The Pitbull Ban in Canada

The foundations of Canada were built on many diverse racial groups and the diversity today distinguishes it from any other country in the world. The government encourages tolerance in racial, religious and cultural aspects. As one of the most diverse countries in the world, the government persistently develops strategies to break barriers between cultures, though recently, the government of Ontario has implemented a ban on a specific breed of dog that is seen as potentially harmful to the public. Pit-bulls and similar breeds have been segregated and banished from Ontario despite the protests from many professional organizations. Many similar laws have been implemented around the world to protect society from this potentially dangerous breed. Studies show that a pit-bull ban has proven to be ineffective in the UK in the past. The natural temperament of the breed is dominant yet docile but the image of intimidation portrayed by the media over recent years has forced this breed to be condemned and banished in many places around the world. Other alternatives exist which would are more effective to the public and less detrimental to the reputation of Canada.

Pit-bulls are historically a cross of a bulldog and a terrier. Over the years, they have been used for hunting, fishing and war. By the 16th century, baiting became a popular sport in Europe. Dogs were released onto a bull, and later onto horses, bears or boars. The sport of baiting quickly turned into dog fighting and pit-bulls were being bred to fight. Through cruel treatment from their owners, dogs were kept isolated, beaten and killed if they are defeated in combat. Dog fighting became illegal in many parts of the world yet the pit-bull's reputation for ferociousness still remains. Pit-bulls are also bred for their gameness, defined as the willingness to see a task through to its end, even under penalty of serious injury or death.1 This trait is very useful in dog fighting and seen as a useful quality in guard dogs. Pit-bulls are one of the most loyal breeds that exist. Their temperament includes an increased tolerance and a love for people, especially children. Their loyalty is limitless. A pit-bull, though dominant, is not naturally possessive yet is willing to risk his life to protect the life of his owner.

Today pit-bulls are used as police dogs, search dogs and therapy dogs.2 They are proven to be quite disciplined and trainable. Through positive training and socialization at a young age, pit-bulls can make potentially wonderful pets. Through popularity of the media, many breeds have become the center of attention for dog buyers. For instance, Walt Disney revolutionized the Dalmatian. With regards to pit-bulls, they have been popular since WWI. The United States used pit-bulls in warfare and they became an honorable symbol of representation as the protectors of the people against the Germans. The dog from "Little Rascals", Petey, was an American Pit-bull terrier. Target, the chain of stores, uses a bull terrier as their mascot.3 Unfortunately, through negative publicity and society's view of this breed in recent decades, pit-bulls have earned a negative reputation for aggression and violent behaviour, partially due to their history as a fighting breed.

In the 90's, Rotweilers and Dobermans were portrayed by the media as tough breeds which is why many people bought these breeds as a status symbol. Presently, the status symbol for tough, strong and 'cool' portrayed by the media is to own a pit-bull. Many undereducated people are buying these dogs and socializing them to be tough, aggressive and viscous. Mostly movies and rap videos are using pit-bulls in their media to present an intimidating image and these dogs are being misinterpreted and segregated as dangerous. Many myths exist about pit-bulls, including that they have 'lock jaws' and once they grab hold of something they cannot release their grip. There is no evidence to suggest that the jaw of a pit-bull functions any differently from any other breed of dog.4 A study was conducted between a Rottweiler, a pit-bull and a German Shepard comparing the bite pressure of each dog. The pit-bull scored the lowest PSI rating of the three. There is no evidence to conclude that pit-bulls have exceptional strength in their bite or even that they are more prone to biting than any other dog.5 Another popular belief is that pit-bulls will turn on their owners because over time they go crazy and they are seen as unpredictable. With the mistreatment of any breed, a dog has the potential to turn on its owner. The aggression of any individual dog, regardless of breed, all depends on the socialization and treatment of that particular dog.

Many dog bites are reported each year and many different analyses are released from different organizations. In Canada, according to studies, the most common biters are german shepards, cocker spaniels, rottweilers, and golden retrievers. Consequently enough, these are also the most common breeds owned in Canada.6 Canadians seek to outlaw vicious dogs, and the pit-bull is the most targeted breed. Winnipeg was the first city in Canada to outlaw pit-bulls and the number of serious attacks dropped from 25 to only a few annually after the ban. Results were similar in cities such as Waterloo or Kitchener. Certain breeds such as the bull mastiff are commonly misidentified as pit-bulls yet have no record of bites in Canada in recent years. Unfortunately Attorney General Michael Bryant shows his lack of knowledge on the issue with one of his public statements, "From my perspective, if it looks like a pit bull, and barks and wags its tail like a pit bull, it's a pit bull".

In the United States, statistics are slightly different. Pit-bulls are the most popular breed in the United States currently. Between 1979 and 1998, pit-bulls and rottweilers are responsible for more than half of the fatalities related to dogs in the US.7 Due to the fact that fatalities only constitute for a small proportion of dog bite injuries, this should not be the leading factor to passing a law banning a specific breed because the statistics do not take into account the total number of dogs owned in comparison to the number of attacks reported. In the United States from 1993-1998, rottweilers are held responsible for twice as many fatalities as pit-bulls. This could be the result of an increased amount of rottweilers in the United States due to their popularity in the 90's. Also, the results could potentially contain bias due to the fact that many breeds are mistaken as pit-bulls but in actuality have very little or no resemblance to a pit-bull. There was an infamous case in the United States where the press released a story about a vicious dog attack involving a pit-bull yet later