Skip to main content

People demonstrate against a bylaw banning pit bulls in front of Montreal City Hall on Sept. 26, 2016.Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press

Montreal has adopted its controversial pit bull ban following a heated debate among local politicians.

City council voted 37-23 this afternoon in favour of adopting the bylaw, which includes a ban on new pit bull-type dogs and restrictions on those currently in the city.

They must be sterilized and also be muzzled when in public.

Mayor Denis Coderre says the law was drafted with safety in mind following several attacks, including one last June that resulted in the death of a 55-year-old woman in her backyard.

Some opposition councillors tried to persuade the Coderre administration to shelve the bylaw so it could be reworked.

Other Quebec cities have recently adopted similar bans and such laws are also on the books in some other Canadian cities.

But detractors say breed-specific legislation has been proven to be ineffective in reducing dog bites.

The emotional debate has raged for months and isn't likely to end with Tuesday's vote.

Opponents of the breed-specific ban have promised legal challenges to the bylaw, which is expected to go into effect Oct. 3.

Interact with The Globe