Appeal of Ontario pit bull ban to be heard next week

An appeal of Ontario's legislation banning pit bulls in the province will be heard in the Court of Appeal next week.

In late March, the provincial government claimed victory after the controversial law survived a constitutional challenge.

But a judge did change the law in two ways by ruling the ban on pit bull terriers fails to refer to a specific type or breed of dog.

Superior Court Justice Thea Herman also ruled against letting the province rely on vets to identify those dogs captured by the law.

Lawyer Clayton Ruby, who led the challenge, argued the ban is unconstitutional and too broad because it bans all pit bulls.

He says the two earlier victories were "not enough" and appealed Herman's decision to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The Attorney General's office cross-appealed and all appeals will be heard next Monday and Tuesday.