Pitbulls owners fight to save the breed from being banned (London, Canada)

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Pit bull fanciers at a rally in London yesterday vowed to fight any attempt to ban their breed. About 20 people in Victoria Park handed out information and gathered signatures on a petition opposing a ban on pit bulls.

After a series of highly publicized attacks involving pit bulls, city council will soon hold public hearings on a new bylaw to control aggressive dogs.

Aaron Campbell and Jen Jorgensen, a couple who own two pit bulls, say a ban would be unfair.

"We have never had a problem with our dogs. They are the most loving and affectionate dogs you can imagine," Jorgensen said.

She and Campbell always use strong leashes and muzzles to walk their dogs, but they still get fearful reactions, she said.

"People pull their kids to the side and give us weird looks."

The only thing missing at the rally was a pit bull. Jorgensen said bringing any group of dogs together can cause problems.

Municipalities including Kitchener and Winnipeg have banned pit bulls and claim the number of attacks has fallen dramatically.

But Sandra Alway of the Golden Horseshoe American Pit Bull Terrier Club, who came from the Niagara Region for the rally, said any breed of dog can be vicious and there should be stiffer penalties for irresponsible owners of all dog breeds.

Police reported two dog incidents Friday in the London area.

Lambton OPP are describing an incident involving a pit bull in Petrolia as rough play.

A neighbour called police around noon Friday after he saw a pit bull apparently attacking a 19-year-old man lying in a Maude Street driveway.

The dog was tugging on the clothing of the man, who was crawling and rolling on the ground. The dog didn't bite the man, but shred his T-shirt.

Police pepper-sprayed the dog and struck it with a baton till it ran to the back yard of the home.

The man had scrapes from crawling and a bruise and scrape to his arm, caused by drunkenness, not by the dog, they said.

The dog was taken to Animal Control. Its owner and the home owner were charged under a Petrolia bylaw banning pit bulls.

A 15-year-old London boy was bitten on the leg Friday night while skateboarding on Wellington Street near Hill Street.

Police said the dog was brown and resembled a Labrador retriever. Police are seeking the man and woman who were walking it to ensure the dog has had all of its vaccinations.

The man is described as white, in his early 20s, about five feet 10 inches, with muscular build and short dark hair. The woman was also white, about five feet six, with long blond hair.

This really narks me off... ok so i don't have facts and figures but it seems just a few attacks and now they want to try and ban the Pitbull.

It also seems to come down bad for the dog, how do they know if it was the dogs fault and not the persons trying to annoy it... know one ever gets the true story... just assume its the dog.

Anyone can say the same about the Alsation... in my head there have been far more attacks involving them and what about the little ankle bitters i.e. jack russell's, yorkies and so on.

Just seem big dogs like Pitbulls, Rotties, Bullmastiff get targeted and i for one think they are big softies, its all down to ownership

Rant Over... and for the people who own Alsations and the other dogs mentioned above its nothing personal towards your own dogs.

Pit bulls are already banned in the UK tho???

They are banned in Denmark! But they are here, just descised as amstaffs.

I think ur right Azz, they are banned in the UK.

They are banned in the U.K and have been since '86/'87, I think.

yeh i thought they were banned too. but a large number of people in the uk still own them.

it really is stupid how they condemn a whole breed over a few attacks, when usually it is the owners fault. Its jus a shame that these breeds are continuously getting into the wrong hands where people r actuall training them to attack.

The bit about the pitbull ripping that mans shirt doesnt exactly mean the pitbull is dangerous? he didnt even hurt the man, probably thought it was a game, what with him rolling around on the floor.

The sad thing is, so many people r scared of pitbulls, but dont actually know what one even looks like. I spose more often than not, they will see a bull breed dog and name it a pitbull cos it looks similar or looks like they would imagine.
for example this site:

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

I would say, that the main reason people fear these breeds than any other like yorkis that bite and collies for example, is because they can do a significant amount more damage. I.e - a pittie, staffie, bull dog or any kind of breed on the list like rotties.. could more than likely put u severely in hospital compared to a yorki bite for example. If they are being abused by the owner of course. Not saying these dogs r vicious, but in the wrong hands.. consequences are bad.
Please correct if i am wrong as this is the reason why my dad hates indie, because she could do more damage

its so sad tho because these breeds r so lovely as is any breed. Its just prejudice

I don't think Pitbulls are banned in the UK...

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 meant strict guidelines for owners and how their dogs should behave in public.

It also singled out four breeds for particular attention - the Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, and the Fila Brazileiro.

It was made illegal to own any of these dogs unless a court had directed that it was on a list of exempted dogs.

The dogs have to be on a lead and muzzled in public, micro chipped, registered and insured.

The act was also supposed to ban the breeding, sale and exchange of the dogs.

And only last year a boy was attacked by one in Chemsford not too far from me... so they are still here, there are just some strict rules that people have to abide by.

OMG I couldnt pick the Pit Bull out. I even got the AB wrong I thought it was a Boxer!

Goes off in disgrace to read all her dog books again.

I couldn't pick the Pit Bull out either. It's completely different to how people describe them.

I think that could be the problem. Do any of those (in general) who 'report' a Pit Bull actually know what one looks like