JAMAICA is among five Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states lagging behind as it relates to exploring legislation which would govern the control of dangerous dogs, a review of regional laws has revealed.

Of the 15 Caricom member states, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Dominica, and Haiti are all without legislation that would protect nationals from being attacked and killed by dangerous dogs.

Last month, 66-year-old Whittington Cole was the latest Jamaican victim of a vicious dog attack as he walked in his Hampton Green community in Spanish Town, St Catherine.

Similar but separate incidents which claimed the lives of several Trinidadians prompted the Government in that country to draft a Dog Control Act which requires that all dangerous dogs, identified as Class A, be registered and licensed. The Act categorises Class A dogs as the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa and the Fila Brasileiro. All other dogs are classified as Class B.

In Trinidad, the owner or keeper of a Class A dog is liable to: A fine of $100,000 or five years’ imprisonment if their dog unreasonably injures someone; and a fine of $200,000 or 10 years’ imprisonment if their dog unreasonably kills someone.

The Act also provides requirements for securing of premises, and obtaining insurance policies for Class A dogs.

A 2012 statement from the country’s Attorney General’s office said the legislation was being implemented because the Government had noted with great concern, growing attacks on law-abiding citizens by pit bulls.

“The facts show that often these dangerous dogs are not properly trained or secured. In recent times, dangerous dogs have been allowed to escape onto the road and attack persons, causing severe injuries and, in some cases, death,” the statement read.

In a similar manner, Part V of The Bahamas’ Animal Protection and Control Bill outlines that a dangerous dog must be licensed and that the owner is required to obtain a public liability insurance purchased from an insurance office approved in The Bahamas, and to deposit a copy of such certificate of insurance with the competent authority.

Last Friday, veteran plastic surgeon Dr Guyan Arscott called on the Jamaican Government to look into a dangerous dog insurance policy. Dr Arscott made the call in an interview with the Observer following Cole’s killing by dogs believed to be Pit Bulls and Rottweilers.

In 2005, the St Lucian Government passed the Animals Act which banned the importation of dogs it classified as fighting dogs or dangerous dogs. The semen or embryo of the fighting dog is also banned from importation. Dangerous dogs included in the Act are Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Ridgebacks, German Shepherds, Bullmastiffs, and Akitas. These dogs are also required to be spayed or neutered by a veterinary surgeon within three months of their birth.

Two Mondays ago, the Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association (JVMA) said that it had recommended to Government the commencement of a national effort at dog population control through spaying and neutering. This has not been done.

The JVMA also recommended the establishment of a mechanism for the regulation and certification of dog trainers. It also called for the country to redouble its efforts at reviewing outdated Acts and creating modern animal welfare legislation that meets international standards and guidelines for public education and dog population control, for the protection of both people and animals.

In Grenada, in addition to banning the importation of dangerous dogs, all owners of such animals must ensure that the dogs are neutered by a veterinary surgeon within three months of the coming into force of the country’s 2002 Dogs Act. Dogs must also be licensed and tagged.

From as far back as 1982 the Government of Barbados declared in its Licensing of Dogs Act that the owner of a dog that is six months old or over shall, within 30 days after that date, make application to a licensing officer in such form as the minister approves for a licence to keep that dog.

“Any person who, after 1st March, 1982, becomes the owner of a dog that is six months old or over shall, within 14 days after so becoming, apply to a Government of Barbados licensing officer in such form as the minister approves for a licence to keep that dog.

“A licensing officer shall supply to each person to whom a licence is issued a tag in such form as the minister approves and that tag shall bear a number corresponding with the number of the licence,” the Act said.

In St Kitts & Nevis, the 2001 Dog Bill requires that dangerous dogs such as Pit Bulls are licensed and that owners obtain insurance policies. Antigua and Barbuda has also adopted similar polices in its 2006 Dogs Registration and Control Act.