One entry to the Toronto Sun’s 2006 “guest column” competition got an honourable mention and was printed in the August 11 paper. The newspaper’s title for it was “Dog Ban is the Pits”. Here’s the full text of the column: I am an intelligent, well-spoken,…

Courtesy of the American Kennel Club and adapted for Canadian content, here are ten tips for successful involvement in canine legislation.1. Pay attention to the local news. It is important to follow your local news carefully, watching for the kind of events that may trigger…

Dogs are one of the most micro-managed properties that we own. The obvious others are cars and guns.In 2005, in Toronto alone, there were 79 homicides. Of those, 52 people were murdered by criminals using guns. In 2005, in Toronto alone, 59 people died as…

When proposing the latest amendments to Toronto’s dog licence fees, the authors of the proposal state that “The proposed revisions to the fee structure will continue to positively reward responsible pet owners that sterilize their animals.” However, upon closer examination of this proposal, it appears…

In response to Caveat’s article pointing to Denver’s breed specific ordinance, I decided to list all the cities within the province of Ontario that have their own, usually more restrictive, breed specific legislation.Legal note: This article is an attempt to inform the public regarding certain…

Just prior to the provincial election in Nova Scotia, Rick Conrad, writer of the Petpourri column in the Halifax Chronicle Herald, posed questions about pet ownership, sale, cruelty, and breed banning to each of the three major party leaders. Their answers, along with the comments…

The Banned Aid Coalition has been fighting the Ontario government for the past year and a half on behalf of ALL dog owners and they have been successful. Public awareness of the dangers of Bill 132 has increased dramatically, media organizations are starting to understand…

Another couple of places in Canada that have decided to get rid of their “dog problem” by getting rid of the dogs that AREN’T the problem.Florenceville, New Brunswick Home of McCain’s, whose products many dog owners will no longer be buying, and also home of…

Court report courtesy of Steve Barker. Here is my summary of the morning of May 18.Legalities require me to tell you that I’m not a lawyer and this document contains only my interpretations of what was said in court and my opinions. Nothing in this…

The Ontario “pit bull ban” case continues on Thursday, May 18, at 10:00 AM, not at 9:30 as originally posted.Room number is not known. Address is 361 University Avenue (at Queen). Go to information desk and ask what room the “Catherine Cochrane” case is in….