Press Release

Once again, Montreal Fails to Make Montreal Safe:

For Neither Humans nor Animals

For immediate release

Montreal, September 28th 2016 – The Society for the Protection of Animals Canada is scandalized with the City’s adoption of a Breed Specific Legislation. All experts in the industry, from veterinarians to the American Bar Association, positioned themselves against it. It is obvious that Montreal’s elected officials know nothing about efficient animal control policies, from both the adoption of an outdated breed specific legislation to their continued contracts with the for-profit pound Berger Blanc.

“Instead of investing in a solution that will actually solve the problem of dangerous dogs, our tax dollars will be paying for the City to kill perfectly healthy family dogs simply because of their breed, or even their general appearance. Try explaining to a child that their pet might be killed because of their appearance, what kind of lesson are we trying to teach them? That physical appearance is a valid criteria to judge dogs, or even people?” criticizes Katherine Mac Donald, spokesperson for SPA Canada. Earlier this year, Quebec adopted a new provincial legislation that recognizes animals as sentient beings, Montreal is completely ignoring this fact when it comes to certain breeds of dogs by ordering their execution and affecting their quality of life.

Many of the clauses of the legislation are extreme and illogical. For example, perfectly healthy and behaviorally sound dogs could be euthanized because their leash is too long. In addition, many of the restrictions imposed on pit bull type dogs, such as wearing a muzzle at all times, will further propagate the media-fueled, irrational fear of pit bulls, worsening the problem instead of solving it. “The City of Montreal is giving the public a false sense of security by shifting the public's attention away from a real solution. The problem will remain and the aftermath of their ban will be a pile of dead dogs,” states Mrs. Mac Donald.

With the Montreal SPCA’s announcement of cancelling their contracts would the ban pass, SPA Canada is especially worried that the City of Montreal will revert to the Berger Blanc for their animal control services for dogs. Let the undercover investigation of the Berger Blanc in 2011 with one of our investigators, in partnership with Radio-Canada’s program ‘Enquête’ not be forgotten. This investigation brought to light their cruel practices and caused many boroughs to cancel their contracts with them. “The Berger Blanc will now have the City’s approval to kill any dog they deem to be ‘dangerous’ under to this new legislation. It is in their interest to label any dog as dangerous in order to make space to accept more animals, as they are paid per animal controlled. All dogs are in danger by this legislation,” warns Mrs. Mac Donald.

Following the original campaign against the City of Montreal's animal control policies, a new animal control facility for 2018 was promised. SPA Canada is still waiting to see this plan materialize along with the permanent closure of the Berger Blanc.
Watch the undercover investigation of the Berger Blanc here: Berger Blanc Undercover Investigation

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SPA Canada will be happy to grant media interviews.

For further information, please contact:
Katherine Mac Donald
Spokesperson for SPA Canada
438-885-7722 or media@spacanada.org
spacanada.org