Reworked bylaw omits breed-specific language
Pit bull owners have strong reaction to a proposal defining their dogs as 'dangerous.'
Pit bull owners say their dogs make good family pets. However, their boisterous play, as shown (left) may be seen as rough.
Photograph by: file photo , TIMES
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are reworking their pet bylaws, so neither targets pit bulls.
Language specifying pit bulls as dangerous has been removed from a proposed Maple Ridge animal control bylaw, while Pitt Meadows council will consider a rewritten bylaw in late November that removes breed-specific language.
The proposed Maple Ridge bylaw defines aggressive and dangerous dogs, but does not include any reference to specific breeds as being aggressive or dangerous. (This bylaw was part of Monday's workshop agenda, and, depending on council, would be forwarded for approval to a future council meeting.)
The original proposed bylaw would have classified pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, and American pit bull terriers as "aggressive" dogs.
The current Pitt Meadows bylaw - originally written in 1992 - defines these breeds as "vicious."
An aggressive dog in the reworked Maple Ridge bylaw would be one that bites or harasses other pets or people, but "typically the bite is minor and the aggressive behaviour is not so distressing as to be considered traumatizing."
A dog would be classified as dangerous if it attacks multiple times or its attack is of a serious nature and the animal control officer believes there might be a "serious threat to public safety."
There was public outcry in reaction to the original classification in the Maple Ridge animal control bylaw of pit bulls and related dogs as dangerous.
Pit bull owners and supporters hosted a dog walk in downtown Maple Ridge late last month in support of the breeds.
