(QUEEN’S PARK) - Randy Hillier, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, today tabled a bill to repeal the breed-specific legislation passed by the McGuinty government in 2005, commonly known as the “pit bull ban”.
“This was the worst kind of reactive and short-sighted legislation, and I think we all recognize that it deserves another look,” said Hillier. “That’s why I’m proud to have my bill co-sponsored by both a member of the NDP caucus and a member of the Liberal caucus. It’s great when members of all parties can get together to fix the problems of the past – and that’s just what we’re going to do.”
As Pit bulls are not an acknowledged dog breed, the ban includes everything from a pit bull terrier, a Staffordshire bull terrier, an American Staffordshire terrier, an American pit bull terrier or any dog that looks like any of these dogs. The law is also loosely enforced across the province. The ban takes the onus off of owners that raise violent dogs by making it appear that violence is a matter of genetics.
“I don’t accept that violence is pre-determined. If we had a law like this for humans, we’d call it racism. Why is that acceptable here?” said Hillier. “I believe that when an owner raises a violent dog, and that dog is involved in an attack, the owner should be punished to the full extent of the law. But there is simply no logic behind the targeting of a single dog breed.”
The bill is co-sponsored by NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo and Liberal MPP Kim Craitor, whose party imposed the ban in 2005. Mr. Craitor was not present for the vote. Randy Hillier is the owner of two pit bulls.