The city of Port Moody will not impose breed-specific regulations when dealing with dangerous dogs after a Newport Village resident called on council to toughen up its muzzle restrictions.
Appearing before council as a delegation last month, Laurel Giassa said the city needs to force pet owners to leash and muzzle their animals if they are pure or interbred pit bulls, Rottweilers, Staffordshire terriers or bull terriers.
She said she had been attacked by a pit bull when she was in high school and was recently lunged at by a dog on a leash in the Suter Brook area.
Staff told councillors that regulations Giassa is calling for are difficult to enforce because there is no way of determining a dog's breed in a way that will withstand a legal challenge. As well, aggressive behaviour can occur in any breed, giving the public a false sense of security, according to a staff report.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
