Ontario's Pit Bull Ban Regulations Have Just Been Changed & Here's What Is Different

The province banned pit bulls back in 2005.

Narcity.com
Nov. 8, 2021
Alex Arsenych

The Ontario government has just eased up on some of its regulations for the province's pit bull ban.

In a statement to Narcity, Jack Sullivan, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said that the provincial government is now allowing dogs that were taken away for how much they look like the banned breed to be returned to their rightful owners while a "formal breed determination is being conducted."

"Ontarians expect the rules that protect people and animals to be rooted in evidence," Sullivan stated.

"By making this change now, our government is returning impounded pets, that have not caused harm, to their owners under certain terms and conditions."

This amendment follows the news of 12-week-old American Bully puppy, Dwaeji, being taken away from its family by Vaughan Animal Services (VAS) on suspicion of being part pit bull, as CP24 reports. It reportedly took more than three weeks for the puppy to be returned as a DNA test needed to be conducted.

All pit bulls (including breeds that look like them) have been banned in Ontario since 2005.

The Canadian Press reports that Premier Doug Ford has made promises to many dog owners that he would lift the pit bull ban currently in Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act. Narcity reached out to Ford's office for comment but it didn't provide one.