A group called ‘Pit Bulls of Victoria BC’ took a stand on Saturday outside the B.C. Legislature, trying to change the bad reputation associated with the breed of dog.
Pit bull owners and supporters gathered on the lawn for a rally geared towards awareness.
“Everybody is happy to be here and show their dogs off and how well-behaved they all are,” organizer Javiera Rodriguez told CTV News.
Supporters at the event said pit bulls are a breed that’s misunderstood.
The local group takes weekly walks, socializing their animals and hopes to show others that there’s no need for a breed-specific legislation.
Last month, Montreal’s mayor said the city would ban pit bulls and other breeds that are deemed dangerous.
Other Canadian cities, like Winnipeg, have already banned the dogs.
Although Victoria doesn’t have a law in place, organizers of Saturday’s event worry it could still happen.
“I do fear that one day it could happen. I think we have a lot of supporters in Victoria, that hopefully it will never pass here, but it could always happen here, you never know,” organizer Kyla Grover said.
Grover added it doesn’t matter the breed, any dog can be aggressive.
“Genetics do play a huge part with any breed of dog. As long as they’re raised right and socialized and have a responsible owner, they usually end up being wonderful family pets,” Grover said.
Similar events were held across Canada on Saturday, including in Montreal, Winnipeg and Toronto.
The Victoria group was started about a year ago and currently has more than 500 members.
