Good News! Judge Has Temporarily Suspended Montreal Pit Bull Ban

The controversial Montreal ban against new ownership of pit bull type pups has got plenty of people talking, as well as riled animal rights activists and the SPCA.

You can read more about this law and what it entails here. Superior Court Justice Louis Gouin, a Quebec judge, heard arguments for a temporary stay and suspended pit bull related regulations of the new bylaw until 5pm on Wednesday. This suspension means that during this time, pit bull type pups can still be adopted and are not required to be muzzled. The SPCA had argued that the new bylaws were discriminatory, unreasonable, and unenforceable, as well as bringing cruel results to undeserving fur balls.

Gouin questioned whether Montreal overstepped its boundaries in creating this new bylaw. “It might be worth it to reflect on this, go back to the drawing board,” he said. He is soon expected to decide whether to law should remain suspended until a proper legal case by the Montreal SPCA can be heard out. This process may take months, however.

The main issue lies in the unclear definition of a “pit bull type dog” as stated in the bylaw. “The City of Montreal is giving different responses to each person,” said SPCA lawyer Marie-Claude St-Amant. “People are worried. They want to know and they don’t know and even the city doesn’t know how to interpret it.”

On the flip side, Rene Cadieux, a lawyer for the City of Montreal, said public security concerns give the legislators the right to determine what is dangerous, and that they have decided to create a category instead of going case-by-case. She also stated that in applying the bylaw, common sense would be used. “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it’s gotta be a duck,” she said. What do you think about these new rulings? Like and share this and get the conversation going!

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