Calls renewed for ban on dangerous dog breeds after woman attacked in Montreal

A brutal dog attack in Montreal is reigniting a long-standing debate over whether certain dog breeds should be banned.

A 45-year-old woman is recovering after being mauled by three dogs in the Saint-Léonard borough Wednesday morning.

Montreal police say the attack occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Creusot Street, when the woman was walking toward a mechanic’s garage. The dogs came out of the business and attacked her.

She suffered serious injuries to multiple parts of her body and briefly lost consciousness. A second woman, believed to be the owner of the dogs, was also bitten while trying to intervene.

Police say officers arriving at the scene found the victim still at risk of being attacked and made the decision to shoot and kill two of the dogs. A third dog had already retreated inside the garage.

The breed involved in the attack has been identified as Dogo Argentino, a large, muscular dog often compared to pit bulls and mastiffs.

No charges have been laid, and police say the investigation is ongoing.

The incident has renewed calls for stronger regulation and even outright bans on so-called “dangerous breeds.”

Barbara Kay, a columnist for the National Post and long-time advocate for breed-specific legislation, says public safety must come first.

“My interest is public safety and public safety is not about doing something after the attack, it’s about preventing the attacks,” said Kay. “If an animal is inherently high-risk, then you discriminate. Especially if you love your children.”

Kay said dogs are not equal, and some breeds are predisposed to violent behaviour. “You can’t rehabilitate a trait in which a dog takes pleasure in displaying aggression. That’s not something you can train out.”

She added that once a dog has attacked a human and drawn blood, it should never be rehomed.

But Montreal attorney Anne-France Goldwater, who is strongly opposed to breed bans, says the focus should be on holding owners accountable, not the animals.

“There is no such thing as a dangerous breed. There are dangerous owners,” said Goldwater. “It’s the humans who are entirely in control in these situations, and they must be brought to heel, so to speak.”

Goldwater argues banning one breed would create a false sense of security, noting that irresponsible people will simply move on to other strong breeds if they’re looking for intimidation.

“Unless we devote our resources to training people properly, making sure they understand the importance of socializing and controlling their dogs, these incidents will keep happening,” she said.

While Wednesday’s attack was serious, Goldwater says these cases are extremely rare when considering how many dogs live in North America. “Frankly, I’m more afraid of a stranger walking down the street than a random dog.”

For Montrealer’s, many seem to agree that it’s not just about the breed.

“I think it’s a shame to generalize an entire breed based on a few experiences,” said Sarah Gallardo. “It really comes down to the owners, especially if they choose a breed with more risk, then they need to invest in proper training.”

Others, like Noah, who was bitten by a dog as a child, believe a ban might not address the root cause.

“There was this mean old dog… and he bit me, I almost lost my eye,” he recalled. “But I don’t think banning breeds would solve the issue. It depends on the owners.”

As for Kay, she argues that people who insist on owning powerful dogs with violent histories are not acting in the interest of public safety. “There are 400 breeds of dogs. If you can’t find even one other type of dog with a better history, I don’t think you’re really a dog lover.”

The SPVM says it is still working to determine exactly what led to the Saint-Léonard attack, including whether the garage door had been left open and whether any negligence occurred.

CityNews reached out to both Projet Montréal and Ensemble Montréal, who’s mayoral candidates had both commented on the debate to ban certain dangerous dog breeds following Wednesday’s attack.

In a statement to CityNews press attaché for Ensemble Montréal Guillaume Pelletier said, “The tragic event that occurred in Saint-Léonard should never have happened. We will await the conclusions of the SPVM investigation. However, it shows that the rules must be tightened to ensure that they give citizens a sense of security.”

Projet Montréal did not get back to us in time for filing.

The city of Montreal previously banned pit bulls under former mayor Denis Coderre, but the bylaw was reversed in 2018 under Mayor Valérie Plante’s administration.