If I wasn't planning on moving to Ontario, I'd adopt this baby boy...

Belleville is a very nice area. I live about 15 mins outside of toronto and belleville is around 1.5 hours from toronto. Belleville is really nice like I said, much more outdoorsy then toronto area. lots of great lake areas and great hiking places. I havnt been to belleville much, but have been all around it. If you like the outdoors you will like it up there.

It reall does suck about the pitbull ban/ But you can always adopt one of the greta pist in rescue still.

californiaglock

was/is dog fighting a very big problem in ontario? or was it dog attacks or what? what prompted them to ban pits in the whole province?! 

My bet would be on arrogance and idiocy.  I'm in the northern part of the province though, so I really have no idea.  I've never heard of either happening around here.  Possibly down in the TO area, but I'm not real sure.  I know its legal to adopt out pits deamed 'safe' from shelters, but its left to the discretion of that shelter.  And the one in TBay just puts them all down.  Its really sad.  There is a group on facebook that I found about it, but everyone on there were just internet warriers.  "Ya, lets start an Online Petition!"  "Lets flood the phone lines on a certain day!"  "Everybody write a letter!"  Which are all fine, but they arent' gonna get anything done.  Especially since nobody in the group has the guts to actually do any of those things.  Sure they might click to add their name to a petition, but only if someone gets off their butt and makes one.  Besides Online petitions don't hold any merit in court anyway.  I really wish I knew what to do to help. 

Believe it or Not....

 We, in Minneapolis, are closer to Huskymom in Thunder Bay than anyone in Toronto or south of there (London, Timmons, Belleville etc).  Hard to imagine that parts of the USA are further north than Toronto, isn't it?

 I think you will like Southern Ontario a lot, I did when I lived there.

 You know, I never thought about it, but yes Minne is much closer.  You're an 8 hour drive from here.  Are there any other Idoggers in Minneapolis?  If so I'm making a trip down.  We were talking about going down for a bit of Christmas shopping anyway. 

huskymom

 You know, I never thought about it, but yes Minne is much closer.  You're an 8 hour drive from here.  Are there any other Idoggers in Minneapolis?  If so I'm making a trip down.  We were talking about going down for a bit of Christmas shopping anyway. 

Yup you are ALOT closer. From me thunder bay area is almost 1500km and a 16 hour drive. And I live 15-20 mins out side of toronto. from Belleville it is a 18.5 hour drive to thunder bay area. verrrrryyyyyyy long drive. you can pretty much just drive to flordia. Or drive to NYC and back a few times in that amount of time.

The pitbulls were banned from all the attacks they had. Not any dog fights that I have heard of. Offcourse there is some. I live 10 mins from one of the biggest drug cities in ontario (oshawa) and they do have ALOT of pitbulls there and dog fights going on in secret offcourse. But all the pits I know there or any where else are sweet hearts. the law is outrageous to me.

Hey! Canadian!!!! Me too!!!!

Ya TO has a ban but is it Province wide? And I remember the attacks. They were pack like situations... ended badly. I have never had a good experience living in TO it's like a world of it's own. Born in Hamilton, lived in St Catherines a couple of times, Caledon.... The last time I was in TO people were looking at Kale sideways...... he's a fighting type mix, but God knows what and people were horrified. Lived in Rexdale, then close to the racetrack.... It's too bad they have this ban. We'd go back there now with the dollar, purse money, quality or lack thereof of horses and the polytrack and the racing at Woodbine, but Maven will keep us from doing that. That's all right, I don't like the place much.... and I'm an Ontario bred with relatives there... I don't know why....

 And I'm actually 4 hours west of Thunder Bay now.

huskymom

I really wish I knew what to do to help. 

Unfortunately I don't think there is any appetite in Ontario to lift the ban anytime soon. During the provincial elections this fall they tried to rally support from the opposition parties to have the ban overturned. It was a none issue. Never heard one sentence about it from any candidate. The problem is, like it or not, there have been no serious dog attacks since the flurry of attacks that prompted the ban. I think it will be a very hard sell in Ontario. There is a group you may be interested in working on the problem.

www.wagthedog.blogware.com/ 

It is sometimes hard to believe that Ontario is such a big province. People tend to think of it as 'up North' but Toronto and the southern part of the province is actually on the same latitude as Northern California - but don't bring your surf boards when you visit! 

I am in Caledon.  Belleville is about a 3 hour drive from me.  We know people that live there

 Denise, its not even the entire ban I'm looking at.  Its Thunder Bay's policy on euthanizing any pit-looking dog that comes into the HS.  Legally, they are permitted to adopt these dogs out as long as they meet the criteria, but they won't.  They are euthanizing dogs for no reason whatsoever.  In fact they have gone so far as telling unsuspecting owners that their dog is sick and will live a terrible life if left alive. 

You're kidding... they can be so sweet!!!! What a shame!

Wow! I had no idea so many people lived around there.. Now if I can find someone who lives near me now.. I'd be happy! Lol.

The ban is harsh and sadly it was my BF's aunt who helped push the ban on the breed but she didn't want it to go this far.. *sigh* Maybe I will get a pibble and put off the move for a while.. I'll have to look in to the actual ban and see what happens.. *pouts* I really want one! 

 Well, you're not too far from Venessa(liv) and Heidi(Rolent).  They're both in Alberta I think.  So while, not in the same province, they are just over the mountain, literally.

Lol. True enough and Calgary is my second home.. Although Maze has never been there.. Hmmm might have to make a trip this summer with her.