EDMONTON - The owners of a 6 year-old dog from Hamilton, Ontario were left heartbroken last month when she was taken away from them by Animal Control officers, who, based on her appearance, deemed she is a pit bull - a breed banned in that province. To keep the dog from being euthanized, an Edmonton-based organization stepped in, bringing Roxy to Alberta.
The pooch made the cross-country trek on Sunday, landing at the Edmonton International Airport where she was greeted by Natasha Bugg of the Pit Bulls for Life organization.
"I'm relieved, I'm happy because she's healthy. She's happy. She traveled very well which some dogs don't and she's just a picture of happiness," said Bugg at the airport. "There's thousands of dogs that are being euthanized because of a look. I really hope that a family can come forward and can give her a great home."
Until that happens, Roxy will be staying at a foster home in Red Deer.
But her former owners are not giving up on being reunited with their beloved pet. They're actually considering moving to Alberta, and are hoping to make the move before Roxy is placed in a permanent home.
"It's going to take a couple months because we're going to have save up the money to get everything out there. We do have other animals too that are going to be coming with us as well," said Wendy Bevington.
Bevington had always maintained her dog was not a pit bull, but was unable to prove it. Now, Pitbulls For Life is planning to have a DNA test done to determine Roxy's breed.
And while it's still unknown as to where Roxy will end up in, Natasha Buff hopes her story will be able to change some people's opinion of pit bulls.
"It is absolutely unfair, the reputation. It's all based on fear and a lack of knowledge about the breed and about dogs," she said. "They're not monsters. They're not things to be feared. They're just dogs and if we treat them like that, they're great members of society."
With files from Slav Kornik, Global News
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