I FInally Stuck My Nose in About Bill 132

I hadn't sent any poison emails about the passage of bill 132 in Ontario because I was just too pissed off that it had passed. So many dogs are going to die. It seems like the world of dogs is going backwards at lightning speed and there's nothing anyone can do about it. People can be as mean as they want to dogs right now and it's okay. I'm completely confused by the whole thing so the only thing I can do is to just go into the woods and 10 o'clock at night so no one will bother me.

But tonight I wrote an email and sent it to all the major Ontario newspapers, the premier of Ontario, Mr. Bryant, the city councillors of Windsor Ontario - because it's about a dog in Windsor Ontario who's supposed to die there any day now. I wish that non-dog people would somehow realize that dogs are as important to us as our own lives - we would die for them - well, some of us would die for them anyway! But anyway - here's the email I sent:

To: rjones@city.windsor.on.ca, cpostma@city.windsor.on.ca, jzuk@city.windsor.on.ca, dbrister@city.windsor.on.ca, ahalberstadt@city.windsor.on.ca, fvalentinis@city.windsor.on.ca, dcassivi@city.windsor.on.ca, klewenza@city.windsor.on.ca, twilson@city.windsor.on.ca, joagignac@city.windsor.on.ca, mayoro@city.windsor.on.ca, lettertoed@thestar.ca, editor@tor.sunpub.com, letters@globeandmail.ca, oped@ott.sunpub.com, letters@thecitizen.canwest.com, letters@thestar.canwest.com, Dalton.McGuinty@premier.gov.on.ca, mbryant.mpp@liberal.ola.org, mbryant.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, michael.bryant@jus.gov.on.ca, marilyn_churley-mpp@ontla.ola.org, hhampton-qp@ndp.on.ca, tim_hudak@ontla.ola.org, pkormos-qp@ndp.on.ca, joe_tascona@ontla.ola.org, rottn@nf.sympatico.ca, marjorie@mediarichpresentations.com

Hello from Nova Scotia, today I received an email - like 100's, or
maybe even 1000's - of other dog lovers across Canada and across the
world did - about a dog named Taco - who lives in Windsor Ontario with
his owner Stephanie. Unfortunately for Stephanie her 4 month old
canine life companion is a pit bull - which she didn't know when she
took him in, but which doesn't matter to her because she loves him
unconditionally and she knows that he's a super dog and he's perfect
for her and they've made an unbelievable bond and they can't live
without each other - and they shouldn't have to.

But in September 2004 BSL was passed in Windsor banning the new
ownership of "pit bull" type dogs. Stephanie has gone through an
appeal process - which she's lost and has been told Taco must be
euthanized (killed) within the next 6 days - although it's probably a
lot closer now (I'm writing this on March 24th, 2005). I've pasted
the email I received at the bottom of this letter which gives
Stephanie's full story. Another option is to somehow get Taco out of
Ontario - there is an underground railroad that's been developed just
for these purposes but isn't it sad that there's been this need
created? And Stephanie loses one of her main reasons for continuing
to live?

I personally felt the need to write and voice my opinion because I
used to feel that Ontario was a dog-friendly province. I felt so
strongly about it after a trip to Toronto in 2000 that I had started
making concrete plans to move there. I thought that Toronto could
provide a much better life for my dogs than Halifax could because
there were so many more leash free parks, you couldn't be denied
rental housing because you had pets, and you could take your dogs on
the public transit system during non-peak hours. I must say that I AM
SO GLAD I DIDN'T MOVE THERE!!!!!!! Ontario has proven itself to be
the most hateful, disrespectful, and genocidal places on the planet.
And I don't think I am over-stating my case. 1000's of dogs are going
to die because of a few people's irrational fears. And it is very
sad.

There are towns, cities, provinces, and states who are moving towards
being MORE dog-friendly and accepting of dogs because they realize
that responsible dog owners love their dogs as much as they love their
children and spend as much money on them as they do - if not more -
than their children. Abuse exists everywhere and it can't be condoned
- but it won't be solved by trying to erase a breed off the face of
the earth either. Ontario has entered into a horrible experiment that
is going to fail miserably and so many souls are going to suffer - I
hope you are prepared to have the blood on your hands.

Good luck - I'll watch from down here in Nova Scotia. And I'll pray
that someone steps up to the plate and helps Stephanie and Taco stay
together. Taco has obviously become an assistance dog for Stephanie
and should be given that designation and should be allowed to stay
with her based solely on that. I'll sew him a vest myself and send it
to them.

Sincerely,

Joan Sinden
and Daisy, Charlie, Leonard, and Buttercup
--
--
http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/
http://www.geocities.com/charlieloveshalifax/index.html
http://users.eastlink.ca/~joansinden/dogkisser.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: Advocates for the Underdog info@advocatesfortheunderdog.com
(@advocatesfortheunderdog.com)
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 3:08 PM
I really need your help

Hello Everyone,

I really need your help.

As you know, in Windsor, ON in September, 2004 BSL was passed banning
the new ownership of "pit bull" type dogs. Since the passing of this
by-law, AFTU has been working diligently to fight the City of Windsor
and trying to save as many dogs as we can. To date, AFTU has saved
over 75 dogs and placed them into forever homes. Still, with all of
our efforts we estimate that over 175 dogs have been euthanized. It
is truly an astounding number!

On this past New Year's Eve, a young pup was found abandoned in a snow
bank by a young man. He brought the frozen, nearly dead pup home to
his aunt. The boy's aunt, a woman named Stephanie, stayed up all
night gently massaging the young pup's body near her opened stove.
Thinking the pup was actually a full grown Chihuahua, she named him
Taco. It took several weeks for the pup to regain full mobility and
several trips to the vet to insure that the pup was going to make it.
It was during this time that she discovered that the dog was not a
Chihuahua, but instead could possibly be a "pit bull" type pup. She
did not care and opened her home to this poor little soul.

Since then, Stephanie has been served with a prohibited notice on Taco
and she just had her appeal hearing on March 22, 2005. Taco is now
approximately 4 months old and has been living in Stephanie's home
since his arrival on New Year's Eve. The Appeal Hearing Committee has
decided that Taco should be euthanized humanely within the next 6
days.

Before I go any further, I must tell you a bit about Stephanie.
Stephanie had her leg amputated last year. She was released from the
hospital mid-November, 2004. During her stay in the hospital, she
faced many changes in her life. Not only did she lose her leg, but
she also lost her job, her home and her marriage ended. She also
needed to learn to walk again. Needless to say, with all the
obstacles and changes in her life in 2004, Stephanie slipped into
depression. But, when this nearly dead pup was delivered to her, she
took on the challenge of saving his life with incredible strength and
courage.

Almost as a "payback", Taco taught Stephanie to walk again. The two
of them go for strolls daily and he is always gentle and sure not to
pull. It is as if he knows he could make her fall if he did. When
Stephanie is feeling down, Taco sits with her and comforts her with
his head in her lap. This young dog is so full of love for this
woman who selflessly nursed him back to health. The role is now
reversed and Taco is now healing Stephanie. With so many changes in
her life, things do not always look so rosy. But, Taco brightens her
day and keeps her going.

If we do not act on this immediately, this young boy could face
euthanization and Stephanie will lose her "youngest child." She is
absolutely devastated by the outcome of the Appeal Committee.

I am asking each and every one of you to please take 5 minutes and
email the Mayor and City Councilors of Windsor. Let them know that
this is unacceptable. I have included all of their email addresses
below. Just copy and paste them to your "To" box.

Help us save Taco's life!!

Thanking you in advance for your help in this matter.

Regards,
Tammy Williams
Co-Founder / Fundraising / Rescue
Advocates for the Underdog
twilliams@advocatesfortheunderdog.com
VISIT: www.advocatesfortheunderdog.com
www.bannedaid.com
MY ONTARIO INCLUDES PIT BULLS!!
PUNISH THE DEED....NOT THE BREED.
What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For whatever happens to the beasts,
soon happens to man.
All things are connected.
-Chief Seattle (Duwamish tribe)