Pit bull owners in Montreal will no longer be required to muzzle their dogs, or get a special dog ownership licence, once the city finalizes the end of a controversial pit bull ban under its animal control bylaw.

Montreal’s widely contested animal control bylaw places restrictions on owning “pit bull-type animals,” which are listed as a “prohibited dog” under the legislation. Parts of the bylaw that target specific breeds will be suspended on Dec. 20, pending ratification from the city’s Executive Committee.

Coun. Craig Sauvé announced the upcoming changes to the animal control bylaw on Friday.

“We believe that we can provide better security if we look at all dogs as potentially dangerous dogs and to make things simpler for our animal control staff as well,” Sauvé told CTV Montreal.

According to the bylaw, the term “pit bull-type animals” includes dogs belonging to the American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier or Staffordshire bull terrier races; crossbred dogs that belong to one of the three races; or dogs that show several morphological traits of any of the races.

Eliminating the ban means Montreal residents will be able to adopt pit bull-type dogs once again – a welcome change for the Montreal SPCA, who fought against breed-specific aspects of the city’s animal control bylaw.

“We’re very happy at the SPCA to know that as of Dec. 20, we’ll be able to place all our dogs into adoption, regardless of what they look like,” Sophie Gallard, lawyer at the Montreal SPCA, told CTV Montreal.

“What we’re also hearing today from the city is that this is just a first step towards a complete overhaul of our animal care bylaw in Montreal. And so we really look forward to working with the city to develop a more progressive and responsible bylaw that will be in effect in Montreal.”

But for some, suspending the pit bull ban is an unwelcome change.

Lise Vadnais, whose sister Christiane was attacked and killed in her backyard by her neighbour’s dog, said she is “shocked and disappointed” by the decision.

“There will be many other deaths in the future,” Vadnais told CTV Montreal.

Vadnais’s sister’s death in June 2016 helped spur the legislation.

“To think that because the owners will take good care of their dogs, it will protect the population, it is a false sense of protection,” she said.

Owners of pit bull-type dogs are required to follow the current bylaw until the Executive Committee meeting on Dec. 20.

With a report from CTV Montreal’s Angela MacKenzie