Your messages of concern regarding Munchie's tragic ending are needed....
You can make a difference in Munchie's Name to help the lives of countless dogs on the "endangered species list" as defined by Mary Lou Lieher at the TAS and Bill 132...
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"Happier Times"
Sadly to report that Munchie, the young "Chocolate Labrador Mix" fighting the ultimate penalty was put to death earlier this week by Mary Lou Leiher of Toronto Animal Services because he happened to resemble "according to her" a pit bull breed. Although Mary Lou Leiher and the TAS have silenced this lovable animal, they have not been able to muzzle the voice of protest against the tragic nature of this harsh sentence based on such shaky and cruel premise.
Munchie
"Happier Times"
About Me
- My Name Is Munchie...
- I believe that my mom was a Chocolate Labrador and my father, well, I'm not just too sure about him, that was 4 years ago...but I need your help to tell the world that I am not a dangerous "Pit Bull" (Whatever that really is...it appears no one seems to know exactly what a "Pit Bull" breed is) but I've been identified as a Labrador cross (not pit bull)by International dog show judge Mike MacBeth, a well respected breeder and life-member of the Canadian Kennel Club. Mrs. Mary Lou Leiher at the Toronto Animal Services feels that I look like a "Pit Bull." If my case is not appealed I can be sent to a research laboratory under the Animals For Research Act, I'm very scared!...Please help me! My loving owners, young Ryerson students themselves, are trying very hard to protect me and already owe the City of Toronto legal fees in excess of $15,000.00... they are also terrified at what may happen to me...and need your help. "Thank-you" for taking the time to listen to my story, I truly appreciate your concern and kindness...no matter what my fate may be. Munchie
Blog Archive
BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT - MUNCHIE
BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT - MUNCHIE
On November 8, 2007 my associate Calvin Thompson and I conducted an assessment of Munchie in Toronto. The Assessment started at approximately 11:45 am and lasted approximately one hour and ten minutes. The location of the assessment was determined by the Toronto Animal Services and is inadequate for the purpose of Behaviour Assessment. It does not afford the appropriate space for normal interaction and as such, places undue stress on the dog. Even under less optimum conditions, Munchie did not display aggressive behaviour during the entire Assessment.
Initial observations of Munchie showed a dog under extremely high stress. His pupils were dilated and he displayed "Whale Eye" when looking up at us. His coat is not in good condition; it is dull and brittle with patches missing on several locations. According to shelter manager, Mary Lou Leiher, the diet has been changed to a gastric one in order to try improve the skin and coat condition. It was unknown if the condition existed prior to the dog's impoundment.
He is quite dehydraed. The dehydration is really apparent on the DVD where Calvin is testing the looseness of the skin at the back of the neck. When held and slightly twisted, the skin sticks together rather than immediately releasing and retracting against the muscle tissue. The dehydration is a symptom of prolonged stress as there is water readiy available to the dog. The dryness is also readily apparent indicated by the abundance of dandruff and lack of shine or gloss to the coat.
At the outset of the Assessment Munchie exhibited arousal behaviour by barking repetitively. The pitch was high which is associated with stress / anxiety and defensive behaviour. He did not charge the door and in fact shifted away from the door with elbows slightly bent. Within a few minutes he was quiet and responding to Calvin's voice in a calm manner. He also felt safe enough to approach and take a food treat. The initial interaction involved both Calvin and myself alternating our approach to the door of the kennel. It was apparent that Munchie was more comfortable with Calvin than myself at the outset. His body was less tense and he reacted more quickly to verbal cues.
When I approached to take pictures, he watched cautiously but demonstrated no aroused or aggressive behaviour. He was very wary of hand motions and became more tense on the occasions when I gave the visual signal for "Sit". This is possibly because he has not been trained to hand signals but more likely due to past experience. According to his owner, Angela, she employed a member of Bark Busters to stop Munchie from jumping up on her and guests. The technique taught was to use a loud verbal exclamation "Bah!" as an interrupter followed by throwing a pillow at the dog. This is not a technique that I would recommend. While it may suppress the behaviour, it does nothing to teach the dog the appropriate required behaviour, and it makes the dog hand shy and cautious about personal space.
Calvin and I used food rewards with Munchie to establish several things:
Did he trust us enough to come into our personal space;
To help determine Munchie's potential for training and/or behaviour modifiction;
To induce as much movement in the body as possible as he demonstrated extreme faint/freeze behaviour.
In the first part of the Assessment, Munchie often displayed a freeze response. When Calvin or I waited without increasing the threat he would then have appeasement and displacement behaviours - paw lifting, lip licking and blinking. This is the way a canine attempts to reduce what it perceives to be a potential threat. A dog will often lift its front paw when the owner leans over or crowds it. It is a dog's way of requesting the owner to move away.
After about twenty minutes, Munchie was showing a more relaxed body and curiosity, particularly with Calvin. Often dogs are more comfortable with women than men, but in Munchie's case, the majority of his physical exercise and activities he enjoys have been with Sheila and/or Angela's brother. According to his owner, Munchie really enjoyed his walks and Sheila said that "he liked her brother better than her".
At this point, Calvin loped a leash around Munchie's neck and led him outside the kennel into the aisle between the kennel rows. Munchie's body began to relax more with the continued movement. When the camera operator was moving the camera to follow Munchie, it slipped and scraped against the side of the kennel. Munchie showed no adverse reaction. Many dogs would have startled at this, but he was simply curiouis.
Munchie was returned to his kennel a few times, and although he was reluctant to return he accepted the steady pressure, and even a few body blocks at the entrance when he tried to go past Calvin. Some dogs would react to a body block with frustration which could result in a bite.
As the Assessment continued and Munchie had more opportunity to move, he became more animated and began to wag his tail in what would be considered a "friendly" manner. It was forty minutes before the first full body shake, which indicated a full relaxation at that moment; it is the dog "shaking off" the tension in the muscles.
Munchie allowed touching and stroking and again showed more desire to be touched and interact with Calvin, but remained calm and non-reactive when I touched him as well. Calvin and I did the measuring as Mary Lou Leiher indicated that she was not comfortable with allowing Mike to interact physically with Munchie. Calvin held him by the collar while I held the measuring tape against his body for Mike to record his height. At no time did he struggle against the restraint, and showed no adverse reaction to my standing over him with the tape being held against his side.
When Mike stood taking pictures, he showed no aggressive behaviour only curiosity, and seemed to relax even more when Mike was singing to him.
During this Assessment, I found Munchie to demonstrate behaviour associated with prolonged stress but no aggressive behaviour. He showed an interest in learning, and if given the opportunity to be trained with positive reinforcement methods, rather than suppression, both Calvin and I feel strongly that he would learn quickly. With appropriate training and management, this dog would not present a threat to public safety. This caveat applies to all dogs.
Cheryl Smith
Senior Animal Behaviourist
Forever Friends
Ottawa, Ontario
Tel: 613-727-4335
web: http://www.foreverfriendsdogtraining.ca/
On November 8, 2007 my associate Calvin Thompson and I conducted an assessment of Munchie in Toronto. The Assessment started at approximately 11:45 am and lasted approximately one hour and ten minutes. The location of the assessment was determined by the Toronto Animal Services and is inadequate for the purpose of Behaviour Assessment. It does not afford the appropriate space for normal interaction and as such, places undue stress on the dog. Even under less optimum conditions, Munchie did not display aggressive behaviour during the entire Assessment.
Initial observations of Munchie showed a dog under extremely high stress. His pupils were dilated and he displayed "Whale Eye" when looking up at us. His coat is not in good condition; it is dull and brittle with patches missing on several locations. According to shelter manager, Mary Lou Leiher, the diet has been changed to a gastric one in order to try improve the skin and coat condition. It was unknown if the condition existed prior to the dog's impoundment.
He is quite dehydraed. The dehydration is really apparent on the DVD where Calvin is testing the looseness of the skin at the back of the neck. When held and slightly twisted, the skin sticks together rather than immediately releasing and retracting against the muscle tissue. The dehydration is a symptom of prolonged stress as there is water readiy available to the dog. The dryness is also readily apparent indicated by the abundance of dandruff and lack of shine or gloss to the coat.
At the outset of the Assessment Munchie exhibited arousal behaviour by barking repetitively. The pitch was high which is associated with stress / anxiety and defensive behaviour. He did not charge the door and in fact shifted away from the door with elbows slightly bent. Within a few minutes he was quiet and responding to Calvin's voice in a calm manner. He also felt safe enough to approach and take a food treat. The initial interaction involved both Calvin and myself alternating our approach to the door of the kennel. It was apparent that Munchie was more comfortable with Calvin than myself at the outset. His body was less tense and he reacted more quickly to verbal cues.
When I approached to take pictures, he watched cautiously but demonstrated no aroused or aggressive behaviour. He was very wary of hand motions and became more tense on the occasions when I gave the visual signal for "Sit". This is possibly because he has not been trained to hand signals but more likely due to past experience. According to his owner, Angela, she employed a member of Bark Busters to stop Munchie from jumping up on her and guests. The technique taught was to use a loud verbal exclamation "Bah!" as an interrupter followed by throwing a pillow at the dog. This is not a technique that I would recommend. While it may suppress the behaviour, it does nothing to teach the dog the appropriate required behaviour, and it makes the dog hand shy and cautious about personal space.
Calvin and I used food rewards with Munchie to establish several things:
Did he trust us enough to come into our personal space;
To help determine Munchie's potential for training and/or behaviour modifiction;
To induce as much movement in the body as possible as he demonstrated extreme faint/freeze behaviour.
In the first part of the Assessment, Munchie often displayed a freeze response. When Calvin or I waited without increasing the threat he would then have appeasement and displacement behaviours - paw lifting, lip licking and blinking. This is the way a canine attempts to reduce what it perceives to be a potential threat. A dog will often lift its front paw when the owner leans over or crowds it. It is a dog's way of requesting the owner to move away.
After about twenty minutes, Munchie was showing a more relaxed body and curiosity, particularly with Calvin. Often dogs are more comfortable with women than men, but in Munchie's case, the majority of his physical exercise and activities he enjoys have been with Sheila and/or Angela's brother. According to his owner, Munchie really enjoyed his walks and Sheila said that "he liked her brother better than her".
At this point, Calvin loped a leash around Munchie's neck and led him outside the kennel into the aisle between the kennel rows. Munchie's body began to relax more with the continued movement. When the camera operator was moving the camera to follow Munchie, it slipped and scraped against the side of the kennel. Munchie showed no adverse reaction. Many dogs would have startled at this, but he was simply curiouis.
Munchie was returned to his kennel a few times, and although he was reluctant to return he accepted the steady pressure, and even a few body blocks at the entrance when he tried to go past Calvin. Some dogs would react to a body block with frustration which could result in a bite.
As the Assessment continued and Munchie had more opportunity to move, he became more animated and began to wag his tail in what would be considered a "friendly" manner. It was forty minutes before the first full body shake, which indicated a full relaxation at that moment; it is the dog "shaking off" the tension in the muscles.
Munchie allowed touching and stroking and again showed more desire to be touched and interact with Calvin, but remained calm and non-reactive when I touched him as well. Calvin and I did the measuring as Mary Lou Leiher indicated that she was not comfortable with allowing Mike to interact physically with Munchie. Calvin held him by the collar while I held the measuring tape against his body for Mike to record his height. At no time did he struggle against the restraint, and showed no adverse reaction to my standing over him with the tape being held against his side.
When Mike stood taking pictures, he showed no aggressive behaviour only curiosity, and seemed to relax even more when Mike was singing to him.
During this Assessment, I found Munchie to demonstrate behaviour associated with prolonged stress but no aggressive behaviour. He showed an interest in learning, and if given the opportunity to be trained with positive reinforcement methods, rather than suppression, both Calvin and I feel strongly that he would learn quickly. With appropriate training and management, this dog would not present a threat to public safety. This caveat applies to all dogs.
Cheryl Smith
Senior Animal Behaviourist
Forever Friends
Ottawa, Ontario
Tel: 613-727-4335
web: http://www.foreverfriendsdogtraining.ca/
Labrador Cross or Pit Bull? You Be The Judge
MUNCHIE: LABRADOR CROSS OR “PIT BULL”? YOU BE THE JUDGE …
Who is “Munchie” ?
He’s a 3 year old, neutered, chocolate coloured, short coated male dog,
approximately 21 ½ - 22½ inches tall.
In order to classify Munchie as a “pit bull” he must exhibit the primary and unique characteristics that are described in the written Canadian Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club or ADBA standards of the three purebred banned breeds – that is, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier or an American Pit Bull Terrier.) (It should be noted that the American Pit Bull Terrier is not a Canadian Kennel Club or American Kennel Club recognized breed. It is registered through two American registries, the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association. However, as the UKC permits American Staffordshire Terriers to be registered as “American Pit Bull Terriers”, the written standards are effectively the same.)
Munchie compared to the standard for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier:
At 21½ - 22 inches, he is significantly taller than the height requirement for a male Staffordshire Bull (14 – 16 inches) and at approximately 51 pounds (weighed by his veterinarian August 07) higher than the required weight of a male Staffie.
(The maximum weight is 33 ½ pounds for male Staffordshire Bull Terriers.)
Munchie compared to the standard for the American Staffordshire Terrier:
A male American Staffordshire Terrier is required to be no more than 19 inches. Munchie is beyond the standard, at about 22 inches in height. Weight is not mentioned but the standard requires a dog to “be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline”. Munchie is not stocky, he taller, long legged and racy (fine boned). His muscles do not bulge over the bone, but are flat.
Munchie compared to the standard for the American Pit Bull Terrier:
The American Pit Bull standard states that the “desirable weight for a mature male in good condition is between 35 and 60 pounds”. Although the standard does not mention height, it requires a “medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. Never fine-boned and rangy”. As the American Pit Bull and American Staffordshire Terrier is considered the same breed by the registration authority, the UKC, the height limits for the American Staffordshire would be acceptable. Again, Munchie is not solidly built, he has flat musculature and is too tall to be considered “medium sized”.
Munchie compared to the standard of the Labrador Retriever:
Although Munchie is a mongrel, there is a statistical likelihood that he has Labrador Retriever in his genetic background, as the Labrador is the most popular of all breeds in Canada. The CKC standard calls for showdog Labradors to be 22½ - 24 ¼ inches at the shoulder. However, the field Labrador (which is slimmer and lighter in bone structure than its “conformation showdog” counterpart) is the type of Lab that is most generally found among the general population. In temperament, like all of the sporting breeds, Labradors are amenable, tractable and exhibit a willingness to please, (a characteristic I observed in Munchie also).
Munchie bears a remarkable resemblance to the purebred chocolate Labrador Retriever known as “Buddy”, owned by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
This is not to say that Munchie is a purebred Labrador. He is simply a mongrel who has a significant amount of this breed in his genetic background, as he is the correct size, colour, shape and exhibits some of the unique characteristics of the Lab, particularly the head (including shape of skull, eye colour, ear shape, length of muzzle).
Munchie’s Head:
The head of a dog is its most unique characteristic. This is why, by only seeing the head, we can easily distinguish between a Pug, a Boxer, a Doberman Pincher, a Great Dane or an American Staffordshire Terrier, even though all of these are short haired canines.
Munchie’s head has the same shape and planes as a purebred Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Munchie’s Body:
At approximately 22 inches in height and weighing 51 pounds Munchie’s body is the same size and overall shape as an athletic field type Labrador, which is bred to run. He does not have the heavy, stocky, rounded musculature of the banned “pit bull” breeds.
Munchie’s shape and height are similar to those of a purebred Chocolate Labrador Retreiver.
Statistical possibilities:
A recent survey found that 637,000 puppies were born in Canada in 2006. Of these, It is estimated that more than 120,000 are purebred dogs and registered either with the CKC, AKC or UKC. (66, 532 dogs registered by the CKC, approximately 50,000 Canadian dogs registered with the AKC and approximately 10,000 registered with the UKC).
This represents just under 20% of all dogs born in Canada. The other 80% are either unregistered purebreds, crossbreds, or mongrels. Like Munchie.
Of the purebreds, Labrador Retrievers are Canada’s most popular breed. They always lead the registration statistics. In the past three years, more than 28,000 Labradors were registered with the Canadian Kennel Club alone. (9839 in 2004, 9463 in 2005, 8749 in 2006).
In addition, 123,760 Labradors were registered with the American Kennel Club in 2006. (Compare this to the meager 1539 American Staffordshire Terriers and 918 Staffordshire Bull Terriers registered by the AKC in 2006).
Of the 80% of dogs that are unregistered, some are purebreds that the breeders choose not to register with a registration authority. The hunting dogs, particularly Labradors, who are more popular in the field as they are in the conformation show ring, do not require registration papers to do a day’s hunting. It is estimated that there may be twice as many non registered Labradors as registered Labradors. That would put almost 30,000 Labradors on the ground each year, and, considering the average lifetime of the dog to be 10 years, there may be 300,000 Labrador Retrievers currently residing in Canada.
No wonder so many mongrels resemble Labradors. No wonder so many dogs in the animal shelters are referred to as “Lab cross”. Statistically, Labs are the #1 breed in Canada. They are thus statistically more likely to populate the mixed breeds with their genetics than any other purebred breed.
In conclusion:
Munchie is a not a purebred Labrador Retriever. He is simply a mongrel who has a majority of this breed in his genetic background, because he is the correct size, shape, colour and exhibits some of the unique characteristics of the “field type” Lab.
Also, although Munchie is a mongrel, a dog with a mixed heritage, there are compelling statistics that support the assertion that he has Labrador in his genetic background.
It is noteworthy that the Labrador Retriever is Canada’s most popular breed, not only as a family pet but as a hunting companion, and that there are literally thousands of mongrels across this country who have Labrador in their genetic background. The field Labrador (which is slimmer and lighter in bone structure and than its heavier “conformation showdog” counterpart) is the type of Lab that is most generally found among the general population.
Have you made up your mind?
Munchie has been designated a “pit bull”, by Toronto Animal Services.
Now that you understand the characteristics of the “banned” breeds and those of Munchie…
Would you describe Munchie as a “pit bull” or a Labrador? And does Munchie deserve to die?
Who is “Munchie” ?
He’s a 3 year old, neutered, chocolate coloured, short coated male dog,
approximately 21 ½ - 22½ inches tall.
In order to classify Munchie as a “pit bull” he must exhibit the primary and unique characteristics that are described in the written Canadian Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club or ADBA standards of the three purebred banned breeds – that is, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier or an American Pit Bull Terrier.) (It should be noted that the American Pit Bull Terrier is not a Canadian Kennel Club or American Kennel Club recognized breed. It is registered through two American registries, the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association. However, as the UKC permits American Staffordshire Terriers to be registered as “American Pit Bull Terriers”, the written standards are effectively the same.)
Munchie compared to the standard for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier:
At 21½ - 22 inches, he is significantly taller than the height requirement for a male Staffordshire Bull (14 – 16 inches) and at approximately 51 pounds (weighed by his veterinarian August 07) higher than the required weight of a male Staffie.
(The maximum weight is 33 ½ pounds for male Staffordshire Bull Terriers.)
Munchie compared to the standard for the American Staffordshire Terrier:
A male American Staffordshire Terrier is required to be no more than 19 inches. Munchie is beyond the standard, at about 22 inches in height. Weight is not mentioned but the standard requires a dog to “be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline”. Munchie is not stocky, he taller, long legged and racy (fine boned). His muscles do not bulge over the bone, but are flat.
Munchie compared to the standard for the American Pit Bull Terrier:
The American Pit Bull standard states that the “desirable weight for a mature male in good condition is between 35 and 60 pounds”. Although the standard does not mention height, it requires a “medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. Never fine-boned and rangy”. As the American Pit Bull and American Staffordshire Terrier is considered the same breed by the registration authority, the UKC, the height limits for the American Staffordshire would be acceptable. Again, Munchie is not solidly built, he has flat musculature and is too tall to be considered “medium sized”.
Munchie compared to the standard of the Labrador Retriever:
Although Munchie is a mongrel, there is a statistical likelihood that he has Labrador Retriever in his genetic background, as the Labrador is the most popular of all breeds in Canada. The CKC standard calls for showdog Labradors to be 22½ - 24 ¼ inches at the shoulder. However, the field Labrador (which is slimmer and lighter in bone structure than its “conformation showdog” counterpart) is the type of Lab that is most generally found among the general population. In temperament, like all of the sporting breeds, Labradors are amenable, tractable and exhibit a willingness to please, (a characteristic I observed in Munchie also).
Munchie bears a remarkable resemblance to the purebred chocolate Labrador Retriever known as “Buddy”, owned by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
This is not to say that Munchie is a purebred Labrador. He is simply a mongrel who has a significant amount of this breed in his genetic background, as he is the correct size, colour, shape and exhibits some of the unique characteristics of the Lab, particularly the head (including shape of skull, eye colour, ear shape, length of muzzle).
Munchie’s Head:
The head of a dog is its most unique characteristic. This is why, by only seeing the head, we can easily distinguish between a Pug, a Boxer, a Doberman Pincher, a Great Dane or an American Staffordshire Terrier, even though all of these are short haired canines.
Munchie’s head has the same shape and planes as a purebred Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Munchie’s Body:
At approximately 22 inches in height and weighing 51 pounds Munchie’s body is the same size and overall shape as an athletic field type Labrador, which is bred to run. He does not have the heavy, stocky, rounded musculature of the banned “pit bull” breeds.
Munchie’s shape and height are similar to those of a purebred Chocolate Labrador Retreiver.
Statistical possibilities:
A recent survey found that 637,000 puppies were born in Canada in 2006. Of these, It is estimated that more than 120,000 are purebred dogs and registered either with the CKC, AKC or UKC. (66, 532 dogs registered by the CKC, approximately 50,000 Canadian dogs registered with the AKC and approximately 10,000 registered with the UKC).
This represents just under 20% of all dogs born in Canada. The other 80% are either unregistered purebreds, crossbreds, or mongrels. Like Munchie.
Of the purebreds, Labrador Retrievers are Canada’s most popular breed. They always lead the registration statistics. In the past three years, more than 28,000 Labradors were registered with the Canadian Kennel Club alone. (9839 in 2004, 9463 in 2005, 8749 in 2006).
In addition, 123,760 Labradors were registered with the American Kennel Club in 2006. (Compare this to the meager 1539 American Staffordshire Terriers and 918 Staffordshire Bull Terriers registered by the AKC in 2006).
Of the 80% of dogs that are unregistered, some are purebreds that the breeders choose not to register with a registration authority. The hunting dogs, particularly Labradors, who are more popular in the field as they are in the conformation show ring, do not require registration papers to do a day’s hunting. It is estimated that there may be twice as many non registered Labradors as registered Labradors. That would put almost 30,000 Labradors on the ground each year, and, considering the average lifetime of the dog to be 10 years, there may be 300,000 Labrador Retrievers currently residing in Canada.
No wonder so many mongrels resemble Labradors. No wonder so many dogs in the animal shelters are referred to as “Lab cross”. Statistically, Labs are the #1 breed in Canada. They are thus statistically more likely to populate the mixed breeds with their genetics than any other purebred breed.
In conclusion:
Munchie is a not a purebred Labrador Retriever. He is simply a mongrel who has a majority of this breed in his genetic background, because he is the correct size, shape, colour and exhibits some of the unique characteristics of the “field type” Lab.
Also, although Munchie is a mongrel, a dog with a mixed heritage, there are compelling statistics that support the assertion that he has Labrador in his genetic background.
It is noteworthy that the Labrador Retriever is Canada’s most popular breed, not only as a family pet but as a hunting companion, and that there are literally thousands of mongrels across this country who have Labrador in their genetic background. The field Labrador (which is slimmer and lighter in bone structure and than its heavier “conformation showdog” counterpart) is the type of Lab that is most generally found among the general population.
Have you made up your mind?
Munchie has been designated a “pit bull”, by Toronto Animal Services.
Now that you understand the characteristics of the “banned” breeds and those of Munchie…
Would you describe Munchie as a “pit bull” or a Labrador? And does Munchie deserve to die?
88 comments:
What the government is doing under the guise of law is terribly disturbing...It is my understanding that Mr. MacBeth of the CKC thorughly assessed the dog and concluded that Munchie was not a Pit Bull breed???
It's very sad that these 2 young Ryerson students are forced to risk their education tuitions in order to protect their pet...Munchie
In Rosie Dimanno's article, "Dog on Death Row Deserves A Break" in Saturday's Toronto Star, she sums up this whole mess regarding Munchie..."I've interviewed inmates on death row with less red tape to unsnarl"
Let's cut the bureaucratic bull^&*##@ and give Munchie a new lease on life!!!
Hey there.
i'm not anti death-penalty for dogs; however, if one is going to put a dog or any other sentient animal to sleep, for non-medical reasons, it should certainly be because it has been proven in court that the animal is either vicious or poses some other type of threat to society. From what I can tell this has not been proven in this case which is why this particularity dog should not be 'put down'.
If there was further evidence supporting the claim that the dog was the aggressor in the incident involving this case then I would not oppose the action.
//Leslie
WHY DON'T YOU PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT IN FOR PIT-BULLS OR ANY OTHER BREED YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND...EDUCATE YOURSELVES
BY GOING TO WWW.THETRUTHABOUTPITBULLS.COM...
YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING CRUCIAL, INSTEAD OF EXECUTING INNOCENT ANIMALS/DOGS LIKE MUNCHIE AND RAMBO AMONG MANY.
WHAT YOU'RE INSISTING ON IS NOTHING SHORT OF MURDER!!!!!
YOU PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO GET WITH IT....LET THESE POOR INNOCENT DOGS GO AND ABOLISH THE BAN!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sadly loosing my patriotism for this country, we were supposed to be peace keepers and unlike any other country in the world! Unfortunatly we have become like all others. Its sad that the people who abuse animals are let off lighter than the animals who hurt people due to lack of training, or an owner who is not attentive enough! Now we have become a country who disposes of animals becasue they look like pit bulls, because they are keeping there owners safe by protecting them. Im sorry but i thought the whole point of having a dog was for companionship and some sort of protection! These arent mearly animals we keep for the hell of it we keep them because there part of the family! We wouldnt put up with our brothers and sisters facing death row becasue they protected us! Our pets are our children we love them like there our children so we fight for them like they are our children!
I have munchie and all the other dogs with similar cases in my heart and in my prayers!
There is no one at Animal Control qualified to identify breed unequivocally (nor is it possible with a mix) so Munchie dying for the crime of being identified as a "pit bull" by AC is not only ridiculous but should be illegal.
If he did the crime (bite the neighbor) then he should do the time, but except for his supposed "pit-bull-like" shape he would not be kept caged and slated for death but released back to his owner until the human court case was settled. Then a fine to the owner for would be all that would happen.
(btw, Mike Macbeth is a woman)
I am so disappointed with the Toronto Humane Society! This neighbour sounds like a man with anger management problems and I hope he comes to justice for his appauling actions against these girls. As for Munchie, it appears he too fears this nasty neighbour as he ran into the house to get away from him if you read the article in the Star. This is not a true pit bull reaction. I believe the experts on this one and this does not include the SPCA staff. I was attached by a Rotti and all the city did for that was put him under house arrest and warned the owner. Hello...why are we picking on pit-bulls and pit bull look alikes? Cocker Spaniels are more dangerous pets and they aren't banned, just ask a veteranarian, they'll tell you this law is foolishness. The fact that these students are facing this ridiculous fine is absurd. What is happening to our fine city? Those in high places have gone mad! God help us all and save Munchie! Do the right thing, let the dog go back to it's loving home and put the neighbour on ridilin or prozac.
Ms. Leiher believes MUNCHIE IS a "substantility similar" (SS) dog while SO many others,including KKC experts believe MUNCHIE is"NOT substantility similar"(NSS). Opens a kettle of fish don't it?
Geez, the OLD attorney general who got Bill 132 passed(abeit a WHIPPED VOTE)the former (demoted?) Michael Bryant could NOT even pick out the REAL Pit Bull (despite saying earlier to reporters HE could from 50 yards away) so does it surprise US that SO MANY people, now caught in the Court System, are having problems with "SS" or "NSS"?
Personally I strongly believe that canine profiling, as well as racial profiling, is just plain WRONG.
Makes ME think that the experts got it right when they begged Bryant NOT to go with BSL but instead to make a dangerous dog act for which THEY were willing to spend time and assist him with it.
So many many dead dogs now. Looks like "other" dog owner's might stand up and pay some attention now that animal control people are fingering lab look alikes.
NO wonder the AG's office couldn't get the Cop Coruption Case through the courts in time, to many doggie cases on the books due to BSL.
Democracy should not be about money. Dogs do not have any money. In the UK we have 'legal aid' to help those on a low income. Access to justice should be free and fair. I am very alarmed at the way the Ontario system works and will be writing to the Canadian Embassy. Munchie is a sentient animal. He has the power of perception by the senses. Philosophers around the world are discussing speciesism. Yet Canada seems behind?
I think it's sad and shameful that bureaucrats would rather be by the book on ridiculous laws than realize that sometimes the rules SHOULD be bent, especially in this case where there is strong doubt as to whether Munchie is even a pitbull. Apparently "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't apply to animals, not even those who are doing their job by protecting their owners from intruders. I've had reason to question the common sense of some people in Canada and if Munchie is destroyed, I think it's safe to say that common sense and justice have been flushed down the toilet.
this dog is so obviously a lab cross that i do not know how anyone could mistake him for a pitbull he is old enough to be grandfathered in anyway so why is this lovely family pet being taken from his family? i think doing experimentation on a beloved family pet should be a crime and people willing to allow it to happen should be prosecuted for animal cruelty
Is the government, both local and provincial, not listening?
Thousands of people have been fighting to have the BSL thrown out for years. In my humble opinion , Munchie is a Lab mix, a mutt. There is no way to determine if this dog is in the same gene pool as the three banned breeds.
Why do they continue to harass and single out these dogs whose only crime is to be square headed and have a blocky body. Perhaps our fearless liberal leader should personally be the one to do the euthanizing of these innocent dogs. He`d have to face them while they lick his hand. And then die.
Please free Munchie now.
We`ll be donating to save Munchie.
This is so unfair and cruel, leave this poor doggy alone, give him back to his family or owners. Don't be ignorants! Dog breed means nothing, no because he's half Pit Bull he'll be dangerous or a killer, and some times dogs just defend theirself because there are too many mean people who likes to hit or bother dogs.
SAVE MUNCHIES LIFE AND FREE HIM!
Why on earth is it worthwhile to prosecute a dog when there are dangerous criminals out there? This is just crazy. It's a waste of my tax dollars and ridiculous. This poor dog can't be held responsible for behaving like a dog! SAVE MUNCHIE!
In this day and age I would think that people would have more common sense, education and knowledge. These people must know, deep down, that this is wrong and immoral. If an animal is malicious and out of control than I can understand the drastic measures that may need to be taken as a last resort. Think about what you are doing, this is rediculous. And furthermore, testing on an innocent animal is wrong.
Did you know that since the ban they have killed about 2000 dogs thought to be Pitt Bulls in Ontario? I'm choked...
I have played with Munchie, and I can tell you that this dog is as big of a threat as a hamster is. He is a happy, loving, and playful dog and wouldn't hurt a fly unless provoked.
I have two problems with this case.
1. The dog does not remotely resemble the three purebreds chosen at random by the Ontario Liberals and renamed 'pit bulls'. Try taking him to a show, see if they'll let him enter. What a joke.
2. There seems to be absolutely no proof that this dog bit anyone. Were there vet bills to back up the allegations (by a hostile neighbour) that he bit their dog? Was there medical attention sought for the supposed 'bite' to the neighbour, who was in jail at the time?
In Ontario, thanks to an unbelievably self-serving and uninformed politician, we now have a place where a neighbour with a grudge can put someone through the wringer and the power of the State will back them up.
No evidence, no reliable witnesses and the dog can't talk.
Shameful.
Anonymous from the UK (so many Anons here).
I wouldn't be looking down your nose at Canada. The UK's Dangerous Dog Act was the ancestor of all these laws and dogs have died and suffered while their owners have been persecuted over there, too.
The twits in media and government are just following your (failed) lead.
You guys could do us a solid and work to have the DDA changed to remove breed references. The ripple effect would be useful.
Here in Ontario we are suing the government over the dog ownership ban. We go to Appeal shortly, two provisions were found unconstitutional and struck down but we want the whole dog's breakfast tossed out.
Visit my blog for links to Banned Aid and other information about the Ontario situation.
We need to get this Bill 132 abolished. Otherwise any ACO can label any dog substantially similar. As in munchies case.
And who among us, when confined in solitary, wouldn't react. He's a Dog!
I find it DISGUSTING that two young university students are being forced to pay thousands of dollars just to protect their loved pet from being taken away from them.
To these two girls, Munchie is probably a dear friend. That's all. PLEASE let him stay.
seriously?
If dogs are being taken away from their owners, it seems to me like somebody really should rethink this bill. It's like saying that somebody who looks like a criminal should be sent to Death Row. SAVE MUNCHIE!
What a sad state of a government we have! Not suprising that they would want to put down a innocent dog just because of its characteristics. Again for those of you who did vote in favor of this government maybe you will think twice next time!
My thoughts are with the owners and of course Munchie who will be the one to take the brunt of all of this!
It is absolutely disgusting, the discretion Munchie is subjected to. First and foremost, the sheer stupidity of making a law against a specific breed is utterly idiotic. That is just like racism. It honestly truly is. Some people believe that animals do not have feelings....perhaps they didn't pay attention in school, but humans are animals too. As such, an animal, an entire species for that matter should not be treated so cruelly because of what they were born to be. Which brings me to my next point. I understand if the dog was rabid or irrepairably violent to put it down (never experiment!) but what has Munchie and the thousands of other pit bulls done. I know many other people with pit bulls that are FAR from agressive! Why punish them for simply being born? It's not their fault!
I understand that you think they are trying to protect they citizens, but what they are really doing is killing them. A citizen is simple an inhabitent of a city or town. Munchie was an inhabitant, am I correct? And if you don't care to consider that, at least consider this: What if it was your pet's species next. What if somebody wanted to get rid of your pet because it had spots, or stripes, or its snout/nose was different from other species? How would you feel? Your friends? Your children? So many people, and I am one of them, have form strong bonds with their pets and consider them not only 'pets,' but part of the family. Just think about that.
I have nothing against the government, honestly. I just feel that they are making a grave mistake.
I have sent an email in support of Munchie. This is nonsense. The ban has gone to far.
Canada isn't different to China in this situation.
Why kill a dog ???
Munchie isn't a terrible killer but only a poor dog.
I'm really sorry.
Italy is different.
Yep, Italy IS different. THEY are NOW at 93 banned and/or restricted breeds
Can one SEE what Could go on Here?
One bad breed went TO 93 Because it IS NOT the breed. Make a dangerous Dog Owner's Act with some TEETH and USE the Teeth On BAD OWNERS. Dog Fighter's. Abusers. IT is proven that people who beat and abuse their dogs WILL do so to people also.
The dog is as good as its owner. Well trained pitbulls rarely if ever do they attack, so is it necessary for us to hurt them?
Maybe the owner is just as responsible.
Are they truly going to discriminate due to looks? So what, he may look a little like a pit, but if he hasn't hurt anyone, why is this an issue?
Here are some interesting facts....although my thoughts are still with Munchie his owners did not do anything to protect him...here is the e-mail response I received in regards to Munchie being put to death.
Dear _____;
I understand your concern about this case and the way it was presented in the Toronto Star and how it is apparently being presented by Munchie's owners. I will address your questions about breed identification, but first I think you've been mislead about the facts of the case which are as follows: (these points are taken from the court's decision document, but not verbatum)
- "Munchie" escaped from his backyard - photographs of the fence demonstrated that it could not be relied on to prevent the escape of the dog.
- while "Munchie" was out, he attacked a person and that person's small dog, inflicting injury to both (Toronto Animal Services did not investigate the knife incident that occurred after Munchie's escape and attack as this had no relevance in terms of the initial incident and it was also a police matter)
- "Munchie" was deemed a pitbull based on the following:
documents from 3 separate past veterinary records for Munchie (vaccination certificate etc) stating breed as pitbull or pitbull mix; city dog licence stating Munchie's breed as a pitbull; Munchie's owner's position at the beginning of the case that her dog is a pitbull; Visual assessment of "Munchie" by Animal Services' staff.
The human bite victim in this case alledgedly threatened Munchie and Ms. Yeung with a knife. However, this event did not occur until after Munchie escaped and attacked a person and a small dog. For those people hearing about the case that are dog lovers, they may not give much consideration to the person who sustained a completely unprovoked attack from Munchie. However, that person was walking a 12 lb. Shih Tzu. This dog was severely injured by Munchie's attack and this fact was never denied by Munchie's owners. It was necessary for the little Shih Tzu to attend a veterinary hospital for emergency care. The Shih Tzu's owner was bitten by Munchie during a struggle to pull Munchie off the little dog. All of this information is made public by the court documents.
To answer your question about breed identification, I do not present myself as a breed expert. I do have some expertise at identifying mixed and purebreed dogs. However, the issue is that the province passed this legislation and downloaded it to municipalities to be enforced. Part of the difficulty with the enforcement of the legislation is identifying pitbulls - this is a difficult task and we just try to do the best we can.
Although the breed specific amendments to this legislation were used in this case to protect the public, if "Munchie" had not been a pitbull, Animal Services would still have applied the Dog Owner's Liability Act in this case (we just would not have used the breed specific amendments). We believed that "Munchie" was a threat to the safety of the public (whether or not he is a pitbull) and made the difficult decision not to return this dog to his owner. I can assure you that these decisions are taken very seriously and there is much deliberation that goes into it. If a decision is made to release a dog that we believe is a danger to the public and there is another attack, the consequences could be very severe - especially to the victim of the attack.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss any further concerns
I'm very familiar with the details of this case and all relevant court documents.
If there's evidence that Munchie attacked the Shih Tzu and injured him, then under DOLA the owner can be charged. I haven't seen evidence of vet bills, etc presented in any court documents.
Any dog can be designated dangerous, have a muzzle order, etc and the owner is responsible for any vet bills incurred by the injured dog's owner.
That's been in place for many years, and I agree with DOLA overall - just not this insane 'pit bull' part.
In the entire history of DOLA, charges have only been laid once, to my knowledge.
Here's how the law looked before Bryant's 'pit bull' part was added:
Whether or not an untrained person designates a dog as a 'pit bull' is completely irrelevant to this case.
So, if a vet says your dog could be a Staffordshire Bull terrier mix, it is not a reliable designation - just a guess.
Same thing when you go for a licence and animal services thinks he's a 'pit bull' type - you don't have to accept it.
There is no obligation on the part of anyone to designate a dog as a 'pit bull' under DOLA.
So the question is, if they already had a reason to address the situation (the alleged dog-on-dog incident), why did they make things difficult for themselves by going the 'pit bull' route?
I suspect that the word has gone out that since we are getting ready to challenge this law (again) at Appeal, it's important to get as many 'pit bull' cases proven as possible.
There is zero evidence that Munchie bit the neighbour. He waited for 9 days before mentioning it to officials at the jail. Testimony from a policeman says it looked like a scratch. He received no medical attention, which would be police protocol.
The question people have to ask is, if Munchie was clearly a Poodle or a Golden retriever or a Sheltie, would he be where he is today?
No.
A few weeks ago in Kitchener, an alleged Siberian husky, one of two, killed a Yorkshire terrier while in line at a pet supply store.
No charges were laid.
There are numerous cases like that all over Ontario. The 'pit bull' designation, true or as in the case of Munchie, untrue, is a one-way ticket to hell for the dog and its owner.
Now I'm really curious as to why the AC person decided to open that can of worms.
Sorry, DOLA as it was before Bryant:
http://www.canlii.org/on/laws/sta/d-16/20030327/whole.html
I am on another group that brought up a good point about this case. Why don't they have the dog DNA tested? That will put everything to rest one way or another!!
If the dog aggressively went after another dog or person then it doesn't matter what breed it is it should be put down!! Being a certain breed does not predispose you to one temperment or another, even supposedly happy friendly Labradors can be aggressive!! It's all about training, exposure, environment and hugley the wiring in the animals head.
Regarding the DNA Testing
-There are only 2 reliable companies at this time that offers DNA testing.
-The fact is it will take weeks or months for the results (time which Munchie doesn't have)
-Toronto Animal Service is holding Munchie in custody, and denied any acess to him. We had to ask Mary Lou for permission to have the CKC Judge and Behaviourist in to do the assessment which took 3 days of negoiating the rules. How do you think she will give us permission to go in and draw out blood?
- According to Clayton Ruby, DNA testing is useless in court as it is a waste of money and time.
-Sheila
To Allison,
I stood at knifepoint to protect Munchie
We are now broke and struggling to meet ends need for Munchie
We did everything we could for Munchie and we will continue to anything we can in our power to save Munchie
In response to Mary Lou's letter and not taking away the wonderful statements from Caveat ,
-Funny how she fail to state all the time we came in to plea with her that Munchie is not a pit bull.-
-The fact the vet papers were conducted by City of Toronto.
-How about the truth that the Man had a KNIFE with him when walking his dog or regarding the treatening letter a sent to me a week before the incident.
-Or the fact that the police did not confirm the dog bite and the pictures of the wounds were taken by Toronto Animal Services NINE DAYS after the incident.
-And the fact that the man wrote an unswore testimony in front of Mary Lou only again 1 month after he was released from jail for the breaking and entering, threat, attempted assualt, and possession of a weapon.
-The man was not avaliable to be cross-examine on the incident and his claims. So the man can claim anything and we can't question him on it.
-The sad truth that Mary Lou will not let anyone in to assess Munchie and keeping in him isolation. She is turning him into the aggressive dog she claimed him to be.
-Sheila
I wish you girls all the best <333
Alyssa
I really hope everything works out for Munchie. He seems like an adorable dog. There are so many other things that the city should do instead of locking up harmless doggies.
This is a horrible and unjust scenario that I can't believe is occurring in 2008...It reminds me of Steven Truscott's death sentence back in 1959. He was 14 at the time, and was arrested for a crime he did not commit. Ultimately, his death sentence was commuted to prison, and recently he was found not guilty. Here's hoping that Munchie is as lucky....
We must STOP THE INSANITY of BSL. It reeks of ignorance, prejudice, bigotry, canine profiling, percussion, and just plain stupidity. It was instated by a arrogant, meant spirited inept politician who tried to cover up his inadequate and unsuccessful attempts to get guns out of the hands of our youth and could not even deal with the corruption of the police, so he bulled in BSL to try to accomplish something/anything.
His legacy! death, destruction, slaughter and havoc. We the general public now have a fight on our hands to bring back common sense, and a determination to rescind or amend this ridiculous Bill 132. Point is! How many dog lovers, and owners will be devastated in the meantime?
Munchie does not look at all like a pit bull to me. I know I am not experienced enough to make this statement, but I still believe that Munchie should be returned to his rightful owners. Experts have said that he is not a pit bull, and I think that the law is unjust. Any breed of dog can be vicious, and any breed of dog can be completely harmless. Even with this unfair law in effect, if Munchie has been deemed not a pit bull, no one has the right to hold him and put him on death row. Down with dog discrimination! I am a dog owner and one of my very close friends has a pit bull which is extremely sweet and gentle, even with my friend's 6-months old nephew. And the fact is, if Munchie did nothing wrong, he should not have to face any consequences. Good luck, girls!
Munchie deserves his life just like every animal does. The focus shouldnt just be on Munchie not looking like a pitbull so he should be saved because thats perpetuating the stereotype that pitbulls are terrible dogs!
Let them LIVE!
This is disgusting. You can't discriminate against Munchie just because he "looks" like a pit-bull. And just as a note, I think if you asked the average person whether he was a pit-bull or other breed, the vast majority would say he was another breed (to me he looks like an obvious chocolate lab).
Munchie has done nothing to deserve death, pit-bull or not. I thought the way things were done was "innocent until proven guilty". If you can't prove he's a pit-bull or a violent dog, then he's innocent. Give him a chance, just like you would a human.
May I say, this law is absolutely ridiculous in not just Munchie's case, but every dog that has been/will be subjected to it. Saying all pit-bulls are aggresive and dangerous is a MASSIVE generalisation. We wouldn't discriminatelike that against a race of humans, so why would we against a dog?
"I am on another group that brought up a good point about this case. Why don't they have the dog DNA tested? That will put everything to rest one way or another!!"
No, it won't, for two reasons.
1. There is no science to support the reliability or validity of these DNA tests which were released to media without any scientific studies done to back them up. In disclaimers on the press releases for these tests, they clearly state that:
a. They can't identify purebreds
b. They won't certify the reliability of their results
It remains impossible to accurately identify the breed makeup of a mongrel dog, in other words. Your visual assessment is likely as accurate, if not more accurate, if you insist on trying to label a mixed breed pet.
2. This law is not about breed, people need to understand that.
It is only about physical appearance. If a dog has substantially similar (vague, isn't it?) physical characteristics to one of three purebreds, in Ontario, it can be designated a 'pit bull'.
So, whether the dog is a Lab mix, Boston terrier mix, Jack Russell, Beagle or whatever is actually irrelevant - it's what he looks like, not what he may be in terms of ancestry, that matters.
In fact, the way this law is written, even if a dog is a purebred of another breed he doesn't necessarily skate.
It's all about looks, it has absolutely nothing to do with the behaviour of the owner or the dog.
It flies in the face of democratic principles, one of the most basic being equal treatment under the law for all citizens.
That's why we're fighting to have it overturned. People should be judged by their actions, not by the physical appearance of their dogs.
What Mary Lou Leiher and her cohorts at Animal Services are doing under the aegis of the Attorney General's office is nothing short of "murder". Munchie has been sentenced to death by her, (or even worse sold for Animal Research) even though there is abundant evidence from a renowned Canadian Kennel Club Judge to prove that Munchie strongly resembles a Chocolate Labrador. This is tantamount to Nazim, Racism, bigotry and prejudice. Munchie has rights, even though he is a dog, and should be Innocent until proven Guilty. Canada is supposed to be a "civilized" country, however, outdated Draconian Laws have been imposed by an inept Attorney General's Office that decided to create their own law stating that there is a breed called "Pit Bulls" when, in fact, there is no such breed as a Pit Bull!. Thousands of dollars in Taxpayers money are now being spent on fighting this and similar cases.
Munchie is currently being held as a convicted felon by Animal Services in total isolation, without any visitation rights. This is worse than an inmate on Death Row and Guantanamo Bay! An Animal Behaviourist who has seen Munchie has stated that he is seriously dehydrated because he is so stressed. He is locked in a cell day after day, and not even walked outside the facillity. Have we reverted to barbarism? WE CAN CHANGE THE LAW, ABOLISH BILL 132, and SAVE MUNCHIE! Everyone who sends in their Votes, Comments and Donations is helping towards an Appeal for Munchie to Save his Life!
I have no idea why the AC think they are far superior in recognizing the different dog breeds than the CKC itself. The way I see it, if the CKC says Munchie is a chocolate lab mix, I'd trust them to know what they are saying since they are the governing body on all dog breed standards in Canada. Munchie did nothing wrong. He protected his family from a threat. He should be rewarded for his heroism, courage and love for those 2 girls.
I have 4 dogs and I know that if anyone threatened, me or my husband with bodily harm my dogs would come to our rescue. If Munchie did bite he was compleatly justified. This dog has no record of being vicious and all he was trying to do was protect his girl from an atacker. Why isn't the atacker being charged??? Because there isn't enuf evidence to charge him then how could there be enuf evidence to give a death sentance to munchie it dosen't make any sence.
Although your dog may be kept in isolation, they cannot "turn him into" an agressive animal.
The only way it would become so is though severe mistreatment, such as starvation or deliberate abuse.
As the dog is held in custody, the workers there have an obligation to keep the dog healthy. Including cleaning and watering and exercising it.
If you're concerned that these things are not being done, you should contact the SPCA so that if it turns out that you were right, there will be a record of your complaint.
This is ridiculous. Munchie is being punished for a crime that he has not committed. He is clearly not pure pit bull. And he is not violent. So I don't see what case the AC has against him.
This is like charging someone for a crime just because they look a little like the suspect and and therefore, could be considered potentially dangerous.
Finally, pit bulls are not necessarily violent. It is all to do with their care and training. So this law is just uncalled for.
Hello everyone who is reading this, I would like to tell you I live in the neighborhood of the owner. I would like to tell you guys Munchie is a very wonderful dog. I see him walking with a very small dog together with his owner. I have never seen him being aggressive. Nor I believe he bit anyone. Trust me, he's not a pitbull but I knew he had some lab.
My dog's name is Kiko and in fact, from the message below. You must be talking about my dog. She is like 10 pounds and a Shelty cross. They are like best friends, it is impossible for Munchie to attack a demostic animal. Kiko is a lost abuse dog. She don't trust no one but Munchie. If you only knew how tramatize my dog was at the time when she was found. And yet only trusted and played with Munchie. This really explains Munchie is a dog with good nature.
I have pictures to prove it. It's so obvious there is something wrong with TAS for claiming he is a manace.
Just hoping for the best and hoping people will donate for this good cause.
I know Munchie's owner well, and I met Munchie when Angela brought him to a function taking place in a public park. Munchie was entirely friendly with both the people and the other animals in the park. This incident appears to have occurred due to the actions of a mentally unstable man.
Knowing Angela, both personally and professionally, I can not comprehend how MUNCHIE could be labelled as "vicious" and/or a "menace". Angela is very gentle and cares for her dog, MUNCHIE,in the same manner. Being a dog owner myself, I am aware that a dog assimilates to how it is treated and raised. This dog's character reflects how it was raised. Again, back to Angela, there is no way that MUNCHIE could be anything but carrying and gentle.
After hearing about the situation that MUNCHIE is now found to be in, and hearing of the heart renching details directly from Angela, I am only too sorry that this has been allowed to go this far!
I sincerely wish Angela and MUNCHIE all the best!
This is insane. I know all the details of the story and I can tell you this is all bullcrap from Mary Luo. Munchie is so friendly and funny dog. I mean this whole thing is so complicated people don't understand it. It's funny how they don't want to charge the owners under DOLA because they don't have enough evidence to say the bite happened. Therefore they are using the Animal Research Act.
Munchie is so innocent. Can't believe he going through all of this.
It's funny how TAS is not mentioning the male who claim there was a bite is an experience criminal. He's making things up to benefit the charges laid againts him on the event. There are more then 5 accounts charges laid against him. TAS blindly not mentioning this.
Um, Anon, the only way to have a dangerous dog is to turn him into a dangerous dog.
By keeping him in isolation, not taking him outside, giving him no exercise, using the catchpole, etc, they are making him fearful. Dogs bite because they are afraid.
Get it?
I don't know how some people, such as our Liberal MPPs, ACOs, etc, can sleep at night.
We gotta get this 'pit bull' ban overturned. We could use some support.
Visit my blog for links to Banned Aid members (left sidebar about halfway down) if you want to get involved.
And help Angela and Sheila. I notice there are over 400 votes in the poll. If everybody sent in $10 it would really help them.
You guys should put up a PayPal link if you haven't done so.
This dog does not look like a pitbull, aren't they able to do some proper investigation?
What the hell about the ban? Anything that looks like a pitbull. Crap, if you don't know much about dogs then, I guess your just doomed. The Animal control could say anything. Read everything about the ban. So retarded. I mean your guilty for looking ugly then. This is funny, poor munchie for going through this.
This is a note from Toronto Public Health to inform you that Munchie was euthanized on Monday February 25, 2008 after the appeal deadline passed with no appeal filed.
Article from the Toronto Star(http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/308221)
Despite protests, Munchie the dog euthanized
Feb 29, 2008 11:56 AM
Josh Wingrove
Staff Reporter
Munchie, a dog that Animal Control officials deemed to be a pit bull, was put down earlier this week despite the protests of his owners.
Munchie was first quarantined last September after reportedly biting a man and a small dog in a scuffle near his home. The man he's said to have attacked also faces criminal charges in the incident.
None of the allegations have been proved in court.
A month after he was quarantined, Toronto Animal Services classified Munchie as a pit bull, and a danger to the public. They used veterinary records, licensing records, the owner’s statement at the beginning of the ordeal, and a visual assessment before calling him a pit bull, said Eletta Purdy, manager of Animal Services
They were holding him in solitary confinement at the shelter, where staff said he hadn't been getting along with other dogs.
His owners insisted that Munchie was a mutt, more akin to a chocolate lab, and had been advocating amnesty for the 4-year-old dog.
But a court supported the Animal Services ruling, and ordered the dog put down.
Sheila Yeung, 21, and Angela Feng, 24, the dog's co-owners, said they spent more than $15,000 fighting for his life. They did not appeal the court's decision.
"We had evidence that the dog did attack and bite at least one person and one animal. Upon investigation of that incident, we believed it (the dog) would continue to be a menace," Purdy told the Star earlier this month.
“It’s unfortunate. We hate to ever see an animal have to be euthanized, but there is a priority in safeguarding both the animals and the community,” Purdy said.
Munchie was euthanized Monday as scheduled, Toronto Public Health spokesperson Susan Sperling confirmed today.
Munchie is now dead, "murdered" by Ms. Leiher of Toronto Animal Services on March 25 because she "felt" he had Pit Bull characteristics. Ms. Leiher has admitted under cross-examination that she does not have sufficient knowledge of what Pit Bulls really look like, however, because of her decision, Munchie has been put to death!
This sweet dog did not deserve this cruel sentence by some "monster" who has caused "canine genocide" on numerous other dogs that she "believes" to have some Pit Bull characteristics.
She is on a power trip as she has the backing of a twisted law, Bill 132, that has been "created" by the Attorney General's office, stating that there is a breed such as Pit Bulls, although, in fact, there is no such breed in existence.
This is totally corrupt, immoral, dirty and underhand, and bears a strong resemblance to a Dictatorship. In a Democratic society this cannot be accepted, and it is up to the people of this country to stand up with their opinions and votes, and the media to publish their hearings -collectively, that will ultimately ban Bill 132, and save more dogs like Munchie from being persecuted.
Rest in Peace Munchie.
Your life was short but YOU touched lives. You were loved and will be remembered. We will not give up the fight for little lives like yours.
One day people WILL ask, WHAT were they thinking?
I am Lost for Words.
I can't believe they put Munchie down! I'm so sorry, guys. This is terrible. Is this some type of dog Holocaust? They don't like the breed, so they kill the dog? This whole thing makes me cry. It's ridiculous. A sweet doggy life has been lost because someone "thinks" it's an outlawed breed, which shouldn't be outlawed in the first place. TAS has hurt both the Munchie and his owners, and they cannot continue to do this. RIP Munchie. Perhaps this incident will open the eyes of people and stop the dog genocide and discrimination.
I would have to say that this is slightly a miscarriage of justice. As a purebred redisignated "pit bull" we know where we stand. The rest of you are screwed completely. They murdered a mixed breed dog that is most likely a Labrador mix. We had better stand up and be counted NOW!
I cannot believe that they committed this atrocious act behind the owner's back. How could they not inform the owners that their beloved pet is getting KILLED!, not EUTHANIZED because Munchie wanted to live and Munchie was healthy and active! Toronto Animal Services: Don't sugarcoat a tragic ending by calling it euthanization!!!!!!!!
what a sad world we live in...
rest in peace, Munchie.
What in the world, are we living in? I mean if it was a different type of dog. They would not kill the dog. How crazy is this? The fact it is not a pitbull is even worse and murdered by TAS. The owner did not know and was informed. Killers!!!
Those of you who have evidence and bare witness to Munchie's behaviour as you knew him PLEASE gather your evidence and bring it forward. Call the newspapers or email them, write to them and state your case. You need to do this as you are doing it on this blog. Munchie is dead, but if Munchie acted in defense towards a raging fool, you MUST speak up now.
You need to speak with Munchie's owners and Munchie's lawyer if they are persuing any legal action.
RIP munchie, this is a cruel world, you were murdered through no fault of your own, we will fight to stop all this....
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