Help Fight BSL

I got this email today from VancouverShibas.com:

Hi everyone,

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Holiday season and enjoyed the snow – I know both my Shibas loved it. At this point in time, I’m uncertain if we’ll have a Meetup for February. We’ll have to see what the weather is like but I’ll keep everyone informed over the upcoming weeks.

The last few months, I’ve been receiving quite a few emails about Shibas in need of a new home or inquiries about fostering a Shiba until a new home is available. One of the people I’ve turned to for help and advice is Susan Norris-Jones – the President of the Shiba Inu Canada national breed club. Her insight has been a huge help and now she’s asking for my assistance to get the message out there about the efforts of several canine rights groups fighting Ontario’s Bill 132. Please check out the links listed in the email below and it will give you all the info on Bill 132.

You may think that Bill 132 does not affect you because you live in BC and you own a Shiba Inu, not a “pit bull” or “pit bull type dog”. Think again… Our province is considering breed specific legislation (think Bill 132) which will give the government the right to tell us which breed of dog (that includes cross breeds or dogs resembling the banned breed) we are allowed to own. Right now our government is looking at “pit bull” type dogs but there are other breeds they are considering as well. In many European countries breed specific bans are already in effect. For instance, the Akita, the much larger cousin to Shiba, is one of many breeds that have been banned. Any form of breed specific legislation sets a terrible precedent for actions against any breed of dog. It’s not a far stretch to think that this could happen to our beloved Shiba especially with the breed gaining in popularity and notoriety.

Please consider making a donation to the Dog Legislation Council of Canada (DLCC). Even if it’s only $5 or one dollar for every dog you own. I have made a donation myself and urge others to support the DLCC and the Banned Aid Coalition as they take their fight to the Supreme Court of Canada. The deadline to make a donation is January 23, 2009. You can make a secure payment through PayPal at this link: http://doglegislationcouncilcanada.org/donate.html

Thank you for taking the time to read this message. Let’s hope Bill 132 will be struck down once and for all. “Ban the deed, not the breed”

Jen Jung

Reposted with permission

I donated $10; not much, but combined with more $10 donations, it can amount to a lot!  Please consider giving or telling your friends who own breeds targeted by BSL to go to the website to check things out.