Dog defence fund set up

Source:Brampton Guardian
By PAM DOUGLAS
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Feb 26, 2010 - 3:59 PM

A fund has been set up to help pay the legal fees of the Brampton families trying to free their dogs from the city pound.
Brittany and Rambo have been held by the City of Brampton since being seized from their homes Jan. 13. Brittany is owned by Rui Branco’s family and he hired a lawyer last month who will take the case to court. Branco is trying to prove to the city that the dogs are boxer/American bulldog mixes. The city has labelled them “pitbulls”, which were banned by provincial legislation four years ago.
Donations can be made at www.saveontariodogs.com, or at any branch of the TD Bank, transit number 02622, account number 78766538796.
Meanwhile, supporters who have been trying to draw city politicians into the controversy have now reached out to Mississauga city councillors for help. They say Brampton councillors can learn something about compassion and doing the right thing from their colleagues to the south.
That’s because two years ago, Mississauga animal control officers impounded a dog that had escaped from its home and was reported running loose. His name was Rambo, too, he was labelled a pitbull and his owner was also denied visits to see him.
But Mississauga councillors intervened, saying it was only right to allow his owner to visit him. They unanimously passed a motion directing city staff to allow her to visit.
Now, supporters of Brittany and Rambo are trying to let Brampton councillors know that, despite a city staff warning that they can’t interfere in a legal matter, they can do something— allow the dogs’ families to visit.
“City-owned pounds should be showing people how to treat dogs by example,” Mississauga Councillor Carolyn Parrish said at the time of the Mississauga issue. “It’s not going to be thousands of people. We only have one incarcerated dog right now.”
Visits were prohibited at the Mississauga pound, but councillors changed that policy so exceptions could be made.
Mississauga Councillor George Carlson called allowing the visit “a measure of our humanity”.