 at 07:39 PM