A recent dog attack in NDG has officials calling for a ban on pit bulls in the borough. The attack happened on Clifton Avenue, just as 24-year old Amanda Gatti was returning from a walk with her own dog.
Gatti says her neighbour's pit bull actually ran inside her condo, and first lunged at her dog, a Jack Russell terrier. In an interview with CTV's Paul Karwatsky, Gatti says she tried to protect her dog but ended up getting in the pit bull's way: "I was trying to raise him above my head and then he jumped again and he got me." Gatti got bitten three times, on her shoulder, leg and under her arm.
Several of the people who live in the neighbourhood say the pit bull is a problem. Some have complained about the dog to police.
People say they are worried because it's not the first time a pit bull has attacked someone in the area. Two years ago in NDG, an elderly man was severely injured after being mauled by one.
While the latest attack has some officials calling for an outright ban on the breed, animal experts say the dog isn't the one with the problem. Veterinarian Enid Stiles believes pit bulls get a bad rap because of the media. So too does Allana Devine of Montreal's SPCA. Devine says all dogs have the potential to be aggressive, if an owner is irresponsible.
The City of Calgary reduced dog attacks significantly by initiating the "Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw" in 2006. It includes things like mandatory licensing for all dogs and higher fees for unsterilized animals.
As for the situation in Montreal, authorities have seized the dog that bit Amanda Gatti, and the case is under review.
