Thanks Chico2.. I tend to ramble a little when I get on the topic of animal attacks. My husband and I get into yelling matches sometimes. Usually over wild animals though. Pets can be trained.. let me rephrase that, pets HAVE to be trained. I was reading a training book (useful, but mostly for puppies, and my Chewy's a stubborn, defiant adolescent now!!) that said that millions of pets are put down in shelters in the US, and the only thing wrong with them is that they were never trained properly, and became "too much." Think about it, millions of healthy animals put to sleep because their owners thought they looked SO cute in the store (that's another thread.. going on right now, actually!!
) but "didn't have the time" or "The kids said it would be their responsability" or "he/she will grow out of it". (HAHAHAHA, that last one makes me LAUGH.. do they really believe that??)
Dogs shouldn't have to be licensed, owners should. You need a license to drive a car, how about owning a dog? Some can be dangerous, and I don't think they over-exagerrate when they say they can be used as weapons, they certainly can if trained that way. With all these breeders and shelters and organizations saying "dogs adopted to 'qualified' families", what does that mean, exactly? Anyone with enough cash to pay the adoption fee?
How do all these "young men" end up with dogs that, as we all know, cost over a thousand dollars in stores, and just under that in the papers? I have a good job, but part of the reason why I don't adopt from breeders is the high cost. I would rather save my money for insurance, proper food and care and rescue a dog that needs help. Sadly, like all those pitbulls in shelters out there. Or maybe if our twits in charge have it their way, they'll just disappear all together.
But I wonder, will we also ban visiting pitbulls? Will we have special dog customs where visitors from abroad of other provinces or the US will have to prove that their dog is not a pitbull, and if it is, will our tax dollars go to the boarding and care of these dogs while their owners enjoy our fine province? Sure, we can make sure Ontarians don't have them, but what about our neighbours? Anyone mention that? Of course, "we can't control everyone" might be their answer, but their "vicious, aggressive dogs" will act the same whether they're Québécois or American, no? Wonder if they bite with an accent...
Ruffy
Don't ban pitbulls, ban stupid irresponsible people. THAT, my friends, I would put my tax dollars towards in a heart beat!