“Sven is so gentle and loving, even when he’s shy, he is cautious of new things. Within minutes of him being in my home, he was on the couch next to me and burying his head in my lap. Olie is also very sweet but is more reserved than Sven.”

This is how Sven and Olie’s Foster Parent describes these two loving boys. She fostered them while she had a new baby and these lovebugs were nothing but sweet to her newborn. She loved them so much that she would have liked to adopt them – but she couldn’t. To no fault of their own, Sven and Olie were not able to be adopted in Ontario due to Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), a law which bans pit bulls in Ontario.

Sven and Olie were transferred into our care through our Animal Transport program. They were treated for heartworm while our team worked diligently to find them a loving home. They were transferred to the Pitbulls for Life Foundation in Alberta to find their new family.

Myths surrounding pit bulls have led to harmful stigmas and stereotypes, which in turn have helped give rise to this discriminatory breed specific legislation. This legislation leads to more abuse, neglect, and unnecessary euthanasia.

It’s up to all of us to shatter these harmful myths and help a breed that’s been discriminated against in Ontario since 2005. How can you help? By spreading the word, in person and on social media, and helping to dispel the myths surrounding pit bulls.

While we fight this battle, Toronto Humane Society will continue to provide care for pit bulls by finding them homes outside of our province by means of our Animal Transport program. Thanks to this program, dogs like Sven and Olie are re-located instead of facing euthanasia simply because of their breed. With your help, we can continue to re-locate loving dogs and give them the chance at a happy and deserving life.