The City of Toronto recently introduced new rules for the owners of dangerous dogs (of which there are 373 currently residing in Hogtown).

Some of those new rules include:

- owners can expect regular visits from city staff;

- owners are required to post a standardized sign that must be visible on their property noting the presence of a dangerous dog;

- owners must muzzle their dogs in public and display a dangerous dog tag;

- owners are required to provide socialization and training for their dogs;

- dangerous dogs cannot use off-leash areas.

Alas, missing from the new regulations is a prohibition of homeless people with substance abuse issues from owning dangerous dogs.

We raise this point in light of what happened to Rebel News reporter David Menzies in September 2021. That’s when Menzies, along with cameraman Lincoln Jay, went to Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park for an assignment.

An unhinged homeless man with drug addiction issues inexplicably sic’d his large mastiff on Menzies. The dog sunk its fangs into the right thigh of Menzies, a bite that required treatment at a hospital. (This is currently the basis of a lawsuit between Rebel News and the City of Toronto.)

Of note: that dog was known to the city as being a dangerous canine. And yet the clearly irresponsible owner was allowed to keep it. Indeed, the dog had no muzzle affixed on its snout nor was the dog even on a leash - even though Trinity Bellwoods is home to a children’s playground.

Does anyone believe it is a good idea to allow homeless people who are addicted to drugs to be entrusted to care for a dangerous animal? Apparently the city has no problem with this… or is dangerous dog ownership now a “human right” in our nation? It was disturbing.

We are not trying to be vindictive toward those who are down on their luck. But surely pet ownership for these people must be confined to those critters that are not a danger to the general public. It’s too bad the City of Toronto does not think likewise.