Dog lovers protest ban on pit bulls
By KIRK VILLAMARIN, TORONTO SUN
DOG OWNERS put some bite behind their bark against a proposed ban on pit bulls with protests at two city parks yesterday.
About 100 people attended a rally at High Park against Attorney General Michael Bryant's Bill 132 -- anti-pit bull legislation.
The other rally was at Kew Gardens near Lee Ave.
"Breed legislation will not work," said event organizer Ryan Bird as people cheered.
Dog bites are "a big problem. We need progressive legislation to actually address that problem," he said.
Bird said in the last 21 years there were 24 deaths from 23 dog attacks on humans.
"Twenty-two of these attacks, 96% of them were committed by dogs other than pit bull types," Bird said. He asked the crowd
if they supported tougher penalties for people who own aggressive dogs.
"Yes," the crowd shouted back.
He got the same response when he asked them if they wanted to give aggressive dog owners criminal liability.
Bird said keeping dogs active and exposing them to the public reduces aggression.
"Muzzling won't help," Bird said, adding that it just makes dogs more aggressive.
