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The Experts Have Been Excluded

... Or How the McGuinty Government has Used Smoke & Mirrors and a Whole Pack of Lies to Deceive the Ontario Public

Comments by Michael Bryant:
“You don’t ask an Attorney General to be the dog expert … The bottom line is it’s going to be up to the experts.”

“There was someone who is — I think everyone would agree — an expert in this: Cathie Cino, the director of Cat and Jack Canine Safety. She’s a dog trainer, author, and behaviour consultant with aggressive dogs. She talked about her experience with those dogs.”

The expert input on Bill 132:
“Bill 132 wilfully legislates profiling, prejudices and paranoia, which is what it will create.”
- Cathie Cino, expert cited by Bryant in legislature

* 81 of 103 presenters spoke against BSL
* 49 organizations representing dog experts spoke against the ban; 4 represented breeds named in the bill and two represented animal rights organizations.
* Not a single expert organization representing dogs approved of this approach.
* These experts included animal control from Mississauga and Sudbury.
* Victims of bites by other breeds spoke against breed specific legislation

The experts’ professional opinions:

* “Pit bulls” are not inherently or genetically different than other breeds.
* The top 4 biters by breed are German Shepherds, Rottweillers, Cocker Spaniels, and Golden Retrievers.
* Bites by “pit bull” type dogs account for less than 5% of all serious bites in Canada.
* It is a myth that “pit bull” type dogs are unique in how they attack. Other breeds also have a bite and hold pattern.
* There is no qualitative difference between a serious attack by a “pit bull” and one by another breed of a comparable size.
* A bite and hold attack is not qualitatively more severe than a series of slashing bites typical for a breed like the German Shepherd.
* Dogs in attacks are regularly misidentified as “pit bulls”. If “pit bull” attacks were qualitatively different then this confusion should not exist.

* Breed bans are unenforceable.
* Breed bans are extremely expensive.
* Breed bans unfairly punish responsible owners while irresponsible owners ignore the laws.

* 80% of bite victims are children who will be bitten in their home or at a neighbour’s by the family dog. Research shows that just 1 hour of dog safety training in grades 2 and 3 can reduce these attacks by 80%.

http://www.dogwatch.net/fight_ontario_ban/experts_excluded.html