The Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) and End BSL Manitoba (End BSL) are calling on City Councillors to repeal Winnipeg’s outdated “pit bull” ban and focus on breed-neutral legislation that prioritizes public safety through responsible pet ownership.
“Winnipeg’s breed-specific legislation (BSL) provisions under the Responsible Pet Owner By-law unfairly targets dogs based solely on appearance rather than behaviour or temperament, punishing responsible owners and well-behaved banned breeds,” states Krista Boryskavich, director of animal advocacy and legal and government affairs for the WHS. “Every dog deserves to be treated as an individual. Assessing a dog’s risk to the community should be rooted in its actions and their owners’ accountability, not its breed.”
Boryskavich emphasizes that the City’s existing Dangerous Dog Designation already provides a framework to evaluate and manage dogs based on their behaviour, making breed-specific bans unnecessary.
“Owner responsibility is key, and the current City Dangerous Dog Designation is strong and targets all dangerous dog behaviour,” says Jane Olijnek, founder of End BSL, adding that Winnipeg is surrounded by over 121 breed-neutral areas, proving that breed-neutral legislation works. “BSL only hurts good dogs and families. It is time for Winnipeg to stop discriminating against appearance or breed and remove BSL.”
Both groups have been engaging City Councillors, urging them to repeal the BSL provisions of the by-law.
They’re also encouraging the public to join their efforts by contacting City Councillors to advocate for breed-neutral legislation through a poster campaign that turns incorrect narratives about banned breeds into cheeky statements.
For more information, visit winnipeghumanesociety.ca/bsl.
Released April 2, 2025.
