The city of Montreal will institute a ban on pit bulls and other so-called aggressive breeds, announced Mayor Denis Coderre on Saturday.
At a press conference, Coderre said current owners will be allowed to keep their dogs but will need to obtain a permit. The dogs will also need to be sterilized and wear a muzzle when in public.
"You need to have a balance approach here," he said. "First of all, there is a situation regarding pit bulls that demands public authority to take a stand. Secondly, there is the issue of how dangerous it is," though he added there are are good owners and good pit bulls.
The city is examining how to determine if an owner is fit to own one of the breeds. While nothing is definite, measures could include looking at an owner's criminal record.
When asked about mixed breeds, the mayor said looking into the issue is a work in progress.
Montreal is home to 145,000 dogs and 320,000 cats but only 14 per cent of those animals are registered and have permits. Coderre said during the summer, inspectors will make the rounds in the city to make sure dog owners are respecting current rules, such as having their pets on leashes in public, and to educate them about the upcoming ban.
Between 2014 and 2016, 637 dog bites were reported in Montreal.
No date is set as to when the new rules will come into effect but Coderre said he hopes to see them pass in September. He added he will be paying attention to potential provincial legislation that Premier Philippe Couillard said could be passed once the National Assembly is back in session.
In a statement, the Montreal SPCA said it plans to contest the ban, calling it "ineffective in making communities safer."
"The consequenc
es for our community if the proposed breed specific legislation goes forward would be enormous," said Montreal SPCA Executive Director Nicholas Gilman. "It would mean the death of thousands of adoptable and well-behaved dogs, simply because of the way that they look."
On Thursday, Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume announced a similar ban, saying the goal is to have no pit bulls in the city by Jan. 1, 2017.
The ban comes less than two weeks after 55-year-old Christiane Vadnais was killed in an attack by her neighbour's escaped pit bull in Pointe Aux Trembles.
