An advisory committee to city council supports the breed-specific wording that's contained in the city's current animal control bylaw.
In June, New Westminster resident April Fahr asked the city to amend its animal control bylaw and remove references to specific breeds as being vicious.
An attachment to the city's bylaw lists 10 breeds of dogs as vicious, regardless of the personality of the individual animal.
Fahr told council that a number of Greater Vancouver municipalities have come to realize that applying dangerous dog legislation to specific breeds doesn't work, and she urged the City of New Westminster to look at what other communities are doing and change its current legislation. Council has asked staff to report back on the matter.
In the summer of 2012, several attacks by pit bulls made headlines in B.C and Alberta.
In B.C., a four-year-old White Rock girl required 40 stitches to repair facial wounds, and a three-yearold Kelowna boy needed more than 30 stitches to repair his face.
At its September meeting, the city's family court committee voted in favour of forwarding a motion to city council in support of the existing breed-specific wording in the animal control bylaw.
One committee member voted against the recommendation.
A committee member raised the issue after reading a newspaper article about an 84-year-old Kamloops woman who needed 98 stitches to her arm after being attacked by a Rottweiler.
At the committee's September meeting, members conveyed their experiences with aggressive dogs and discussed the proposed amendment to the bylaw that have been requested.
Committee members also spoke about the importance of reporting calls and lodging complaints when situations occur, noting that the calls help staff monitor the issue of aggressive animals.
"The committee suggested additional stipulations, such as education regarding responsible pet owing, be required when residents apply for a pet licence," stated the minutes. "The purpose of this stipulation would be to reduce the number neglected animals, as neglect can also agitate an animal. This would hold owners accountable to the care of their pets, acknowledging that often times dogs can receive bad reputations when the result of the poor behavior is due to poor ownership."
Staff is expected to report back to council on the issue early this fall.
