March 2, 2008

Toronto's gulag for dogs

Dogs aren't people. Toronto's city animal shelters aren't Guantánamo. But dogs aren't refrigerators or cars, either, so forgive me for comparing Toronto's shelter system to a prison system, a place of isolation and suffering, when the wardens issue chilling statements like this:
A sign of just how controversial the [pit bull] issue can be, animal services officials refuse to allow the media to photograph or have contact with the condemned dogs in their shelters.

"All it would do is make the public very upset about that particular one dog and whoever might own that dog -- it would potentially cause them further upset," says animal services manager Eletta Purdy.
"Make the public very upset"? And why on earth shouldn't we be "very upset" that a good dog — a dog that has never harmed nor threatened to harm anyone — may be scheduled to die because of a brindle coat or a broad head? Why on earth shouldn't a family rage that a beloved, trustworthy companion was taken from them on the basis of a law rooted in ignorance and hysteria?

We should all rage against such criminal idiocy — and against the politicians capable of enacting such flawed legislation. Don't imagine that their judgment will improve or their knowledge increase when they turn to laws aimed at people.

The blockquote above was taken from an article in the Toronto Sun: an article so badly written that the reporter never mentions the total number of dog bites recorded each year; and never mentions the fact that Ontario's lone dog-attack fatality of 2007 did not involve a pit bull. No, Ontario is not safer.

But if we hide the cruelty, maybe we can get away with it. Maybe we can disappear a few breeds and make Michael Bryant and like-minded bigots happy. And if the public doesn't raise too much of a fuss — well then, we'll flex our power a bit more.


No, Ontario is not safer.

9 comments:

No BSL said...

[quote]No, Ontario is not safer.[/quote]

I needed to hear that from someone outside of Ontario.
I`m from the Scary Province of Ontario and sometimes I feel as if I`m losing my grip on reality.
They keep telling us we`re safer but I just don`t feel safer.
Mind you I felt perfectly safe before Bill 132(a.k.a The "Pit Bull" ban) was rammed through the Legislature to score some political brownie points.
I`ve tried to feel safer since Toronto Animal Services slaughtered a Chocolate LabX named Munchie
seen here
http://wagthedog.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/29/3552967.html
but I don`t and neither does my LabX named "Up Yours Dalton" seen here (1/2 way down on the right)
http://jmac53.bravejournal.com/entry/26504
protesting with her friend Mac.
She`s very nervous now because her father was a Chocolate Lab and her Township can`t or won`t decide if she is "substantially similar" to the 3 banned Pure Breeds in Ontario.

So I don`t think I feel safer and I know UYD sure doesn`t feel safer in Ontario.
But we are relieved to know that the rest of the World knows that Ontario,Canada is insane and they should be boycotted.
Please don`t visit here.
Please don`t support Ontario businesses and please tell Ontario why.
Thank You
The owner of a very nervous Dark Chocolate LabX

Social Mange said...

My thanks as well. That article was so bad...even the title was wrong. "Pit bulls" aren't a species. Dogs are a species. DUH.

You could drive a truck through the holes in it.

There's a companion article at http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/03/02/4887416-sun.html which I haven't had time to analyze.

Anonymous said...

I feel much safer with 'pit bulls' than I do with our provincial government, who brought in this law and the people who re-elected them in our vote last fall.

Wouldn't you?

Pat (The Fairy Dogmother) said...

I'm from California and spent my honeymoon years ago in Toronto. My husband and I were thinking of going back for our next wedding anniversary. But we live with an adorable little black-and-white pit bull girl named Katie Lynn. That makes us outlaws in the province, right? So we wouldn't be welcome in Toronto. So I guess we'll just have to spend our discretionary vacation money somewhere else.

Maybe this is another angle to hit your legislators with: Losing tourism $$$ because of the outrage about immoral BSL legislation. If we can get the word out to those who plan to attend the Toronto Film Festival, maybe that event would be less popular.

Maybe this legislation won't be overturned simply because it's the right thing to do. But I'll settle for a repeal just because those in power are afraid of losing money.

No BSL said...

Pat,
I`d like to thank you for your decision not to come to Toronto.
We are asking people to stay away and hit Ontario where it will really hurt.
Not only are you not welcome but Katie Lynn would be seized and killed if she came with you.
Not a very friendly Province,it`s not just Toronto.
Here`s the link to our Minister of Tourism,Peter Fonseca
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=2126
Please also cc your letters to
Paul Miller,Tourism Critic
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7095
Another Minister that should be contacted to help us is
Michael Chan,Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7065
That letter should be cc`d to
Peter Tabuns,Citizen and Immigration Critic
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7041
All letters sent to any of those members should also be cc`d to
Chris Bentley,Attorney General
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=2123
and
Christine Elliott,Attorney General Critic
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7043

The Bill is The Dog Owners Liability Act(Bill 132) also known as the ""Pit Bull" Ban.
Ontario is a dangerous place for dogs.
Please don`t spend your money here and tell our Gov`t it`s because of Bill 132.

Thank you and please spread the word.

Social Mange said...

Thanks, Pat. Please don't come to Ontario, tell your friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances not to come to Ontario.

It's nothing more than a slaughterhouse for dogs.

Pai said...

Wait, Chocolate Labs are banned in Ontario? Whatever for? Since when are Labs considered a dangerous breed?!

Bullish about BSL said...

Pai, we have this insane "Substantially Simular" clause in the Ban. Heck, any dog over say 30 pounds with short hair, two floppy ears, and a tail wagging can be that. Yes, there is great fear for any dog owners in our once loved Ontario, now known as OnSCARio.

No BSL said...

This just in.
Our Premier has changed his name to Premier Dalton McHypocrite.
Petition submitted to the Ontario Legislature on Dec 22,1987 by our present Premier`s father.
Signed by the entire family(including the family dog and our present Premier when he was 22)
I`m sure he recalls this beloved dog.
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/house-proceedings/house_detail.do?Date=1987-12-22&Parl=34&Sess=1&locale=en#P330_94129