The heartbreaking case of Wicca, a dog that was recently removed from her owner and euthanased for accidentally scratching a woman in a park, highlighted the inherent flaws in the current Montreal animal control by-law, in particular that a dog can be put to death at the City’s discretion.

The City is now about to go a step further. Next September it will vote for the adoption of a new proposed by-law that will provide for automatic and mandatory euthanasia in cases where a dog causes a skin laceration, regardless of the context or the severity of the injury.

“What is so scary about what Mayor Tremblay’s office is proposing is that it means that if, for example, a dog was to bite another dog or a person while defending themselves the dog would be automatically sentenced to death by the City” said Alanna Devine, Director of Animal Advocacy at the Montreal SPCA.

Dog owners wishing to fight a euthanasia order from the city will only have 24 hours to find a dog behavior specialist to obtain expert evidence to contest the ruling. The wait list for dog behavior specialists in the city of Montreal is generally greater than a week. In Wicca’s case, the City refused to consider expert evidence from a certified veterinary behaviorist who had assessed her and written a report regarding her behavior and temperament.

As a animal lover, I am ashamed by this new low for animal rights in my "belle province" of Quebec. As a Montreal dog owner, I am horrified that city officials could now decide to have my dog euthanased against my will.

Please help us stop this by-law by signing this petition.