What is Breed Specific Legislation or BSL?

Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is, essentially, efforts used to restrict, ban and/or eliminate certain breeds of dogs, purebred or mixed. It can include anything from requiring special licensing of a breed (breed restriction) to the total ban of certain breeds.

Several jurisdictions in Canada have either enacted Breed Specific Legislation or are proposing enacting legislation that specifically names certain breeds as restricted or prohibited.

This section of the Canada's Guide to Dogs website is provided as a resource for those looking to learn more about this very important issue. The links provided under the Information & Resources category are to some of the most indepth web sites covering all facets of BSL.

Because of the very recent proposed province-wide Pit Bull breed ban by Attorney General Michael Bryant in the province of Ontario, a section specific to Ontario has been added which includes information about what you can do to help fight this legislation.

And now... the New Brunswick Bill 55 - Restricted Dogs Act.

Education is Key:

To learn more about the specific breeds generally known as "Pit Bull types" see:
bullet Staffordshire Bull Terrier
 
bullet American Staffordshire Terrier
 
bullet American Pit Bull Terrier
 
bullet The Pit Bull Educational Packet (PDF format) from www.understand-a-bull.com.
 
bullet Pit Bulls - The Real Deal (PDF format) from www.understand-a-bull.com.
 
bullet Everything You Wanted To Know About 'Pit Bulls' — From GoodPooch.com (Link added 25 Jan 2005)
 
bullet Unwrapping Pit Bulls from Karen Peak of West Wind Dog Training (Article added 26 Jan 2005)
Breed banning is not a solution to preventing dog bites or attacks. Education of child, parent, dog owner, and the public in general is key to reducing the number of attacks. The following are links to web sites which deal specifically with these issues:
bullet The Safe Kids/Safe Dogs Project — "Too many children are getting injured by dogs. Too many breeds are being banned based on ignorance. Too many dog owners are ending up with problem dogs because the human end is undereducated. The Safe Kids/Safe Dogs Project is dedicated to ending this - all of this." (Link added 26 Jan 2005)
Ontario's Bill 132, a province-wide ban on "pit bull type" dogs was enacted on August 29th, 2005.
To learn more about how you can help continue the fight, visit:
bulletThe American Staffordshire Club of Canada website: amstaffclubofcanada.ca,
 
bulletThe Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of Canada website: www.staffordcanada.com,
 
bulletThe Banned Aid Coalition website: www.bannedaid.com
Also see Bill 132 Questions and Answers (PDF) — The Dog Legislation Council of Canada has created a Q & A brochure that helps answer some common questions about this new law.

The following poem was sent to me in an e-mail. Another very sad but very well written tale about a Pit Bull, from a child's point of view. If you know who the author is, please let us know as we would like to give him/her credit -- info@canadasguidetodogs.com (Poem added 25 Jan 2005)
BOB WAS A PIT BULL
Bob was a Pit Bull. He was my best friend.
Dad brought him home when he was twelve weeks old.
He came from a list of Grand Champions.
His daddy used to win a lot of shows.
As Bob grew older some neighbors got scared.
They said Bob would bite someone.
My friends all play with Bob.
When he grabs their pants leg, they don't care.
They know he is just having fun.
I like to take him for walks and train him with treats
and at night he lays on the covers, right at my feet.
Bob stays in his crate while I am at school.
That is dad and momma's rule.
Daddy said not to ever let him run loose
and momma never forgot about Bob eating her shoes.
The man on TV said all the Pit Bulls had to leave.
He wanted to take them all and have them put to sleep.
He said a little boy was killed by a Pit Bull tied up
in his neighbor's backyard and that all Pit Bulls are mean.
If that Pit Bull was tied up, maybe his life was hard
and he didn't have anyone to love him like Bob has me.
Every day after school we like to play and we have a lot of fun.
People said he would turn on me, but Bob didn't want to hurt anyone.
He could climb a tree and hang there all day.
He likes to chase me around the yard,
I even taught him to sit and stay.
Please God, why did you let them take Bob away.
They passed some kind of law in my town called BSL,
because they believe a Pit Bull is bred to attack.
Bob never hurt anyone;
but, Dad said, Bob may have to leave and never come back.
We can't afford to move, because of his job and the money.
Momma gave me a hug and cried and said I'm sorry honey.
I ran to my room with Bob at my heels.
I had made a promise to him as a pup;
I would love him for years.
As I lay crying on my bed, Bob kissed away the tears.
Then the day came, they took him away.
I vowed then and there, he would never be replaced.
Dad and Mom said they would get me a new dog.
One not deemed vicious, by some stupid law.
I told them, no dog could make up for Bob!
Why did they listen to that man on TV?
Bob was a gentle friend, who would not hurt a flea.
That man was wrong! Bob would never turn on me!
They said because of mean and cruel people, all Pit Bulls like Bob,
must go to jail where they are given a shot to put them to sleep.
Than an Angel would come and take them to heaven for God to keep.
I cried all night, for the loss of my best friend.
How could the man on TV be so heartless to small kids like me?
I know in my heart Bob is now gone.
I feel him watching and waiting to be by my side.
In my heart, Bob will always live on.
Mr. Bryant, the man on TV, never once met Bob.
How could he know what would happen?
I was never mean or cruel to Bob and I loved him so very much!
How could he kill a good dog like Bob
and still have the stomach to go eat his lunch.
He has made many dogs like Bob be abandoned or die!
He can't see the real problem! Can someone tell me why?
It's not kids or people like me,
who take their dog to training school,
or the ones who use dogs like Bob, for search and rescues.
It's people who torture them, starve them,
beat them, that's what must end!
They are the reason my dog is dead Mr. Bryant;
But, instead, you killed my best friend!
Just because some people don't look after their animals,
I had to loose my one and only companion.
The one I loved with all my heart.
Why don't you go after the ones who are mean?
If you want to help, that's where to start!
Stop killing innocent puppies, sending them to heavens gate.
Stop bullying the innocent.
Quit throwing around your weight!
Instead do what most government people have forgotten how to do,
do the right thing, look at the truth!
Pit Bull dogs like Bob, are not the threat,
for the threat lies in ignorant people like you.
"I disapprove of what you say,
but I will defend to the death your right to say it....."Voltaire, (1694-1778)
Author Unknown

Pit Bull Breed Ban in Ontario:

Bill 132 Questions and Answers (PDF) — The new Dog Owners' Liability Act is in effect as of 29 August 2005 across the Province of Ontario. The Dog Legislation Council of Canada has created a Q & A brochure that helps answers some common questions about this new law. (Added 24 August 2005)
THE DOGS OF ONTARIO NEED YOUR HELP (Added 9 March 2005)
Bill 132 2004 An Act to amend the Dog Owners' Liability Act to increase public safety in relation to dogs, including pit bulls, and to make related amendments to the Animals for Research Act. (This links directly to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario website)
Bill 132 2005 An Act to amend the Dog Owners' Liability Act to increase public safety in relation to dogs, including pit bulls, and to make related amendments to the Animals for Research Act. (This links directly to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario website)
Bill 132 Referred to Committee — From the NCCPD website — Second Reading for Bill 132 was carried in a vote of 53 to 24. However, the Bill has been referred to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly. Groups or individuals wishing to make a presentation to the Committee reviewing Bill 132 must pre-book an appearance. Read More...
(Added 15 Dec 2004)
Bill 132, Public Safety Related to Dogs Statute Law Amendment Act, 2004 - 38th Legislature, 1 st Session
The proposed legislation by Attorney General Michael Bryant would ban pit bulls, i.e., ban ownership, breeding, transferring, abandoning, importing, and training pit bulls to fight.
Under this proposed legislation, a pit bull is defined as:
bulletA Pit Bull Terrier;
 
bulletA Staffordshire Bull Terrier;
 
bulletAn American Staffordshire Terrier;
 
bulletAn American Pit Bull Terrier; or
 
bulletA member of a class of dogs that have an appearance and physical characteristics that are substantially similar to the four types of dogs that have been identified.


Recent News Releases and Additional Information:
bulletDLCC - Alert — Bill 132 passed third reading on March 1, 2005. Please note that it is NOT law yet as we wait for Royal Assent from the Lt. Governor Hon. James Bartleman and then an enactment date from the Liberal Cabinet.
(Link added 5 Mar 2005)
bulletToronto Humane Society Presentation to Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly - January 24, 2005 (PDF Document) (Link added 25 Jan 2005)
bulletAn Open Letter to Michael Bryant — From GoodPooch.com (Link added 15 Dec 04)
bulletBill 132 Frequently Asked Questions
bulletRamifications of Bill 132 — This is a MUST READ article reproduced from the NCCPD.
bulletAttorney General Rams Proposed Legislation Through Back Door
(Toronto) 27 October 2004
bulletMcGuinty Government Introduces Pit Bull Ban Legislation
News Release, 26 October 2004
bulletPublic Safety Related to Dogs Statute Law Amendment Act, 2004
News Release, 26 October 2004
bulletMcGuinty Government to Introduce Pit Bull Ban
Official News Release, 15 October 2004.
bulletPit Bull Breed Banning — From the Toronto Humane Society
bulletProposed Breed Ban — From the National Capital Coalition for People and Dogs (NCCPD). Includes sample letters and contact information.
bulletAdvocates for the Underdog — A group that believes Breed Specific Legislation is a quick fix that does not protect the public.
bulletOntario Pit Bulls Like "Dangerous" Wolves? — From Kerwood Wolf Education Centre Inc., a registered non-profit wolf organization and resource centre dedicated to the preservation and conservation of wolves worldwide.
bullet4 Legged Love - Against Ontario's Proposed Pit Bull Ban — 4 Legged Love is a dog placement and dog adoption agency based in Toronto (Etobicoke), operating throughout Southern Ontario. Because the Pit Bull ban was put in place in Windsor, Ontario a short time ago, any Pit Bull "type" dog/puppy in shelters, found as strays or dropped off are being euthanized without being given the chance to go up for adoption. 4 Legged Love is working with an independent rescuer located in Windsor to try to save these dogs/pups' lives by tranporting and placing them into caring, forever homes outside of the Windsor area.
bulletSavingLily.com — A site dedicated to saving the life of a Labrador/Boxer cross named Lily Snorky Tomlin Mitchell as well as efforts to stop BSL in Kitchener Ontario, then Ontario, then all of Canada. (Added 14 June 2005)
Several online petitions are available:
bulletHelp Stop the Pit Bull Breed Ban from the Humane Society of Toronto
bulletPetition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from the DLCC. This petition is for printing, please print a copy off and get it out to pet stores, vet offices, shelters, grocery stores, anywhere and everywhere you can!!
bulletFormal Request to CKC to Fight BSL also from the DLCC. This petition is for all Canadian Kennel Club members.
To express your opposition to a Pit Bull breed ban in Ontario, write or e-mail:
The Honourable Michael J. Bryant
Attorney General
720 Bay St., 11th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2K1
Telephone: 416-326-2220
Email: mbryant.mpp@liberal.ola.org

New Brunswick

Bill 55 - Restricted Dogs Act
This bill restricts any of the following breeds:
bulletStaffordshire Bull Terrier;
 
bulletAmerican Staffordshire Terrier;
 
bulletRottweiler; or
 
bulletAkita
and, if passed, this bill would place several restrictions and unique requirements on owners of these breeds.
18 November 2004:
After two days of public hearings (Nov. 16 - 17, 2004) held in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick MLA Kelly Lamrock, who introduced the proposed legislation, announces willingness to modify Bill 55. The changes which will move Bill 55 from being breed specific to one which will deal with all dangerous dogs.
18 November 2004: New Brunswick Dumps BSL