The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell has echoed other officials' views on the dangers unsecured pit bulls pose to Bahamian society, adding that they are mixing with Potcakes and making that breed a danger as well.

 “So, when you look around at the dogs now, at the Potcakes, you notice their feet are huge, that means they’re mixed. So when you have some of these attacks, it isn’t from the traditional Potcake anymore,” Mr Bell said at an event on Thursday morning.

 Mr Bell’s comments came following comments made by St Anne’s MP Adrian White in the House of Assembly on April 12.

 Mr White said he wanted legislators to consider banning the breeding and ownership of pit bulls in The Bahamas, adding that three pit bulls roaming his constituency had attacked a constituent’s dog through a gate that morning.

 “Residents have asked why have we banned the importation of pit bulls, but not banned the breeding of pit bulls here in The Bahamas,” Mr White had said.

“I know it’s not an incident where every dog is a problem, but there are dog owners that continuously are not taking the proper precautions to remove, to secure their animals.

 “So we need to look at our legislation and potentially consider banning the breeding and ownership of pit bulls here in The Bahamas.”

 Mr Bell spoke on this issue on Thursday, while addressing other issues concerning the labour force at a Power Breakfast hosted by The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Confederation (BCCEC).

 “Even the cases with the proliferation of stray dogs, we have them in our area, and if it isn’t our problem we just pass by and don’t address these issues and matters. I believe this morning, as a sidebar, that I would wish to submit to all of us, to suggest to us how we’re able to address these problems and challenges,” Mr Bell said.

 “(Regarding) the proliferation of dogs in our society, and they are all over the place, over the last several years we’ve had some attacks by these Potcakes. But I can tell we don’t have any traditional Potcakes in the back of these homes anymore.

 “Because the pit bulls have been allowed to roam, because either the (owners) have died or they no longer care for the dogs. So, the pit bulls and the rottweilers have mated with the traditional Potcake,” Mr Bell said.

 He continued: “But we are not looking at these challenges or problems, until an individual is walking or exercising and they are chased into the street by these dogs and killed by a vehicle or someone is mauled to death or near death with these dogs.

 “So, we have to now, not leave it to the Humane Society alone, it will take the government and the private sector working together to ensure that we don’t allow our country to neglect these issues and challenges,” Mr Bell said.

 Last month, Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell also raised concerns about dangerous dogs in communities and told The Tribune he agrees with Mr White’s call to possibly ban pit bulls. He said his main concern is untied dogs in open yards.

 Peter Feldman, assistant shelter manager at the Bahamas Humane Society, also spoke to The Tribune on the issue last month. He said that it would “not be a bad idea at all” to ban the breeding and ownership of Pit bulls.