Ontario Advocates Rally to Repeal Canine Profiling

Fran Coughlin, a real estate broker turned activist, believes all good dogs deserve a home, regardless of their appearance. She and her twin sister, Liz Sullivan, have always had dogs in their lives and they're furious that a pit bull ban was ever passed in Ontario. Now, they're organizing the drive to get the breed discriminatory law repealed.

"Our government needs to know we are not going away, giving up, letting up or shutting up until all Ontarians are equal again under law as guaranteed in the Canadian Charter," said Coughlin. "Warrant-less entry into private homes and removal and destruction of non-offending family pets, based on when they were born or what they look like is both unjust and draconian."

The knee-jerk measure was passed by the provincial government in 2005. Since that time, according to Coughlin, "Canine profiling in Ontario has crossed over races, cultures, ages, sexes and professions."

To achieve their goal, the sisters have started a website and petition drive. They are also taking to the streets with a rally on October 1, from 4 to 7 p.m. in downtown Toronto, in support of Hershey's Bill, a proposal introduced to repeal the ban.

Hershey's bill was filed by Parkdale-High Park MPP Cheri DiNovo. It's called Hershey's bill, not because a repeal of breed discrimination would be sweet, but because it honors a once-neglected pit bull that became a St. John's Ambulance therapy dog. DiNovo believes that the measure has a good chance of passing.

Liz Sullivan decided to help lead the charge to repeal the law because "We need to hold our elected officials responsible for bad, stupid laws that profile. We need accountability not a 'panic policy response.' We already have the answer: We want the Calgary Animal Services Model implemented in place of breed specific laws."

Sullivan is right. Calgary has a generic dangerous dog law that works. Dog-related incidents in Calgary have decreased by targeting dogs based on behavior instead of appearance. The Calgary model was even touted  in a recent US Department of Justice publication on dog related incidents and encounters.

The need for Hershey's bill is best expressed by Debbie Black from the Pit Bull Co-Op, a group started to help pit bulls and their owners after the ban turned them into outcasts. "It's hard to know how to sum up the terror of the past seven years in Ontario. Each and every day, another panicked, horrified call comes through from yet another family whose unoffending dog has been seized in order to be killed by the authorities."

Best Friends Animal Society started a petition on Change.org to help pass Hershey's law. "Thank you, Best Friends, for hearing us in Ontario and lending your voice to our fight for innocent lives here," said Black.

Please be the dogs' and these courageous activists' best friends: sign the petition, make calls, and attend the rally to stop the killing of their  best friends.

Photo credit: Melissa Lipani, Best Friends Animal Society