Dear Mayor Campbell and Council,

Animal Advocates Society fully supports a ban, based on the Winnipeg model, of pit bulls and other man-stopper breeds of dogs.

AAS has been documenting attacks and breeding of these dangerous dogs for years. We want the actual breeding of them stopped, not just regulated. Other protection breeds, such as German shepherds and Rottweilers, must be regulated by high licensing fees and proof of training and temperament. And the City of Vancouver must ban the keeping of yard dogs, if it is sincere about protecting its citizens from dangerous dogs.

We have offered our databases of breeders in BC to the BC SPCA several times and have not been replied to. We attach it for you.

Both the SPCA and the "experts" are afraid of the backlash from thousands of uncomprehending dog-lovers who believe this. AAS is appalled that these defenders are essentially saying that no dog should be designated dangerous until it has attacked someone. That someone is usually a child. Another Shenica White incident is a given, and the next time the child could die, ripped to pieces.

The SPCA is paid to kill many pit bulls a year, and yet it still publicly pretends that the breed is no more dangerous than other breeds.

To deny that pit bulls are bred to do the very thing they do, requires the denial that hounds track and collies herd, and retrievers retrieve. No one denies that breeding works for these traits, but almost everyone denies that breeding works for fighting and killing traits.

And do not be mislead by false reasoning that if you ban pit bulls, you'll end up banning poodles. That reasoning is so specious it really shouldn't have to be refuted, but of course that is not what happens in a democracy. No politician would dare to ban all dogs.

And do not be misled by the equally specious arguments that cocker spaniels bite more often than pit bulls. Your duty to the citizens of Vancouver, especially its children, requires you to understand that cocker spaniels do not rip children to pieces are not living in yards, on chains, as desocialized guard dogs.

AAS has rescued many darling pit bull crosses, but we have also seen many pit bulls living lives of quiet desperation and we know that there are pit bull fighting rings in the Fraser Valley that the SPCA knows of and does nothing about, where the injured are left to die, thrown at the side of the road or run over, or shot, or thrown into rivers. We do not think it is humane or civilized to permit the breeding and owning of dogs that suffer so much and are such a danger.

These pictures were taken in Vancouver. We have many more. If it will help you, please tell us if you would like us to send you more photos.

Judith Stone, President,
Animal Advocates Society of BC
www.animaladvocates.com

Vancouver pit bull in a pen, ears cropped for fighting....