Update on Brittany and Rambo

[Chris21711]

One Vet will get to decide if Brittany and Rambo are Pittie related....sigh

http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news...ach-settlement

This I don't understand, maybe someone can enlighten me....neither of these dogs has a history of biting or otherwise

If the vet finds the dogs are not pitbulls, or he cannot reach a conclusion, the dogs will be released immediately to their owners, with conditions.
If they are released, they will be designated and licensed as “potentially dangerous dogs” under the city’s bylaw, which would require them to be microchipped and spayed/neutered, and to be leashed and muzzled when out in public.

If anyone is interested in this blog entry it describes how Brittany was taken at gunpoint http://brindlestick.blogspot.com/

[BenMax]

It's very simple actually. Any dog that 'resembles' a pitbull, american staffordshire terrier or American Pitbull, mix or pure, that are not 4 years of age can and will be ceased and either: A. destroyed, or B. moved out of province.

There does not have to be ANY history at all of any incidents or otherwise. They are basing this on appearance only.

As you know, I was part of a movement to move pitties and the likes out of Ontario that were deemed a banned breed or type. None of the dogs that I got had any history at all of any incident. Infact I even got in dogs that did not appear pittie at all but were brindled... That was their 'downfall'.

I had one case where a pittie was ceased by animal control. I proved the dog a boxer X and I proved the dog was 9 years of age and even if she was pitbull she would be grandfathered and there for safe right?? WRONG. I was then asked to prove that she was in the province for 9 years....impossible as she was left behind in a move and someone took her in.

Ontario will destroy whatever they darn well please. The only other thing that this vet can do is a DNA test. These tests however are limited. If it comes out inconclusive - the dogs will be destroyed.

Ontario is pathetic (sorry my dear neighbours). This ban has ripped thousands of animals out of the loving arms of their humans. It disgusts me to no end.

[Chris21711]

Originally Posted by BenMax

It's very simple actually. Any dog that 'resembles' a pitbull, american staffordshire terrier or American Pitbull, mix or pure, that are not 4 years of age can and will be ceased and either: A. destroyed, or B. moved out of province.

That I understand BenMax, that is part of BSL

Ontario is pathetic (sorry my dear neighbours). This ban has ripped thousands of animals out of the loving arms of their humans. It disgusts me to no end.

AMEN

Originally Posted by Chris21711

If the vet finds the dogs are not pitbulls, or he cannot reach a conclusion, the dogs will be released immediately to their owners, with conditions.
If they are released, they will be designated and licensed as “potentially dangerous dogs” under the city’s bylaw, which would require them to be microchipped and spayed/neutered, and to be leashed and muzzled when out in public.

This is what I don't understand....if it is decided that they are NOT Pittie X's or the Vet is inconclusive.....Why must they be labelled "potentially dangerous dogs" when they have no history of any wrongdoings?

:

They've all gone topot and not the good kind

[BenMax]

Because Ontario has labelled all dogs being 'maybe' pittie or mix, as potentially dangerous. They have put a blanket statement on these dogs without merit. There is no logic.

Now let's say that the vet says that they are not pitbulls or the likes...what happens then if the dogs show any aggressive behaviours in a foreign place with foreign people. I can tell you all this with certainty. My min pin of 5 lbs would nip, bite, attack anyone under these circumstances. Would she be considered a potentially dangerous dog? And would it have the same reprocussions as if it were a bigger breed? And if she was considered dangerous, would the government strip her from me and kill her? Would they order her to pass a good canine citizen course? Would they insist she be muzzled?

[Chris21711]

Originally Posted by BenMax

Because Ontario has labelled all dogs being 'maybe' pittie or mix, as potentially dangerous. They have put a blanket statement on these dogs without merit. There is no logic.

Absolutely no logic whatsoever, there isn't much that this Government does that seems logical.

Now let's say that the vet says that they are not pitbulls or the likes...what happens then if the dogs show any aggressive behaviours in a foreign place with foreign people. I can tell you all this with certainty. My min pin of 5 lbs would nip, bite, attack anyone under these circumstances. Would she be considered a potentially dangerous dog? And would it have the same reprocussions as if it were a bigger breed? And if she was considered dangerous, would the government strip her from me and kill her? Would they order her to pass a good canine citizen course? Would they insist she be muzzled?

Because of Julia's size, probably not......But, the rest is a bunch of "what if's". In that case all dogs should be muzzled?

[chico2]

It's sickening to say the least and makes me very angry,I do not know what I'd be capable of,if anyone would try to take my dog away(if I had one))just because,they don't like his looks

I don't think either Brittany or Rambo has any resemblance to a"pit-bull",Ontario is a sicko,cruel province

[Chris21711]

I read in the Toronto Star this morning that Brittany and Rambo have been returned to their owners.....An independent Vet deemed that they were NOT Pittie X's.

Naturally since they have never been involved in any altercations of any kind...they will have to be muzzled when off of their property and each family will have to post a sign stating that they have "potentially dangerous dogs".....WTF, they have never done anything.....I really hope that the families have the money to take this further

[chico2]

Chris I was soooo happy when I read this,then the muzzels and signs,it's just not reasonable,I am baffled.
At least the pups are back home

There is a big man here who walks 2 obvious pit-bulls,ears and tails cropped,he never has those dogs muzzled and he can barely handle to hold on to them.
The dogs growl and yelp trying to get away.
I have to admit they make me nervous,but it's their look,also the fact they are obviously not trained.
They could be very good dogs,but the man seems to enjoy seeing people take a wide berth around them

[babyrocky1]

Hi all, sorry its been a while.... as you can imagine I've been exhausted..... LOlL The "Pit Bull" Co-op is still going and many of us have been at the Brampton protests as well....... at long last they are home.
the muzzle and the dangerous dog sign is just plane stupid but if the longer the owners fought, the longer the dogs would be in "jail"!
They had to agree to certain ahem...... terms...... to finally get them out.

That being said, just a check in....... the Pittie Co-op really needs volunteers.. please pass it around. We are still doing group walks, weekly and larger events... we are also very politically active so even if you don't have a "substantially similar" dog........ Please contact me, come out for a walk, and plan to join us August 29th for the BIGGEST RALLY YET..... its not over. We have a new bill going throug to ban the ban and we still have some legal strategies up our sleeves but we need EVERYONE support. please come!!!!!!!
www.pitbullcoop.2ya.com
If you can volunteer any time it would be very much appreciated!
facebook group is linked on the site

[Melinda]

http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news...-shelter-owner


Rambo, a dog wrongfully impounded by the City of Brampton for more than three months, was returned home with two broken ribs, The Guardian has learned.
Commissioner of Community Services Jamie Lowery said in a written statement released Thursday afternoon that there is “no evidence” that Rambo’s ribs were broken at the shelter, and refused to answer The Guardian’s questions about the injury.
“Rambo was well cared for at the shelter, and was routinely checked by animal services staff and also saw a veterinarian on several occasions,” the statement from Lowery read.




An expert has determined the injury is healing, and happened at least two to four weeks before the dog was released by the city. Exactly how old the injury is, though, could not be determined, Lowery pointed out in his statement.
Rambo was impounded for 14 weeks.
Rambo’s owners say they have no doubt the ribs were broken while their pet was impounded, and they want answers from the city and an investigation.
Rambo underwent a medical examination by a city veterinarian Feb. 10— four weeks into his impoundment— and other than an ear infection, no injuries or medical issues were identified, according to the vet report obtained by The Guardian.
The vet noted Rambo was “friendly” and readily took a treat.
And his owners confirm he was healthy and happy when he was seized Jan. 13.
“He was fine (before the city seized him). He was perfectly fine,” said John Gaspar, whose family owns Rambo.
But within hours of being released April 19, his owners say they saw something jutting out underneath his fur.
“It was sticking out,” Gaspar said.
The injury was so obvious, they immediately suspected a broken rib, they said.
Two days later, on April 21, X-rays were taken that confirmed two of the floating ribs near the end of Rambo’s rib cage were broken, one of them with a 2-3 mm gap.
The Gaspars had the X-rays sent to a certified radiologist in Toronto— an X-ray expert— who reported the bones were already healing and the injury was, at a minimum, two to four weeks old.
“However the most mature this fracture is cannot be reliably stated,” the expert concluded in a report obtained by The Guardian. The “fracture stability” and physical activity between dogs can play a role in the healing process, making it difficult to pinpoint when the injury happened, according to the expert, who was not told the dog had been in the city pound for 14 weeks.
Rambo was in a cage alone, away from all other animals, and did not get out for exercise as much as his sister, Brittany, the entire time he was in the city animal shelter, according to reports from the city. There was no physical activity between him and any other dogs, and, kept in a cage all night and much of the day, his movement was limited, according to the family.
According to a local veterinarian contacted by The Guardian, in a young dog— Rambo is two years old— it takes approximately eight weeks for a broken bone to heal, 10 to 12 weeks in an older dog, but that is just an estimation.
Rib bones might take longer, according to Dr. Tim Zaharchuk, because simply breathing can interfere with the healing process.
However, if the injury was obvious to the family, he said it isn’t likely the veterinarian who conducted a physical exam of Rambo on Feb. 10 could have missed it if the ribs were broken before that examination.
“If it’s jutting out, if it’s displaced, how could you miss that?” Zaharchuk said, adding it’s reasonable to think, based on the information supplied to him by The Guardian, that the ribs were broken some time after that Feb. 10 exam.
The veterinarian who examined Rambo on Feb. 10 did not return The Guardian’s phone call.
Gaspar’s 70-year-old mother visited Rambo twice in March, and did not notice an injury, either, according to the family.
The independent veterinarian who saw Rambo just days before his release did not mention seeing the jutting bone, but he did not conduct a medical exam of Rambo and his sister, Brittany. He was tasked with judging the dogs by their “looks” to determine if they had characteristics “substantially similar” to the banned breeds.
Lowery said animal shelter workers also did not report the injury.
Zaharchuk said attached ribs at the front of the rib cage require quite a bit of “trauma” to break, while “floating” rib bones at the end of the rib cage— like Rambo’s broken ribs— are “more easily accessible” and wouldn’t take as much force to break, although none of a dog’s ribs break very “easily”, requiring some amount of force.
Gaspar said, to him, it’s clear Rambo’s ribs were broken while he was in the care of city employees, and he wants to know how it happened.
“(The vet) hinted that the injury was pretty fresh,” Gaspar said, adding he believes, based on the expert’s report, that the bones were broken between two and four weeks before the dog’s release.
The Gaspars are speculating that someone at the shelter hit or poked Rambo, possibly with a stick, because Rambo now, inexplicably, seems frightened of the family’s broom.
“I was pretty devastated,” Gaspar said when he found out Rambo was injured. “I just got the dog back.”
Rambo and Brittany were mislabelled “illegal pitbulls” by City of Brampton animal control officers and seized Jan. 13 from separate homes. When a veterinarian ruled they were not “pitbulls” at all, the dogs were returned home, but had spent 14 weeks in the pound.
The city has maintained the dogs received the “highest level of care” at the shelter.
But the Branco family said Brittany had a bladder infection while in the pound, and had lost about 15 pounds by the time she was released. She was so skinny, her rib cage was visible, they complained, adding she was so hungry she didn’t stop eating when she got home.
As for Rambo, now that he is home, he has settled in and is “back to his old self.”
“He’s happy,” Gaspar said.
.

[diandpat]

OMG this story just gets sadder and sadder Poor poor pooch...two broken ribs???? Must have been so painful for him. Bunch of morons...seizing the dog in the first place and then they don't even take proper care of him...wth????

I can't even imagine if they came to take my dogs what I would do!!!! Just makes me sick to think of what these poor people have been through and continue to go through

[MyBirdIsEvil]

Stories like this are so saddening. And the fact that other cities around the globe follow suit by making such laws which lead to those kind of abuses is even more sickening. My small town has just recently become one of them, and me and other animal advocates and rescuers are wondering when we will start seeing this kind of crap, considering our animal control and shelter doesn't have the best record regarding animals anyway.
People have already been abandoning their pets outside of town from fear that the city will confiscate their animals, though they're supposed to be grandfathered in if they were here prior to ban. And the law is so broad that it states, a pit bull, amstaff, bull terrier (where the hell did they even come up with the latter since almost no one here owns those?) or any dog resembling such (not just related, but RESEMBLING, is what the law states, so proving DNA means nothing) will fall under the ban, and it is up to animal control to determine whether the dog is or is not covered.
And in my town where people allow their dogs of any breed to roam around freely and animal control already does nothing about this, they make this law.
We already know of one case where a purebred boxer was confiscated because they deemed it a pit bull.

So I feel for you guys and anyone that has been affected by these stupid bans.

[Love4himies]

Oh my, I just hate how our gov't just feels they can do no wrong . I hope that family takes them to court.


I can understand why the vet who examined him in Feb won't return calls. If the ribs were broken at that point and the vet didn't do anything then there is reason to sue, if it wasn't then there is still reason to sue.