Shon
09-21-2004, 12:18 PM
Toronto's board of health will hold public consultations this fall about a city-wide ban on some breeds of dogs.
The board will also look at how bans on some breeds, such as pit bulls, have worked in other municipalities.
The call for a pit-bull ban picked up speed last month, after a Toronto man was badly mauled by two dogs as he was taking them for a walk.
Attorney General Michael Bryant has already said that the province will introduce legislation this fall to restrict ownership of some kinds of dogs across Ontario.
However, Bryant stopped short of promising an absolute ban on breeds that are most often involved in attacks on people.
Public consultations in Toronto will ask residents whether some dogs should be banned entirely from the city, and if other breeds should be muzzled.
If a city ban were put in place, councillor Paula Fletcher says current owners might be allowed to keep their dogs while the bylaw is phased in.
Fletcher says draft legislation will likely be ready for public comment by November.
The board will also look at how bans on some breeds, such as pit bulls, have worked in other municipalities.
The call for a pit-bull ban picked up speed last month, after a Toronto man was badly mauled by two dogs as he was taking them for a walk.
Attorney General Michael Bryant has already said that the province will introduce legislation this fall to restrict ownership of some kinds of dogs across Ontario.
However, Bryant stopped short of promising an absolute ban on breeds that are most often involved in attacks on people.
Public consultations in Toronto will ask residents whether some dogs should be banned entirely from the city, and if other breeds should be muzzled.
If a city ban were put in place, councillor Paula Fletcher says current owners might be allowed to keep their dogs while the bylaw is phased in.
Fletcher says draft legislation will likely be ready for public comment by November.