Article content continued

“Every dog that we brought up (Saturday) would have died … In the States they kill numerous dogs because of overpopulation,” said Therrien.

But Colleen Lynn, founder of www.dogsbite.org, said in shelters across America there’s a glut of unwanted pit bulls and moving the animals to new jurisdictions isn’t productive.

“It’s insane. Does Calgary need pit bulls shipped in from the U. S.?” asked Lynn.

“We’re very concerned about pit bulls that wind up in shelters because they often have behavioural problems or are dangerous. Then, they get scooped out by rescues and sent to a new county. It’s your neighbour before you know it.”

Calgary Coun. Sean Chu said the practice of shipping pit bull-type breeds to Calgary is alarming, noting we need to look after our own dogs first.

“We’re becoming the dumping grounds of dogs they don’t want,” he said.

“We don’t know the history of those dogs. I’m not saying every one is vicious, but there’s a good chance, if you don’t know the history.”

Lynn started Dogsbite.org, which has grown into a national dog bite victims’ group that conducts research on severe and fatal dog attacks, after she was attacked by a pit bull-type breed in 2007.

She said research shows pit bulls show up disproportionally in fatal and serious injury incidents across the world.

The 32 dogs that landed in Calgary on Saturday were saved from kill shelters in Bakersfield, Calif., and flown to Shelby, Mont., by Wings of Rescue, marking the American charity’s inaugural “pit bull mission” flight.