The Reality of Breed Specific Legislation

I've created this blog as a voice for the families who have been affected by Breed Specific Legislation in Ontario. Wonderful people have shared their stories and pictures with me regarding BSL and I thought they should have a permanent home somewhere. Some stories will break your heart and some will make you angry. This blog will never be open to comments or discussions of any kind.



If you would like to share this blog, please do. If this blog makes you want to act out against BSL, please write your MPP and voice your concerns.



If you have a story specific for Ontario, please share with me by writing to me at : lyndac@gmail.com and I will put your story on this blog.




Lynda Crawford

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Amanda & Calleigh

Amanda & Calleigh









To Whom this may concern,


I am writing in regards to BSL my name is Amanda. On Oct 16th 2009 I was at a dog park with my dog Calleigh she was 21 months old at the time and also my 2 year old nephew, Calleigh was playing with another dog that we met at this dog park before when 4 bylaw officers showed up taking picture’s and questioning me about Calleigh. They told me that I had to surrender my dog to be destroyed or to show proof of breed/age verification within 30 days, I then said I was not going to give them my dog and I then left, 16 day later I received a letter saying I was charged with owning a prohibited pit bull dog and I had to go to court, so I contacted Queen’s Legal aid for help to fight for my dogs life, my boyfriend Jamie made a facebook group called Save Calleigh from being put down, we had a lot of support with over 8000 people in the group. I was then contacted by a very nice lady Mary, she was holding a pit bull protest in the name of my dog Calleigh on Feb 27th 2010. I had 60 people I have never met come help me in the fight for my dog, CKWS news came and we also made the paper. I had a high risk assessment that proved Calleigh was not a high risk dog, I had dog trainers in and out of my house with them wondering why they were there as Calleigh was already trained and very well behaved and when I said why, I had them come and they were shocked and said Calleigh was the most well behaved puppy that had ever met. Then I had a DNA test that proved Calleigh was not a pit bull she was Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Bichon Frise, Miniature Pinscher and St Bernard. I had to muzzle my dog when she had not done anything wrong. The muzzle changed Calleigh, she was sad and not herself, every time I took her for a walk she wouldn’t come to me, she would act out, she’d miss behave, this was very upsetting to watch a once happy playful dog become a depressed dog who walked with her tail between her legs and ears pinned back all because a law said that she was a dangerous animal. We competed in 1000 island Dock Dog with Calleigh she loves to swim but when we had to have the muzzle on her she wouldn’t do very well at all its sad to make a good dog wear a muzzle when you know what it does to them. I have 13 nieces and nephews I would trust Calleigh with any of them before I would any other dog. Every night I cried myself to sleep as I held Calleigh in my arms as she cuddled into my chest, I could not imagine my life without her, she doesn’t understand why I cried all the time all she knew was her mommy was sad, she would kiss me and I would cry harder, she looked me in the eyes and it would break my heart, there wasn’t a moment of the day I didn’t think about Calleigh, she is my whole world, my life, my best friend, I worried about what my life would be like without her, I was scared of how I would make it through if I lost her, I made a promise to myself when I brought Calleigh home when she was a baby that I would never let anyone or anything hurt her, I didn’t want to live my life, if she couldn’t live hers. Still to this day I will do anything to keep her safe. Calleigh is not just a pet she is my baby, my child. I had everyone who knew Calleigh to write a letter for me so I could take them to court, After 9 months of court all the stress, the depression, the worrying and crying everything I went through was over I won my case Calleigh could live. That was the happiest time of my life, all the money and love I put into my baby didn’t have to end, I would never wish such a nightmare on anyone in this world. All the fighting and the pain worked out and when you finally see that you can make any type dog dangerous not only pit bulls, it’s not the dogs it’s the owner. I hope this is the end of BSL as it’s not a good law, Stop Killing good animals.


Sincerely,


Amanda and Calleigh