The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources is preparing to unveil what Minister Jomo Campbell described as a “hard and firm physical response” to the country’s stray dog problem, with measures also targeting illegal backyard breeding and unlicensed pet ownership.

Mr Campbell said the ministry had already been working with the Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness, the Bahamas Humane Society and other stakeholders before the most recent dog attack.

He said the Animal Control Board met as recently as Monday as officials continue work on what he described as a “plague of stray dogs”.

“In the very near future, I think as early as next week,” Mr Campbell said, “we will be inviting the press back to the ministry, not for speeches, but to show them exactly what tangible work has been done.”

He declined to disclose details of the initiative ahead of its announcement but said the ministry was taking firm steps.

“We will be in a position to present to you our hard and firm physical response to not just the stray dog attacks,” Mr Campbell said, “but to the illegal backyard breeding, unlicensed pet ownership, and the whole gamut that surrounds animals and animal control in the country.”

He said the ministry was working to modernise and overhaul the sector.

Mr Campbell thanked staff in the Animal Control Unit and other stakeholders involved in the effort, including the Bahamas Humane Society, BAARK and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

He said the forthcoming initiative would amount to a combined response that “actually has teeth”.

“We’ll be taking steps to be able to actually hold persons physically accountable,” Mr Campbell said, “for the mishandling of pets that causes this plague of stray dog attacks.”

The comments come after a series of serious dog attacks.

Nine-year-old American Beau Brattain was mauled about 100 times by dogs while holidaying in Bimini.

His relatives later launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical care, rehabilitation, travel and other recovery expenses.

Ms Trelles said the family may need between $2m and $4m for his medical expenses, depending on the extent of therapy and reconstructive treatment required.

Dog owner Harrington Rolle was subsequently charged in connection with the attack and sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Rolle, 34, admitted charges of negligently causing grievous harm, permitting a dangerous dog to be at large, and being the owner of a dangerous out-of-control dog that caused harm to a person in a public place at his arraignment before Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans in New Providence.

Last month, 66-year-old Kemp Road resident Don Smith was hospitalised after being mauled by a pack of dogs.

His daughter, Carmetta Butler, said he was crossing the road when he encountered a group of about ten dogs, allegedly including four pit bulls.