The Times Advocate, 2005-08-31, Page 44
Exeter Times—Advocate
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
=CNA
Editorial Opinion
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EDITORIAL
Pit bull ban begins
It's a new era for pit bull owners. Ontario's
provincewide ban on pit bulls went into effect Monday,
giving owners 60 days to comply with the new legisla-
tion, which requires all pit bulls to be spayed or neutered
and to be leashed and muzzled in public. For South
Huron, the muzzling requirement isn't a new one — our
municipal dog bylaw already requires pit brills to be muz-
zled when off the owner's property. It also calls for higher
licensing fees.
Monday's new provincewide ban makes Ontario the
first province or state in North America to ban a specific
breed. Others will doubtlessly follow.
The requirements are harsh and controversial, but it's
not surprising it has come to this. There have been too
many reports of vicious pit bull attacks on people and
other animals to hope the problem will simply go away.
Pit bulls have been bred for their aggressiveness and
there are people (not all pit bull owners) who buy pit brills
because, for whatever reason, they want an aggressive
dog.
Existing pit bulls, as well as those born in Ontario within
90 days of the new legislation have been "grandfathered"
into the new legislation. Pit bulls born after Nov. 27 will
be banned. As of this week, the sale or importing of pit
bulls is prohibited. Such dogs can be confiscated and
destroyed by animal control officers.
Fines have been increased and include jail sentences of
up to six months for individuals who own dangerous dogs
that bite, attack or pose a threat.
This is important because it puts the onus on the dog
owner to take responsibility for their pets.
Debate rages over who to blame for pit bull attacks —
the dog or the owner? Are the dogs inherently nasty? Are
the dogs being unfairly punished because of the actions of
a few irresponsible owners who train their pets to be
aggressive? Those who say the blame doesn't rest with
the dogs but with the owners claim pet owners who want
aggressive dogs will simply move on to another breed.
But critics of the new legislation aren't offering up any
alternative solutions to the pit bull ban. If the pit bulls
shouldn't be banned, then what should be done? What
would you say to parents who have seen their children
scarred for life because of a vicious pit bull attack?
The new pit bull legislation isn't perfect, but it's an
example of the government, in a rare move, at least try-
ing to solve a problem.
One of the problems with a pit bull is that it isn't a spe-
cific breed recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club. The
new ban will apply to not only pit bull terriers, but
Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terri-
ers, American pit bull terriers and any dog that has the
appearance and physical characteristics of a pit bull. See
where the waters get muddied? Many types of dogs look
like a stereotypical pit bull, which is where the new legis-
lation enters a grey area. There will no doubt be prob-
lems because of this.
Only time will tell whether or not the pit bull ban is an
effective way of dealing with the problem or simply a way
for the province to win a few votes from those afraid of
aggressive dogs. One thing is for sure — enforcing the
new legislation, a responsibility of municipalities, is going
to be tough.
Locally, pit bulls are a common sight. It won't be too
hard to figure out if owners are complying with the new
laws.
Afraid of our own shadow
At first glance there doesn't seem to be much in com-
mon between a sideroad in Middlesex County, down-
town Walkerton and a resort in Aruba. But they were
all connected last week by one thing. Fear. Not just of
anything that has actually happened, but fears of what
may happen.
In one of the incidents reported in the Middlesex
Banner, a female jogger reported a man in a pick-
up drove past her, came back and offered a ride.
While nothing was mentioned about threats,
harassment or any potentially criminal acts, it
was enough to be considered "suspicious behav-
iour."
As a hard-core, dedicated, once a month jogger
myself, I'm well aware anyone seeing me huffing
and puffing along the MacNaughton Trail (includ-
ing the downhill stretches) may be inclined to
think I need assistance.
But under the bombardment of the 24-hour
news cycle with the latest update on the `tourist
wanders off with strangers from a bar in a foreign
country never to be seen again' story, every man
is a potential attacker. Actions that would have been -
not just accepted -but expected behaviour 30 or 40
years ago are now viewed with suspicion.
The anonymous voice at the other end of 911 or
OnSTAR is preferred to taking a chance with a
stranger who may be just offering a lift, helping with a
flat, or giving a jump start.
Urban legends of scam artists and worse around
parking lots has made us all so wary of anyone who
dares to ask for help they'll probably receive a faceful
of Mace instead.
And in Walkerton, like many communities, every
youth is a potential hoodlum with gangs of menacing
teens taking over the streets leaving residents cower-
ing in their homes.
In the Walkerton Herald, the mayor of
Walkerton said "Elderly ladies won't go
out of their apartments at night, they're
afraid."
And what type of behaviour has the town
so frightened? Hanging out, loud music
and being in public parks at `inappropriate
hours.'
The OPP reported that although crowds
of youth on the street "aren't doing a crim-
inal act...there's a lot of them, they're sit-
ting on vehicles, have the ghetto blasters
turned up."
While hanging out and listening to REO
Speedwagon, I mean 'the' 50 Cent, could easily be con-
sidered a crime against the laws of good taste, it hard-
ly rates as a reason to stay indoors.
Like the man said, "Paranoia strikes deep. Into your
life it will creep. It starts when you're always afraid."
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