Judy
05-07-2006, 11:29 AM
By ROSS ROMANIUK, CITY HALL REPORTER
The city's nabbing of a North End man's dog in a dispute over its breed has owners of other pit bull-like pets fearing the pound will put the bite on them as well.
After reading about Mike Burke's scrap with the city over his purported pit bull Burnsey, Shauna Kluz pointed out yesterday her female pup much more closely resembles the breed banned in Winnipeg.
Since Kluz and her husband adopted what they were told is a baby mastiff cross last November, they've faced almost daily questions on the street about its species -- and suggestions it's illegal.
UNCERTAINTY
"People always say to us, 'What kind of dog is that?' We say we don't know," Kluz told the Sun.
"We say we've heard she's a boxer, she's a this, she's a that. We never suggest pit bull. But they do."
When picking up their pooch, Stella -- then three months old -- from the Winnipeg Humane Society, the couple were told by staff it was a mastiff. They've also heard suggestions it has characteristics of a great Dane, boxer and other breeds -- including pit bull.
After weeks of uncertainty, they approached the city pound for an assessment to put their minds at ease.
"We wanted to clear this up. We didn't want to break any rules," Kluz said, adding a veterinarian consulted by the pound said he'd "give her the benefit of the doubt" that it's not a member of the prohibited breed.
"And we said we want that in writing. We even framed it."
Kluz is among several Sun readers who have spoken up this week about Burnsey, a three-year-old male dog which owner Burke insists is a Rottweiler-boxer cross.
The city, however, says it's a pit bull and is holding it at the pound pending a court case to begin this month.
Kluz isn't the first dog owner to approach the pound for the same reason, said manager Tim Dack.
"People have brought their dogs in and said, 'Listen, I'm concerned about this,' " Dack said.
'WALK ON EGGSHELLS'
"And we get calls all the time about neighbours and people's dogs they see. We investigate and if we feel there's a chance this dog may resemble a pit bull, we'll get them to come in with the dog and have our veterinary expert have a look at it."
Kluz says she and her husband "walk on eggshells" with their pet, out of fear the pound will come calling -- even after giving them an all-clear.
"Everywhere we go, it's an issue. We had to put the vet's letter in our wallet," she said with a laugh, adding her pooch is not aggressive.
http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg...66963-sun.html (http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/05/06/1566963-sun.html)
The city's nabbing of a North End man's dog in a dispute over its breed has owners of other pit bull-like pets fearing the pound will put the bite on them as well.
After reading about Mike Burke's scrap with the city over his purported pit bull Burnsey, Shauna Kluz pointed out yesterday her female pup much more closely resembles the breed banned in Winnipeg.
Since Kluz and her husband adopted what they were told is a baby mastiff cross last November, they've faced almost daily questions on the street about its species -- and suggestions it's illegal.
UNCERTAINTY
"People always say to us, 'What kind of dog is that?' We say we don't know," Kluz told the Sun.
"We say we've heard she's a boxer, she's a this, she's a that. We never suggest pit bull. But they do."
When picking up their pooch, Stella -- then three months old -- from the Winnipeg Humane Society, the couple were told by staff it was a mastiff. They've also heard suggestions it has characteristics of a great Dane, boxer and other breeds -- including pit bull.
After weeks of uncertainty, they approached the city pound for an assessment to put their minds at ease.
"We wanted to clear this up. We didn't want to break any rules," Kluz said, adding a veterinarian consulted by the pound said he'd "give her the benefit of the doubt" that it's not a member of the prohibited breed.
"And we said we want that in writing. We even framed it."
Kluz is among several Sun readers who have spoken up this week about Burnsey, a three-year-old male dog which owner Burke insists is a Rottweiler-boxer cross.
The city, however, says it's a pit bull and is holding it at the pound pending a court case to begin this month.
Kluz isn't the first dog owner to approach the pound for the same reason, said manager Tim Dack.
"People have brought their dogs in and said, 'Listen, I'm concerned about this,' " Dack said.
'WALK ON EGGSHELLS'
"And we get calls all the time about neighbours and people's dogs they see. We investigate and if we feel there's a chance this dog may resemble a pit bull, we'll get them to come in with the dog and have our veterinary expert have a look at it."
Kluz says she and her husband "walk on eggshells" with their pet, out of fear the pound will come calling -- even after giving them an all-clear.
"Everywhere we go, it's an issue. We had to put the vet's letter in our wallet," she said with a laugh, adding her pooch is not aggressive.
http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg...66963-sun.html (http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/05/06/1566963-sun.html)