Pit bull owners plan Hamilton walk
Dogs lovers calling for a repeal of laws targeting prohibited breeds plan to stage an “awareness walk” on Saturday.
In the wake of a campaign to save a pit bull puppy put down by animal wardens last week, the group Our Misunderstood wants Government to revisit its breed-specific legislation.
“Our position is not in support of illegally breeding or keeping a dog of an illegal restricted breed, but rather to end this lethally invasive policy,” said group member Kristin Divine.
She added: “Responsible ownership is key, however — and thus not everybody could, or should, own a powerful breed such as the American Pit Bull Terrier.”
The group is supporting a petition, which now has 2,200 signatures and will be presented to MPs on Friday, urging an amnesty for dogs that are deemed prohibited breeds.
It came even as Environment Minister Sylvan Richards supporting the decision to put down the pit bull Hershey, which had been stolen from its owners and was later recovered — and confiscated — by police (see sidebar).
Mr Richards pointed out that while all dogs can bite, it was the “power and severity” inherent to pit bull bites that put them in a special and dangerous class.
Saturday’s walk, beginning at 12pm in Hamilton’s Queen Elizabeth II Park, is a chance for owners to “show off the positive side of their beloved breeds”, Ms Divine countered.
Only “licensed, stable and well-mannered dogs” are to be admitted, she said.
She stressed that the group is not “rallying against the Department of Environmental Protection or the current Government”.
And Ms Divine said the group understood Mr Richards’ commitment to public safety in standing behind breed-specific legislation.
“However, we are hopeful that he will give the conversation attention in the near future — and consider how public safety and security can be heightened through working alongside his community in a collective effort for public safety and breed-neutral legislation.”
Mr Richards’ statement that four pit bull attacks had occurred just in the past six days needed to be placed in context, she added — such as looking into common factors linking the incidents.
“It is our understanding that looking further into statistics on dog bites will better determine such problem areas.”
Ms Divine also said that inbreeding and other inadequate breeding practices have also become “an obvious issue” in Bermuda.
“I have had experience with several dog breeds on the Island over the years. I’ve met a number breeds that exist on the restricted and prohibited breed lists including Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinschers, American Bulldogs, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers — to name a few.
“Every single dog is different, and no two will have the same temperament or personality. It is apparent that a number of factors play a role in how a dog will turn out including environment, training, and socialisation.”
The Department of Environmental Protection’s list of outlawed breeds ranges from wolves to several varieties of mastiff and terrier. The pit bull falls under the latter category, and is banned from being imported, bred or used for breeding.
Restricted breeds, such as the Akita, Doberman Pinscher and Rhodesian Ridgeback, must be kept under special conditions, and new acquisitions have to be approved by Government.
Ms Divine said her group hadn’t yet contacted Government on its hopes to end breed-specific laws — but said Our Misunderstood had been consulting the SPCA, the Dog Training Club of Bermuda and past members of the Canine Advisory Committee, along with owners and advocates of special breeds, to get information for its campaign to change the Island’s laws.
She said their focus was on “identifying areas of improvement in the current policies and uncovering potential amendments that see a win-win on both sides”.
Even socialised and family-friendly pit bulls can prove dangerous, Environment Minister Sylvan Richards warned — issuing a pointed reminder last night that the animals remain against the law.
Mr Richards spoke out following outcry over Friday’s destruction by animal wardens of “Hershey”, a stolen pet recovered by police.
“The decision to euthanise the dog was made by the Department of Environmental Protection,” he said.
Mr Richards supported the decision, which he said had been consistent with policy and the Dogs Act 1978.
Regardless of ownership, he said, Hershey was “unquestionably illegal”.
Saying the severity of pit bull attacks topped concerns, he added: “It only takes one tragic incident involving a child, and this would be a totally different conversation.”
Pets and people have been attacked by pit bulls, Mr Richards said, including family dogs — citing four attacks over the past six days.
Two people reported being chased by threatening pit bulls, while a woman was attacked with her dog on the Railway Trail — and a family dog was killed by a socialised pet pit bull.
Illegally bred, prohibited dogs cannot be adopted, and putting the animals down — or relocating them elsewhere — are “the only two options available”.
Hershey’s owners last week told The Royal Gazette there had been several offers from overseas by dog lovers who said they’d take the animal to spare its life.
Mr Richards said relocation of an illegally bred dog had been offered three times over the last two years.
“One person took advantage of this export option, whilst the other two declined.
“While I recognise that there may have been considerable public support to send this particular dog overseas, this is not a sustainable nor consistent policy.
“As such, the Department acted in a consistent and responsible manner in order to protect the public’s interest.”
