Winnipeg city council will be voting on Thursday on whether to end a ban on certain dog breeds; however, the city’s mayor wants the ban to stay in place.
At a news conference on Thursday, Bowman said he expects the pit bull ban to be lifted, but hopes that’s not the case.
“I will not be voting to allow pit bulls to be legal in the city of Winnipeg,” he said.
“It was brought in after a vicious attack on one of our residents. I, for one, don’t want to be responsible for increasing the number of pit bulls in the city of Winnipeg.”
The mayor noted the city has heard from veterinarians on the matter, including one who said a bite from a pit bull “is very different than a Chihuahua.”
“They’re different bites. Dogs do bite, but the bite from a pit bull can be deadly,” Bowman said.
Earlier in the month, CTV News Winnipeg reported that the standing policy committee on protection, community services and parks voted in favor of a recommendation to end the prohibition of certain dog breeds from the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw.
The ban would be replaced with a breed-neutral and behaviour-based approach.
CTV News Winnipeg will provide more information on Thursday’s vote as it becomes available.