The Tribune

Editor, The Tribune

I am writing this letter with deep anger, sadness, and genuine concern about what is currently happening to stray dogs throughout New Providence. The Ministry of Agriculture is reportedly setting traps in various communities to capture stray dogs. But what happens after these animals are trapped? That is the question that needs to be answered publicly.

Where are these dogs being taken? Who is caring for them? How long will they be held? Will they be assessed, rehabilitated, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and placed for adoption? Will rescue organisations and animal welfare groups be given an opportunity to assist? Or, most importantly, are these dogs going to be euthanised? The silence surrounding this issue is extremely troubling.

The Bahamian public deserves transparency. These are living, breathing animals, not garbage to be collected and disposed of. Many of these dogs are the result of irresponsible ownership, abandonment, backyard breeding, and the failure to spay and neuter. They did not choose to be born on the streets. If the Government has developed a humane stray animal management program, then tell the public what that program is. Tell us how many dogs have been trapped. Tell us where they are being taken. Tell us what the plan is for them. And if euthanasia is part of that plan, then say so openly. Do not allow the public to be left wondering whether dogs are being quietly captured and killed behind closed doors.

There are Bahamians and animal rescue organisations who are willing to help. There are people who foster, adopt, transport, rehabilitate, feed, and pay out of their own pockets to save animals that others have abandoned. Why are these people not being brought to the table? We cannot continue to address the stray dog problem simply by removing dogs from the streets. If dogs are removed today and tomorrow more abandoned dogs take their place, then we have not solved the problem. We have only moved it somewhere else.

We need a long term, humane and transparent solution that includes aggressive spay and neuter programs, responsible pet ownership education, enforcement against abandonment and backyard breeding, identification and licensing of animals, adoption programs, fostering, and meaningful partnerships with established rescue organisations. Most importantly, the public needs to know what is happening right now to the dogs being trapped.

I am asking the Ministry of Agriculture to answer these questions clearly and publicly:

Where are the trapped dogs being taken?

How many dogs have been captured?

How long are they being held?

Are they being evaluated and rehabilitated?

Are they being made available for adoption or transferred to rescue organisations?

And finally: Are any of these dogs being euthanised?

These are not unreasonable questions. They are questions that a concerned public has every right to ask. I love my country, and I want to see the Bahamas become a place where we address our animal welfare problems with compassion, accountability, and responsible action. I am angry because animals cannot speak for themselves. We have to speak for them. Trapping is not a solution by itself. And these animals deserve better than to simply disappear.

Latesha Clarke

Animal Advocate