An American Staffordshire Terrier. (© Can Stock Photo / mariait)

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A young Chatham woman has been given a conditional discharge and a year of probation after lying about her pit bull.

She was found guilty in Chatham court on Wednesday of presenting forged documents to protect her illegal pit bull after the dog ended up at the Pet And Wildlife Rescue in Chatham-Kent as a stray dog in April of 2019. The woman insisted the dog was an American Bulldog and presented papers, but animal shelter officials determined the documents were forged.

The pit bull was seized and Justice Paul Kowalyshyn said hopefully it will be transferred out of the province so it doesn’t get put down.

A conditional discharge means that the woman won’t have a criminal record.

Pit bulls are banned in Ontario right now but a bill has been introduced by Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls to lift the ban.

Kowalyshyn told the woman she can’t go beyond the law just because she is an animal lover.

“Your heart is in the right place but your decision is wrong in all ways,” Kowalyshyn said.

Kowalyshyn added next time she will be fined and could go to jail.