It's the provincial government that pushed this piece of idiocy through, not the federal. And yes, it was very much media fueled. Why is it when a Pit Bull bites it's front page, "Pit Bull Attack"? Sells papers and it's the bandwagon du jour. "Chihuahua Attack" just doesn't have the same (forgive the pun) bite to it. Ok, so it's an extreme example, Chihuahua's bites aren't usually lethal. Yes, I know it's a terrible thing that attacks happen at all, but, with any breed, it's the owners who are responsible. And it's not just drug dealers and punk kids, add Neanderthal throwbacks of the "Me big tough, me have big tough dog. Big tough doggy with big tough bark..." club. They really probably aren't all that bothered by this legislation, Rotties are still legal after all.
Btw, also, your average Joe did not get a vote on this, our elected representatives did, and supposedly voted in our best interests. Voting for a breed ban is SO much safer for their careers, isn't it? I've already signed many petitions, and will sign many more, but it's probably not worth the paper it's written on. No politician is going to be the one to stand up and disagree with a breed ban. All it would take is for one irresponsible Pit Bull owner to lose control of his/her dog and the fingers would be pointing at not the owner, but the politician who went against the ban. Career suicide and they know it.
I agree, but it won't be too widespread. They're not just banning Pit Bulls, they're banning anything that LOOKS like a Pit Bull. Anyone who owns one will have to raise it in a pretty isolated environment. Which, in turn, because of the inherent irresponsibility and lack of accountability, will probably make for a less socialized, more dangerous breed of dog.
Ack, sorry for the long-winded post, but this just bothers me on so many levels. Legislation isn't the problem, simplistic thinking, over legislation and taking the path of least resistance by politicians and the media is the problem. Whatever happened to education as a solution?
Btw, the days of "Independent News" is gone. So something reported with a definite slant in Toronto is given the same slant throughout Ontario, regardless of the demographics. Designer news. A Pit Bull attack is usually front page, today the ban is page two, tomorrow it'll probably be back page amongst the classifieds.