The pit-bull ban remains on hold as the courts decide whether it's even legal, but that could be months away, and some veterinarians are worried they will have to euthanize healthy dogs because they are considered dangerous under the ban because of their breed.
"I know a lot of veterinarians that would refuse completely to euthanize an animal that is not deemed to be dangerous," Dr. Sebastien Kfoury, Director of Veterinary Services at the Centre Vétérinaire Rive-Sud.
Under the bylaw, which has been suspended indefinitely—until a legal appeal from the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to throw out the bylaw can be made before a judge—dogs deemed dangerous by a city inspector could be euthanized, as could pit bulls with owners not obeying the new muzzling, registration and sterilization requirements to keep their dogs.
But Kfoury says the code of ethics for animal doctors compels a veterinarian to not kill an animal that poses no risk to other animals or humans.
Quebec's order of veterinarians has already advised members they have the right to refuse to euthanize a dog they do not view as a threat, a right Kfoury says he would use if put in the position of euthanizing a pit bull-type dog that posed no danger.
That doesn't mean that dogs one veterinarian refuses to put down won't be euthanized by someone else.
“If [a city animal inspector] really wants to have this dog euthanized, he will try to find a vet that will comply, but I have the right if I don't feel it goes against my code of ethics to refuse to euthanize an animal that should not be put down," he said.
Kfoury is also an author of a recent open letter from vets against the pit bull ban, but supportive of the city's new efforts to have dogs registered.
“We are not against being responsible towards animals in Montreal,” he explained . “I think we should have done this a long time [ago]."
The provisions of Montreal's new animal control bylaw pertaining to pit bull-type dogs have been thrown to the side, for now, until a Superior Court justice hears arguments from the city and SPCA, which continues to push for a permanent repealing of all elements of the bylaw that deal with a specific breed of dog.
That is expected to be in the coming months, though the city is preparing to appeal the ruling that suspended the bylaw mere days after it came into effect on Oct. 3.
The Quebec Court of Appeals will hear arguments on Nov. 25 and if it sides with the city, the case could end up before the Supreme Court of Canada.