Still Think Your Labrador Retriever Is Safe? Think Again!

[Podengo]

Still think your Labrador Retriever is safe? Think again!

I recently released this picture of our Niki. Niki is an ”SS” dog if you believe our local SPCA, who informed me five years ago that they felt she was a “pit bull” and as such was subject to BSL. Niki weighs in at 108 lbs. currently. Yes, before you all start screaming at me I KNOW she is overweight we are working on it and to date she has lost four pounds. However Niki’s weight is not what I wish to speak about today.

When BSL was introduced in Ontario in August of 2005, I did not worry for my dogs. After all none of them were “pit bulls”, so we weren’t affected directly by this heinous legislation. Our dogs were safe, or so we thought. But that was back when we didn’t really know what BSL would mean for Ontario dog owners. We could not have been more wrong!

The first time someone told me that Niki could be in danger because of her looks I scoffed at the notion. “That’s ridiculous!” I replied. “Niki is NOT a “pit bull”, she’s a husky/lab cross.” I put it down to that person being an alarmist and thought no more about it.

A few months went by, and we continued on as we always had, walking Niki sans muzzle like the docile mutt we knew she was. Then, disaster struck in the form of a five foot two blue haired old lady! Niki and I were calmly walking along the beachfront when we heard “Why isn’t that “pit bull” muzzled?” I turned to find little Ms. Bluehair staring hard at Niki and pointing.

“My dog?” I asked innocently. “Ma’am my dog is not a “pit bull”, she is a husky/lab cross breed.”

“I know a “pit bull” when I see one young lady!” was the old lady’s reply. “I have already called the pound, and the SPCA is coming to get your dog. You people can’t be keeping these vicious beasts around innocent citizens! Your dog will be taken from you! Good thing too, no one has any business owning one of these dogs! I’ll fix you!” She waved her cell phone at me.

“Good Lord!” I thought, “this poor woman needs glasses!” Thinking nothing more of her threats I continued my walk. About fifteen minutes or so later I looked up to find an SPCA truck driving slowly alongside me. The passenger side window was rolled down and I heard “Excuse me, but can we talk to you about your dog?” I stopped, put Niki in a down stay position and turned toward the source of the voice.

“Can I ask why your “pit bull” is not muzzled?” came the question from the SPCA investigator.

“Because she isn’t a “pit bull” I replied.

“Ma’am, I know dogs, and that is CLEARLY a “pit bull”. You are of course aware of the BSL legislation recently passed in Ontario?”

“Yes, I am.” I replied becoming just a little worried. “But Niki is a husky/lab cross, and not a “pit bull”. She is far too big to be mistaken for one.”

“Can you prove that?” asked the SPCA officer. “Is she registered as such?”

I looked at him wondering how he expected my cross breed dog to be “registered” as anything, she was after all for lack of a better term, a mutt. To the best of my knowledge there is no registry for mutts. “Um?. . .if you mean is she licensed with the city as her true breed mix of course she is! Her breed mix is also noted with her veterinarian.”

“Ma’am, we are telling you that this is a “pit bull” dog, and as such is subject to BSL. I will not take your dog today, as it is clear to me that you were not aware that she is a “pit bull” however, if I see her without a muzzle again I will take her from you!”

Suddenly, just like that, our dog and our family were subject to BSL, and life for Niki changed drastically. Gone were the trips to the dog park to play with other dogs. Niki had been labeled “pit bull” and “pit bulls” are not allowed in off leash parks. Gone was the freedom of walking down the street sans muzzle to meet and greet people and dogs. Niki, up until that point had been my advocacy dog. She had traveled with me to promote animal interaction education for children, and explain why spay and neuter is so important. Now I couldn’t take her with me in my advocacy work. With that Hannibal Lecter mask they insisted she must wear she scared everyone. No one wanted to be near the “vicious pit bull.” On several occasions Niki was actually assaulted by rocks thrown at her and shouts of “get rid of that vicious thing!”

It was the muzzle that changed things. No one had ever been afraid of Niki before, they would see her smiley face headed for them, and a smile would break out on their face. She is just that kind of dog, she loves everyone, and up until she was forced to wear the muzzle everyone loved her.

Niki doesn’t understand why people avoid her now. She doesn’t understand why people throw things at her or yell out nasty names. You can actually SEE the hurt in her eyes when someone doesn’t like her. Her world has changed because one person with authority doesn’t know a “pit bull” when they see one. Still think your Labrador Retriever is safe? Think again!

Until Next Time Remember,

Peace, Love & Freedom for Pit Bulls

[Maddy]

How odd

The dog in the picture (which I asusme to be the dog in question) looks like 90% of the labs we see around here, nothing pit bull about her. I can't even see the husky, just tubby lab.

Things like this make me very glad that I own a breed that differs greatly in proportions to the dogs described in Victorian legislation.

[MalteseLuna]

That story is so sad it nearly made me cry - especially the bit about the dog being hurt because nobody "liked" her anymore because she was wearing a a muzzle.

[minimax]

That story is so sad it nearly made me cry - especially the bit about the dog being hurt because nobody "liked" her anymore because she was wearing a a muzzle.

Anthropomorphism as its finest

And sadly, a look at what VIC will be like in 10 years

Edited September 26, 2012 by minimax

[Weasels]

That story is so sad it nearly made me cry - especially the bit about the dog being hurt because nobody "liked" her anymore because she was wearing a a muzzle.

Anthropomorphism as its finest

I don't think so If the dog is accustomed to a certain reaction from approaching and greeting people, especially one that is reinforcing, and overnight that reaction stops then of course it will be confusing and cause some level of distress.

[Greytmate]

That story is so sad it nearly made me cry - especially the bit about the dog being hurt because nobody "liked" her anymore because she was wearing a a muzzle.

Anthropomorphism as its finest

I don't think so If the dog is accustomed to a certain reaction from approaching and greeting people, especially one that is reinforcing, and overnight that reaction stops then of course it will be confusing and cause some level of distress.

No.

That won't cause the dog any stress at all. Responsible owners don't let their dogs meet and greet everyone they see. The owner is stressed. That's is all what this is about, and I think the owner is exaggerating a lot and being melodramatic. If she wanted a lab retriever the should have bought one instead of this dog.

[Weasels]

I suppose it also depends on whether these are the same people that the dog is seeing on its walks, and has a history of attention from them. Some dogs get a kick out of attention more than others, it's why some dogs will race across the park to see someone they know is good for a pat!

Edited September 26, 2012 by Weasels

[Salukifan]

As I see it, if you have a pedigreed Labrador Retriever with papers, it IS safe.

The "slippery slope" argument only goes so far.

Anyone who buys a crossbred or unpapered bull breed in a BSL state should be worried. Anyone breeding them deserves a good slap.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Haredown Whippets

[BlaznHotAussies]

A little bit over the top in the anthropomorphism department

Looks just like a Lab to me...struggling to find the Husky part!? Could just be cos she's got such a short coat. And the overweight-ness

I think the saddest part of this is that the owners feel victimised by the rangers who don't seem to be very educated? It's just their word against the law.

Everyone - better keep your SWFs out of sight! They'll be next!!

Edited September 26, 2012 by Scootaloo

[minimax]

As I see it, if you have a pedigreed Labrador Retriever with papers, it IS safe.

The "slippery slope" argument only goes so far.

Anyone who buys a crossbred or unpapered bull breed in a BSL state should be worried. Anyone breeding them deserves a good slap.

If you look at their blog, I think he was a rescue dog.

So again the argument comes about if you push getting dogs from rescue, how can you protect them from these laws?

[WreckitWhippet]

As I see it, if you have a pedigreed Labrador Retriever with papers, it IS safe.

The "slippery slope" argument only goes so far.

Anyone who buys a crossbred or unpapered bull breed in a BSL state should be worried. Anyone breeding them deserves a good slap.

If you look at their blog, I think he was a rescue dog.

So again the argument comes about if you push getting dogs from rescue, how can you protect them from these laws?

Don't get one.

If you live in NSW, I'd be making sure that if you do choose to get one from a pound or rescue that it has been suject to an "official" breed assessment carried out by an authorised person and that it's passed

[ann21]

Just thinking...couldn't you do one of those DNA tests to prove she is primarily a lab/husky mix?

[mr.mister]

Unfortunately ann those tests have proved rather unreliable. There's been a few stories about purebred pedigreed dogs being tested and coming back as cross breeds!

[Tralee]

I think the lady has a social justice issue.

Why is she letting the SPCA push her around?

The environmental enrichment of the dog is at stake, so it should be challenged and contested in court.

[Erny]

As I see it, if you have a pedigreed Labrador Retriever with papers, it IS safe.

Well, if you don't live in Victoria, I guess. My understanding of our laws here in the South are that if the council says your dog fits the pit bull profile the government have created then your dog IS a pit bull and you can't escape that even if your dog is papered as a dog of different breeding ........ EXCEPT if your dog is papered as an AmStaff, as they thought to write that one into the law (but forgot about the others).

Maybe they've fixed at least that flaw (wish they'd address the original major flaw which was the BSL as a whole from the get go) since I read of it but I dunno.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Erny

[Irishtoller]

I have worked in a local council pound and would challenge ANY breed identification!! There was a lot of the compliance staff who had no or very little dog experience of any kind prior to being employed in their positions. Very few council workers or veterinarians could correctly identify many breeds so to ask them to make a decision when it comes down to the life of a dog by identifying a "pit bull" is ludicrous.....