It's going to be a big day for Montreal pit bulls and their owners.
The Montreal SPCA has filed for an injunction to prevent parts of the city's new animal control by-law from being enforced. The animal shelter will have its chance today to argue in front of a judge.
The SPCA claims the new rules are vague and imprecise, with no fool proof way to determine if a dog is truly a pit bull-type dog. The shelter says there's also no way of challenging the city if it were to determine your dog belongs in the dangerous category.
The filling also says the law that targets a specific breed is discriminatory, and in violation of new provincial laws that designate animals as sentient beings, as well as sections of the Animal Welfare and Safety Act.
While the legal battle over the by-law will begin today, so do the actual rules.
As of today, no new pit bulls will be allowed within the city's 19 boroughs. Any existing dogs must be registered by the end of the calendar year. If owners fail to do so their animals will be seized.
To get the special permit now required to have a pit bull in your family, you will need to prove the dog has been be sterilized, micro chipped and is up to date on vaccines. You'll also need to have a criminal background check and proof the dog was living in Montreal before October 3.
Background checks and proof of sterilization, micro chipping and vaccinations are not immediately required to get the special permit, but they must be submitted to the city by March 1, 2017 at the latest.
Once those hoops have been thoroughly jumped through, if you're a pit bull or dangerous dog owner, as of today your dog must wear a muzzle whenever outside, be kept on a leash no longer than 1.25m unless in a dog park or area surrounded by a 2m high fence, always be supervised by an adult and have the special city-supplied dog tag.
The city has set up 20 dates in October for residents who own pit bull-type dogs to apply for a special permit to keep their dog.
Pit bull owners will need to apply at the Accès Montréal offices listed on the specific dates at the stated times:
Monday October 3, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Rosemont - La Petite-Patrie
Accès Montréal Office
5650, rue D'Iberville, 2nd floor
Montréal (Québec) H2G 2B3
Tuesday October 4, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Pointe-aux-Trembles
Accès Montréal Office
12090, rue Notre-Dame East
Montréal (Québec) H1B 2Z1
Wednesday October 5, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ahuntsic - Cartierville
Accès Montréal Office
555, rue Chabanel West, suite 600
Montréal (Québec) H2N 2H8
Thursday October 6, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Ville-Marie
Accès Montréal Office
800, boulevard De Maisonneuve East, 17th floor
Montréal (Québec) H2L 4L8
Friday October 7, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Mercier - Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
Accès Montréal Office
6854, rue Sherbrooke East
Montréal (Québec) H1N 1E1
Tuesday October 11, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Villeray - Saint-Michel - Parc-Extension
Accès Montréal Office
405, avenue Ogilvy
Montréal (Québec) H3N 1M3
Wednesday October 12, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Montréal-Nord
Accès Montréal Office
4243, rue de Charleroi
Montréal (Québec) H1H 5R5
Thursday October 13, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Accès Montréal Office
201, avenue Laurier East, Suite 120
Montréal (Québec) H2T 3E6
Friday October 14, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Le Sud-Ouest
Accès Montréal Office
815, rue Bel-Air, 1st floor
Montréal (Québec) H4C 2K4
Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Pierrefonds - Roxboro
Accès Montréal Office
13665, boul. de Pierrefonds
Montréal (Québec) H9A 2Z4
Monday October 17, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Côte-des-neiges - Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Accès Montréal Office
5160, boul. Décarie, Ground floor
Montréal (Québec) H3X 2H9
Tuesday October 18, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Rivière-des-Prairies
Accès Montréal Office
8910, boulevard Maurice-Duplessis
Montréal (Québec) H1E 6X5
Wednesday October 19, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saint-Laurent
Accès Montréal Office
777, boulevard Marcel-Laurin
Montréal (Québec) H4M 2M7
Thursday October 20, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rosemont - La Petite-Patrie
Accès Montréal Office
5650, rue D'Iberville, 2nd floor
Montréal (Québec) H2G 2B3
Friday October 21, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Anjou
Accès Montréal Office
7701, boulevard Louis-H.-La Fontaine
Montréal (Québec) H1K 4B9
Monday October 24, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lachine
Accès Montréal Office
1800, boulevard Saint-Joseph
Montréal (Québec) H8S 2N4
Tuesday October 25, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Verdun
Accès Montréal Office
4555, rue de Verdun, Suite 104
Montréal (Québec) H8S 2N4
Wednesday October 26, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Montréal-Nord
Accès Montréal Office
4243, rue de Charleroi
Montréal (Québec) H1H 5R5
Thursday October 27, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
LaSalle
Accès Montréal Office
55, avenue Dupras
Montréal (Québec) H8R 4A8
Friday October 28, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Mercier - Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
Accès Montréal Office
6854, rue Sherbrooke East
Montréal (Québec) H1N 1E1
To apply you will need to show identification, proof of residence and any document showing you owned your dog prior to October 3, 2016.
There's also a $150 fee.