A recent call for the introduction of legislation to govern the importation, breeding, rearing and the registration and licensing of 'dangerous dogs' by Member of Parliament for Eastern St Andrew Dr St Aubyn Bartlett has raised the hackles of the Jamaica Dogowners and Breeders Association.

Bartlett, while making his contribution to the 2007/08 Sectoral Debates in Parliament earlier this month said the importation of dangerous dogs into the country by individuals for various purposes is now "totally out of control".

Speaking at the time Bartlett said not only was there a need for 'dangerous dog legislation' but also legislation to govern the importation, keeping, breeding, rearing, registration and licensing of dogs.

He further noted that this was especially necessary as the "guard dog business which is big business" has no standards and no regulations as to how the dogs should be kept.
But Bartlett's placement of pitbulls in the dangerous dog category in his presentation has irritated the special interest group which represents some 1,000 breeders and owners islandwide.

Chief executive officer of the Jamaica Dogowners and Breeders Association Portmore and St Catherine Chapter Ainsley Parkins believes that Bartlett sought to discredit pitbulls for other reasons than just safety concerns.

"He found out that people are gravitating to dogs now more and more because of the crime infested country that we are in and people are getting to love pitbulls more so Dr Bartlett is making a case and doing his calculations that if so much people have pitbulls they can put up something so that we pay.

To hear him saying guard dogs are big business that sounds like you want to tap into somebody elses coffers," Parkins argued.

The Association Head is also rejecting Bartlett's suggestions that "the pitbull terrier or any dog bred from the pitbull and having dominant characteristic of that dog is characterised as dangerous".

"Mr Bartlett is saying pitbulls are dangerous but you have never heard of a pitbull attacking any child in Jamaica (without provocation). Pitbulls are the most loving dogs. Rottweillers, Dobermen, German Shepherds are more aggressive than pitbulls. They are more friendly and more loving," Parkins said.
He added: "The licensing suggestion was a ploy. It was a ploy of Bartlett and his government. The Government cannot assure any citizen that it is going to provide adequate security so we have to seek our own security by having dogs as our first defence," he continued.

According to Parkins, Bartlett's objections were being egged by persons whose profits from selling less popular dogs have taken a nosedive.

"It is a fact that the pitbull market is one of the biggest dog markets in Jamaica; people stop buying Rottweillers and all those because they cannot stand up to the heat so pitbulls are tougher. These people are hitting out because the breed they love is not selling anymore," Parkins said.

He was, however, unable to supply definite figures to back up his claims offering instead "I would say 25 to 30 per cent of Jamaicans own pitbulls and the majority of persons who own a male and female pitbull are doing breeding. It costs between US$1,000-$1,500 and $J40,000 up for a pitbull based on the breed and bloodline," he said.

According to Parkins, "the real killers are not pitbulls, they are not Rottweillers, the real killers are men who have guns... if they are going to licence all of the illegal guns we will get rid of our dogs because we would be safer in Jamaica when all the guns are licensed and you know who is who".

In the meantime, he said the association intended to call a meeting with all pitbull breeders and dogowners to discuss the situation to see how further it could lobby the Government for a way forward.

As to claims by Bartlett that signs have been posted around the Corporate Area advertising illegal dogfights, Parkins said this was not so.

"I don't know where Dr Bartlett sees signs advertising dog fights. The association is going to make it clear that we don't indulge in dogfighting our policy document says if such an act is committed and anyone knows they should inform the police or the organisation because that is cruelty to animals."

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