Ban on dog breeds like pit bulls are ‘ineffective’ says animal rights lawyer

Listen to the interview here.

Victor Kaisar

Jul 7, 2020 2:25 PM

A lawyer who specializes in animal rights says breed bans on certain types of dogs like pit bulls are ineffective and do not work.

Speaking on NL Newsday, Rebeka Breder of Breder Law says these kinds of bans have been in place in several B.C. municipalities, but notes its not something that governments should be doing.

“Vancouver used to have them. North Vancouver, Delta, Castlegar, New Westminster – a number of cities across the province,” she said. “And the reason why they don’t work is they are ineffective, and the reason they are ineffective is because they law is way too general in the way it describes what a pit bull is.”

“In Burnaby for instance, the definition is a vicious dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, an American Pit Bull and any dog generally recognized as a pit bull or a pit bull terrier and includes a mixed breed with predominant pit bull characteristics. I’m like, what the heck does that mean?”

Breder adds by definition, a pit bull refers to either an American Pit Bull Terrier, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or an American Staffordshire Terrier.

“You need DNA evidence to conclusively determine whether the dog is actually a pit bull and even then there are some questions,” Breder added. “These very over-generalized description catches many other types of dogs that are short, bulky, wider chest. Its totally unfair.”

She was speaking after Kamloops RCMP say a man died after reportedly being attacked by a pit bull at a home on Singh Street last Monday. As well, a Kamloops-area couple have nearly $1,000 in vet bills after their dog was allegedly attacked at random by a pit bull at their vacation property in Bridge Lake.

Listen to the interview here.

Originally aired July 7 2020

Radio NL 610 AM

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