Pit bulls from Quebec find a home in Regina

Stray pit bulls are getting a new "leash on life" in Saskatchewan as Montreal moves to join other cities that have bannedthe breed.

So far, five pit bulls have been brought to Regina through a partnership between Saskatchewan-based Prairie Sky Dog Rescue and a Montreal rescue group.

• Family of Montreal woman mauled by dog wants Quebec-wide pit bull ban

City council in the Quebec city is expected to pass a bylaw later this month that will ban pit bulls and similar breeds by the end of the year, although families which currently have pit bulls will be exempt.

Show them love and give them food.- Jon Cleggatt

The move comes after a string of attacks that included the death of Christiane Vadnais, 55, who was mauled by a boxer in her own backyard.

Currently, Regina doesn't have any breed-specific laws and the city's animal control policy instead focuses on a dog owner's ability to control his or her pets.

Bill Thorn of the Regina Humane Society says banning a specific breed doesn't make any sense.

"There's really been no documented or proven instances of it where it's had the desired effect," he said, adding the best way to keep peopleand their petssafe is through education.

The Prairie Sky group has been using an online network of volunteers to help get dogs to Saskatchewan.

Jon Claggett is one of the volunteers who has been taking care of the animals, including a recent arrival named Jack.

Claggett said all dogs are good dogs if they are taken care of by their owners.

"If you work with dogs, if you train them, if you show them love and give them food and give them shelter and spend time with them then you will have a loving pet that should not be a problem for you," Claggett said.

Pit-bull advocates maintain there is nothing inherently risky in the breed and the dogs only become dangerous when they are mistreated or taught to be violent by irresponsible owners.

Some bans in place

However, there is a ban on the breed in places such as Ontario, Winnipeg and Moosomin, Sask.

Moosomin Mayor Larry Tomlinson said the aim of their bylaw, adopted in 2004, is to keep people safe. He says the town has no intention of lifting the ban.

Prairie Sky Dog Rescue is working with a Montreal rescue group called One Last Chance. Claggett said, in addition to the five dogs his group has cared for, another 10 dogs were sent to Saskatchewan to be cared for by other rescue groups in the province.