The city of Chateauguay has agreed to review its bylaw banning pit bull terriers.
The mayor announced the decision Monday evening as citizens holding a petition with 5,000 names were ready to present their demands.
"We're going to, as I say, refresh the bylaw and how we should act in 2015," said Nathalie Simon.
Simon said Chateauguay's ban on pit pulls and related breeds has been on the books for close to 20 years and agreed with protesters that it is outdated.
"Tonight at the city meeting we start the process to change the bylaw with l'avis de motion and then the process will be furthered," said Simon.
The impetus to change the bylaw came one month ago when Hugh McGurnaghan was told he had to get his dog Murphy out of town, or the dog would be euthanised.
McGurnaghan has been livin in Chateauguay for ten years and had registered his dog every year, so he was surprised when approached by a police officer while out for a walk and warned he was breaking city regulations.
McGurnaghan took his dog out of town, but strangers took up his fight, with Susan MacKasey launching a petition to overturn the dog breed bylaw.
"I think it's a prejudicial law that needs to be changed and the onus has to be put on responsible ownership," said MacKasey.
She and other supporters collected 5,000 names on a petition, and were ready to present it to Monday's council meeting when the mayor suddenly announced her agreement that the rules should be changed.
Meanwhile McGurnaghan said he was worked out an agreement with Chateauguay to bring his dog back home, and he's happy to see a dog ownership bylaw based on behaviour and responsibility.
"That's perfect for me. I believe in responsible dog ownership 100 per cent," said McGurnaghan.
There will be public consultations after the bylaw is drafted and before legislation is passed.
