The next round of the pit bull and dangerous dog debate are set to get underway in Quebec City.
Three days of special consultations into Bill 128 begin one year after it was originally tabled. The legislation introduces a province-wide ban on dangerous dogs, which as it stands includes American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and Rottweilers.
The government would also be able to add any new breed to the ban list at any point in the future.
The bill was the provincial response to the death of Christiane Vadnais, the 55-year-old woman mauled to death in her backyard when her neighbour's animal made it through a fence in 2016.
The Montreal SPCA is one of the groups that will be speaking at the hearing.
"We are pleased to be invited to participate in the consultations on Bill 128 and eager to share our expertise on the issue of dog bites with the government," said attorney Alanna Devine, Director of Animal Advocacy at the Montreal SPCA. "We are entirely in favour of province-wide legislation addressing dangerous dogs, but Bill 128 must be revised in order to include effective, evidence-based measures that will truly reduce the risk and severity of dog bites and not waste taxpayers' dollars on measures that target dogs based on their breed or appearance. We want to see a province-wide dog bite registry, as well as strict prohibitions on dog ownership for those convicted of offences related to animal cruelty, animal neglect or criminal negligence causing bodily harm or death involving a dog."
"Veterinary behaviourists, specialists in dog-bite epidemiology and other experts around the world, including the Quebec Coroner, have concluded that breed bans do not result in increased public safety. Banning certain breeds or types of dogs is not only ineffective, but would also result in the unnecessary and systematic killing of countless healthy, behaviourally sound dogs in shelters throughout the province," said Élise Desaulniers, Executive Director of the Montreal SPCA.
Also speaking during the consultations: the City of Laval, Quebec Order of Veterinarians, National Pit Bull Victim Awareness and the sister of Christiane Vadnais - Lise Vadnais.