Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante defended her administration's decision to roll back the controversial pit bull bylaw during Monday's city council meeting.
City councillor Richard Guay, with the opposition Ensemble Montréal, called the current administration's attitude towards protecting Montrealers from dog attacks deplorable.
Guay was referring to an attack that took place last Thursday in Cartierville. A woman who lives on Grenet St. was working in her garden when a dog made its way into her backyard and bit her several times.
The woman required dozens of stiches to her legs and hands.
The dog's owner eventually managed to pull the dog off the woman before picking it up and fleeing the scene. He still has not been found.
Neighbours who saw the animal described it as brown dog which resembled a pit bull
Guay said the attack could have been prevented with the previous administrations bylaw which would have required the dog to be on a harness and muzzled while outside.
Mayor Plante was quick to note that the breed of dog has not been proven. She said it is easy to jump to simplistic conclusions and the majority of the blame should be placed on the owner, who she hopes is found soon, adding with the behavior shown last week the man does not deserve to have a dog.
The Mayor said a new animal control bylaw is in the works, with Montrealers' safety at its heart. The new regulations will not target any breed and instead dogs exhibiting dangerous behavior and irresponsible owners.