Lena Sin
CanWest News Service

January 17, 2005

About 20 British Columbians have offered to rescue death-row pit bulls from Windsor, Ont.

Natalie Kemeny of the Windsor rescue group Advocates for the Underdog said she has been inundated with calls and e-mails from B.C. after a story was published in Wednesday's Province about Windsor's pit-bull ban.

"It's unbelievable, the overwhelming support from B.C.," she said. "I think we're up to 18 to 20 e-mails from Vancouver."

Kemeny has been placing pit bulls in a secret network of six safe houses ever since the city enacted a pit bull ban on Oct. 1. From this underground network, Kemeny and a small team have been spiriting the dogs to adoptive homes across the country, including places as far away as Nova Scotia and B.C.

Shannon Faust of Coquitlam said she came home Wednesday and her husband immediately sat her down to read about the ban in Windsor. The couple decided right away to rescue a pit bull.

"I'm an animal advocate," said Faust. "I don't want to see any animal or a puppy being put down. They haven't had a chance to learn anything. They haven't even been given a chance."

Kemeny said she had just picked up an abandoned seven-week-old pit bull that had been dumped at a local shelter -- something that's now common practice for owners who don't want to pay for putting down their dog or be fined for still owning one.

She's hoping this new pup will be among the lucky ones who will be placed in a new home.

Fifty pit bulls were destroyed between October and December. Kemeny has placed 34 in adoptive homes to date.

"We drive them [to the Toronto airport out of donation money that we receive," said Kemeny, who has a full-time job. "It's our own time. We don't get any money for it. However, the people who want to rescue the animal have to pay for the flight."

Kemeny is now hoping to negotiate a deal with Air Canada to get a discount on cargo flights.

Meanwhile, Vancouver city council is awaiting a report on the feasibility of adopting a vicious-dog bylaw similar to Windsor's. The report is due in council on Feb. 15.