Unleashed and Dangerous: A Public Safety Concern
“The greatness of a
country and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are
treated.”- Mahatma Gandhi
Jamaicans are for the most part lovers of dogs. In almost every home there is a dog. It is often said that dogs are man’s best friend. Notwithstanding, the society is still in shock at the brutal attack of the primary school teacher by four pit bulls. The incident took place in Coopers Hill, St. Andrew on Thursday, September 19, 2019 as the teacher was doing her routine evening walk in the community. In recent times there has been an increase in the number of pit bulls seen. This unregulated breeding of pit bulls is not only dangerous but also creates a public safety concern. These fierce looking dogs have been figured in previous attacks yet it is evident that the legislation to safeguard the citizenry from being potentially mauled by these dogs requires updating. Under the Dog (Liability for Injuries By) Act of 1887, the owner of every dog shall be liable for damages for injury done to any person, or any cattle or sheep by his dog, and it shall not be necessary for the party seeking such damages to show a previous mischievous propensity in such a dog, or the owner’s knowledge of such previous propensity or that the injury was attributable to neglect on the part of such owner. Such damages should be recoverable in any court of competent jurisdiction by the person injured, or by the owner of such cattle or sheep killed or injured. So much has changed since 1877 when this piece of legislation was enacted. The time has come for the Ministry of Justice to revisit this. It bares thought that owning a dog comes with a great level of responsibility not only in terms of caring for such animal but also to ensure that such animal does not become a nuisance to the public. Ironically, although Jamaicans are dog lovers, there is a great level of fear of dogs. Owners of dogs must realize that the onus is on them to ensure that their dogs are properly fenced, leashed and that they do not become a bother to others including other animals. There are too many stray and unleashed dogs about the place.
Herd Dogs
There are three main breeds of pit bulls. These are the American Pit bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The literature states that the different breeds of pit bulls originate from England where the dogs were bred for fighting and other sports and later for farm use. Eventually these sports were banned and the breeders of these dogs developed pure breed for the purpose of the muscular strength and obedient characteristics of these dogs. The pit bull has a lifespan of up to 16 years and the male can weigh as much as 80 pounds. The Rottweiler has origins which are unknown, however, the literature online NextDayPets says, the dog is probably descended from the Italian Mastiff. During the Middle Ages the Rottweiler was commonly used as a herd dog. It appears that historically both the Pit Bull and Rottweiler were bred to be herd dogs. Interestingly, the Rottweiler became nearly extinct in the 1880’s but made a successful comeback by breeders in Germany. Today, the Rottweiler is used for a number of things such as tracking, herding, police work, obedience trails and guarding which the dog does extraordinarily well. Like most dogs the Rottweiler can be a fun loving dog, however, he is very powerful and can be serious at times. As a result early obedience training and socialization is highly recommended as this breed of dog can be very destructive without enough stimulation. The dog can be very territorial and protective of their family and their environment as they can be very intimidating. Rottweiler can do very well around children if raised around them, but they should be supervised around small children due to their size and power. The male Rottweiler can weigh as much as 135 pounds.
Public Safety Concern
The teacher who was mauled by the pit bulls was finally rescued after approximately three hours. The news stated that attempts by citizen to free her were unsuccessful as the dogs were unrelenting. It was not until a police officer arrived on the scene and discharged a shot in the air the teacher could be rescued. This teacher will need long term emotional support. While her physical scars will heal with time the psychological trauma will take much longer to heal. In an interview with a representative from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals we learnt that three of the four pit bulls involved in the ferocious attack were euthanized. It is puzzling as to why the fourth dog was sparred. Although a puppy, he will likely become a danger to public health and safety having participated in such a vicious and horrific attack. Such incidents are unfortunate and are avoidable. The Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck has commented on the outdated legislation regarding our canine friends. The Minister said, “that law does not allow for criminal prosecution; it only allows for civil liability. He added, “we are going to repeal that law and put in place the Dog Liability of Owners Act, so the burden will be on owners to ensure that their dogs are kept under control. If the dogs are not kept under control and should they escape from the yard/lease and injure persons, then there will be the possibility of criminal liability.” We tend to single out the Rottweiler and Pit Bull as the only dogs which will attack and maim humans, however, just about all dogs will. About a year ago my mother told me that a pack of mongrel dogs rushed her one morning while she was on her routine walk around the avenue. Luckily, she was not physically harmed but it had an emotional impact on her. Dog lovers will agree that having a dog can bring a wealth of joy to one’s life; however, one's joy should not at the expense of another’s life. Imagine what those dogs would have done to a child. There needs to be a wider conversation with the citizenry. This preventable incident should spur the society to action. Perhaps, it would be useful to have mandatory registration for owners of such breed of dogs such as the Rottweiler and Pit Bull. This would serve to keep track of such breed of dogs. The society would benefit from having some public education campaign aimed at educating owners of dogs regarding their responsibilities and duties. Those who own dogs must become more sensitive and careful whether on their own volition or through modern legislation. Let us all continue to pray for the speedy and full recovery of the teacher from St. Richard’s Primary School.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
Jamaicans are for the most part lovers of dogs. In almost every home there is a dog. It is often said that dogs are man’s best friend. Notwithstanding, the society is still in shock at the brutal attack of the primary school teacher by four pit bulls. The incident took place in Coopers Hill, St. Andrew on Thursday, September 19, 2019 as the teacher was doing her routine evening walk in the community. In recent times there has been an increase in the number of pit bulls seen. This unregulated breeding of pit bulls is not only dangerous but also creates a public safety concern. These fierce looking dogs have been figured in previous attacks yet it is evident that the legislation to safeguard the citizenry from being potentially mauled by these dogs requires updating. Under the Dog (Liability for Injuries By) Act of 1887, the owner of every dog shall be liable for damages for injury done to any person, or any cattle or sheep by his dog, and it shall not be necessary for the party seeking such damages to show a previous mischievous propensity in such a dog, or the owner’s knowledge of such previous propensity or that the injury was attributable to neglect on the part of such owner. Such damages should be recoverable in any court of competent jurisdiction by the person injured, or by the owner of such cattle or sheep killed or injured. So much has changed since 1877 when this piece of legislation was enacted. The time has come for the Ministry of Justice to revisit this. It bares thought that owning a dog comes with a great level of responsibility not only in terms of caring for such animal but also to ensure that such animal does not become a nuisance to the public. Ironically, although Jamaicans are dog lovers, there is a great level of fear of dogs. Owners of dogs must realize that the onus is on them to ensure that their dogs are properly fenced, leashed and that they do not become a bother to others including other animals. There are too many stray and unleashed dogs about the place.
Herd Dogs
There are three main breeds of pit bulls. These are the American Pit bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The literature states that the different breeds of pit bulls originate from England where the dogs were bred for fighting and other sports and later for farm use. Eventually these sports were banned and the breeders of these dogs developed pure breed for the purpose of the muscular strength and obedient characteristics of these dogs. The pit bull has a lifespan of up to 16 years and the male can weigh as much as 80 pounds. The Rottweiler has origins which are unknown, however, the literature online NextDayPets says, the dog is probably descended from the Italian Mastiff. During the Middle Ages the Rottweiler was commonly used as a herd dog. It appears that historically both the Pit Bull and Rottweiler were bred to be herd dogs. Interestingly, the Rottweiler became nearly extinct in the 1880’s but made a successful comeback by breeders in Germany. Today, the Rottweiler is used for a number of things such as tracking, herding, police work, obedience trails and guarding which the dog does extraordinarily well. Like most dogs the Rottweiler can be a fun loving dog, however, he is very powerful and can be serious at times. As a result early obedience training and socialization is highly recommended as this breed of dog can be very destructive without enough stimulation. The dog can be very territorial and protective of their family and their environment as they can be very intimidating. Rottweiler can do very well around children if raised around them, but they should be supervised around small children due to their size and power. The male Rottweiler can weigh as much as 135 pounds.
Public Safety Concern
The teacher who was mauled by the pit bulls was finally rescued after approximately three hours. The news stated that attempts by citizen to free her were unsuccessful as the dogs were unrelenting. It was not until a police officer arrived on the scene and discharged a shot in the air the teacher could be rescued. This teacher will need long term emotional support. While her physical scars will heal with time the psychological trauma will take much longer to heal. In an interview with a representative from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals we learnt that three of the four pit bulls involved in the ferocious attack were euthanized. It is puzzling as to why the fourth dog was sparred. Although a puppy, he will likely become a danger to public health and safety having participated in such a vicious and horrific attack. Such incidents are unfortunate and are avoidable. The Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck has commented on the outdated legislation regarding our canine friends. The Minister said, “that law does not allow for criminal prosecution; it only allows for civil liability. He added, “we are going to repeal that law and put in place the Dog Liability of Owners Act, so the burden will be on owners to ensure that their dogs are kept under control. If the dogs are not kept under control and should they escape from the yard/lease and injure persons, then there will be the possibility of criminal liability.” We tend to single out the Rottweiler and Pit Bull as the only dogs which will attack and maim humans, however, just about all dogs will. About a year ago my mother told me that a pack of mongrel dogs rushed her one morning while she was on her routine walk around the avenue. Luckily, she was not physically harmed but it had an emotional impact on her. Dog lovers will agree that having a dog can bring a wealth of joy to one’s life; however, one's joy should not at the expense of another’s life. Imagine what those dogs would have done to a child. There needs to be a wider conversation with the citizenry. This preventable incident should spur the society to action. Perhaps, it would be useful to have mandatory registration for owners of such breed of dogs such as the Rottweiler and Pit Bull. This would serve to keep track of such breed of dogs. The society would benefit from having some public education campaign aimed at educating owners of dogs regarding their responsibilities and duties. Those who own dogs must become more sensitive and careful whether on their own volition or through modern legislation. Let us all continue to pray for the speedy and full recovery of the teacher from St. Richard’s Primary School.
In the words of Saint
Basil, does not the gratitude of the dog put to shame any man who is ungrateful
to his benefactors?
Wayne Campbell is an
educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as
they affect culture and or gender issues.waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
©
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