Plant asked me about a dog called Lola who crops up on my FB page. This is the background.
I have never met Lola or her owner, but I was touched by her story. She's 3 years old, a lovely, gentle, calm mixed breed dog.
One day the police arrived at their door and seized Lola from her owners. Someone (the owner doesn't know who) had reported Lola as being a dangerous, viscous banned breed of dog under the Dangerous Dog Act - (Breed Specific Legislation). The distraught owners weren't allowed to know where the dog had been taken or what would happen to her. They weren't even allowed to send any food with her, or something with their scent on. She was hauled away thrown into the back of a van and driven off. She was taken to kennels somewhere where she was assessed by an 'expert'. The expert's report actually said she had a beautiful temperament, was friendly and handled well. But under this law they have to take various measurements - face shape etc. These came within the parameters of a "Pit Bull". This term is often used to refer to mixed breed dogs with certain physical characteristics - not a breed as we think of it. So poor Lola was branded as a banned dog which legally could be put to sleep for no other reason than how she looks.
The owner fought through the courts to eventually get her back. But with severe restrictions. Lola can never be let off the lead, and she has to wear a muzzle all the time she is out of the house - even in her owner's car.
Lola was lucky. She was returned relatively quickly, but terribly thin and quite traumatised by the whole experience. She hates the muzzle and constantly tries to rub it off. She's got excellent recall but can't be let off the lead, ever, unless she is on secure, private land.
Other dogs aren't so lucky and are euthanised without the owner ever seeing them again, or even being told.
There has been a petition to try to get this Act revised to protect gentle dogs like Lola from being seized on the whim of a total stranger, or even a neighbour who has a grudge and condemned to death for the way they look. Currently people like Lola's owner are canvassing their MPs to get them to support a Parliamentary debate for the revision of the law as it currently stands, but it's not easy!
I have never met Lola or her owner, but I was touched by her story. She's 3 years old, a lovely, gentle, calm mixed breed dog.
One day the police arrived at their door and seized Lola from her owners. Someone (the owner doesn't know who) had reported Lola as being a dangerous, viscous banned breed of dog under the Dangerous Dog Act - (Breed Specific Legislation). The distraught owners weren't allowed to know where the dog had been taken or what would happen to her. They weren't even allowed to send any food with her, or something with their scent on. She was hauled away thrown into the back of a van and driven off. She was taken to kennels somewhere where she was assessed by an 'expert'. The expert's report actually said she had a beautiful temperament, was friendly and handled well. But under this law they have to take various measurements - face shape etc. These came within the parameters of a "Pit Bull". This term is often used to refer to mixed breed dogs with certain physical characteristics - not a breed as we think of it. So poor Lola was branded as a banned dog which legally could be put to sleep for no other reason than how she looks.
The owner fought through the courts to eventually get her back. But with severe restrictions. Lola can never be let off the lead, and she has to wear a muzzle all the time she is out of the house - even in her owner's car.
Lola was lucky. She was returned relatively quickly, but terribly thin and quite traumatised by the whole experience. She hates the muzzle and constantly tries to rub it off. She's got excellent recall but can't be let off the lead, ever, unless she is on secure, private land.
Other dogs aren't so lucky and are euthanised without the owner ever seeing them again, or even being told.
There has been a petition to try to get this Act revised to protect gentle dogs like Lola from being seized on the whim of a total stranger, or even a neighbour who has a grudge and condemned to death for the way they look. Currently people like Lola's owner are canvassing their MPs to get them to support a Parliamentary debate for the revision of the law as it currently stands, but it's not easy!
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