Thousands of dogs could be euthanized if the Quebec government gets its way. Lawmakers are trying to pass a provincewide ban on various dog breeds, and if it passes, owners, shelters and other rescue organizations won't even have time to find their dogs new homes. They will have to put them down.
Breed Specific Legislation (BSLs) are laws that ban dogs simply because of their appearance. In most cases the dog breeds are banned because they are considered more dangerous than others. Breeds like Pit Bulls and Rottweilers are often the biggest target. Yet statistics show that BSLs do not work. A dog's breed cannot predict whether or not it will be aggressive.
Governments all over the world including Spain, the UK and Netherlands have all tried to use BSL to decrease dog bites incidents and they have all failed miserably. In Spain, after the ban had been in effect for five years, investigators found that there was no significant difference in the number of dog bites. In the UK and the Netherlands, dog bites even increased after the ban was passed.
These laws do not work but still Quebec officials want to push ahead with a bill that will cost thousands of dogs their lives and break even more hearts.
No dog should be banned or killed simply just because it “looks dangerous”. Sign this petition and tell Quebec to drop the BSL proposal.
Dear Martin Coiteux of the National Assembly ,
Time and time again governments have tried to ban dogs simply because of the way they look. These breed specific laws do not work and yet lawmakers refuse to look at the facts choosing to rely on their gut. These laws put thousands of friendly, happy, and loving dogs in danger and tear families apart. Please drop Quebec's BSL proposal and find another way to make the province safer.
[Your comments]
Sincerely,
