Pit bull hearings make local pit stop

Ontario, Canada -- The debate on the proposed pit bull ban is coming to the area this week.
The provincial government is holding a series of province-wide hearings on Bill 132, the controversial piece of legislation which, if passed, would ban put bulls in Ontario.

A public hearing will be held Thurs., Jan. 27 at the Holiday Inn in Barrie, 20 Fairview Rd., between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Attorney General Michael Bryant introduced the legislation late last year in response to a number of recent high-profile cases of them attacking both humans and other dogs.

Locally a New Tecumseth family's four-year-old Pekinese was killed by a neighbour's pit bull last year. It was later destroyed.

If passed, the legislation would allow current pit bull owners to keep their pets, but they will face "severe restrictions."

"They will be muzzled, they must be leashed and they must be neutered or spayed," Bryant said.

If the legislation is passed there will be a transition period following which it will be illegal to breed, sell, buy, possess or import a pit bull in the province.

In addition to the ban, the proposed law would double fines to $10,000 and allow jail sentences of up to six months for irresponsible owners of any breed of dog that is dangerous and bites, attacks or poses a threat to public safety.

In addition to Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo has banned the breed. Bryant said similar bans are in place in France, Britain and Germany.