Minister & Owner Respond After Pit Bull Put Down
[Updated: The family said Hershey was put down this afternoon. The Environment Minister confirms the dog was put down, and said the dog policy as it stands is the law. The dog's owner strongly disputes the Minister's statements about shipping the dog overseas]
The group working to save a pit bull from being euthanized said they “believe they may be preparing to begin the process of putting him down.”
After being stolen from his family the pit bull — named Hershey and pictured left — was recovered by the police and handed over to Animal Control.
The Government refused to return the dog as it is a banned breed, saying “The dog is an illegal dog, and thus cannot be returned to the original owner.”
“The theft and recovery of the animal does not legitimize the animal, and thus it is subject to the provisions of Section 7D of the Dogs Act 1978,” said the Government.
Part of the section of the law [PDF] the Government quoted says, “The dogs shall be forfeited to the Department and the Director may seize the dogs and destroy them or otherwise dispose of them in such manner as he sees fit.”
A public campaign, spearheaded by Gage Miller, was launched and achieved support both on the island and overseas. An online petition [link] was launched, and as of this writing has close to 2000 signatures.
We have asked the Government if they are, in fact, preparing to put Hershey down and will update as able.
Update 5.13pm: According to the family, Hershey was put down this afternoon. Reyel Bowen said that the authorities emailed and informed his mother a short while ago.
Update 5.25pm: Gage Miller posted on our Facebook page saying, “It is with an undeniably heavy heart that I regret to inform you that we have been notified that Hershey has been put down.
“We will prepare something for tomorrow, but for now we ask just for your words of encouragement towards the family at this time.
“We will still be pushing forward with our efforts to request amnesty to help reach the other dogs at risk under this ban. Thank you all for for your support and help. May God Rest His Soul. RIP”
Update 7.32pm: Asked to respond, Environment Minister Sylvan Richards told Bernews, “It was an illegally breed pit bull, bought under illegal circumstances.”
“I have a heart, I am animal lover myself, however as the Minister I instructed my dog wardens to enforce the dog policy as it is…which basically states that if the dog wardens come into contact with an illegally breed dog they are to confiscate the dog and the dog is to be euthanized.”
“In Hershey’s particular case we made an offer to the owner that if they could find someone outside Bermuda to adopt the dog then the dog could have been shipped overseas,” continued Minister Richards.
“The information I have been given by my officers, my dog wardens, is that the offer was not taken up. Therefore under the law the puppy had to be euthanized, and the puppy was euthanized.”
“I have impaneled a canine advisory committee who has been looking at the entire dog policy over the last few months and they will advise me in the near term, on what our dog policy should look like going forward.
“However the dog policy as it stands is the law, and the law will be enforced,” said the Minister.
Audio of the Minister’s full comments below:
We previously reported that the family were looking at options of trying to have the dog shipped overseas. We are waiting for a response from the group/family to the Minister and will update as able.
Update 7.57pm: Ms Gina Davis, the mother of the family that owned Hershey, very strongly disputed the Minister’s claim that they did not take the offer up to ship him overseas.
“We were the ones who offered to send the dog overseas, they never responded,” said Ms Davis. “They never offered to us, we offered them, and they never got back to us.”
Ms Davis said Gage Miller offered to pay for the dog to be shipped overseas, and said “Not a single person has called and made the offer that we could send him overseas, as if so the dog would have been gone.”
“In fact it was always our hope, that if nothing else, he could leave Bermuda. One reason for the petition to save his life,” said Ms Davis.
Update Dec 7: In a comment left below, Ms Davis said, “There was no need to raise funds to send the dog overseas. I would have gladly paid for that myself. Besides, there was an offer to take Hershey overseas with full expenses paid.
“On December 3, when Hershey was taken to the impound, Gage Miller, a Bermudian living overseas offered to take him and was told no. I asked a politician about the ability to send Hershey overseas and was told that no policy exists.
“When I spoke to a dog warden and told him I had an offer by someone who would take him, he told me to ensure the place was reputable, because many rescue places are not such. However, Hershey was offered a home.”
The full original statement about the petition/amnesty request follows below:
I know all of you are eager for an update on what’s going on with Hershey, and what our plans are moving forward, with the movement to ultimately change the current legislation regarding the ban.
I am happy today to announce major updates and announcements on both of those issues:
Update On Hershey:
As of this morning we can confirm that Hershey is alive and well, but are sad to report we believe they may be preparing to begin the process of putting him down.
We understand that having the legislation examined, debated, and ultimately changed can, and more than likely will, take some time. The dilemma is obviously the fate of Hershey in the mean time, as well as other dogs out there in the same position, as until the legislation is changed they are still classified as an illegal breed and thus at risk of facing the same fate as Hershey.
After much brain-storming, research, feedback from the general public, along with excellent advice that has poured in from relevant experts showing their support for this issue:
I am pleased to announce that in a collaborative effort between the family members of Hershey, Bermuda based Pit Bull advocacy group “Our Misunderstood” and myself, we are excited to announce the following plans to move forward:
• On Friday, December 13th 2013, We will be officially submitting this petition alongside a formal request for a one time amnesty for all dogs that currently exist, and full under the classification of an illegal breed within the shores of Bermuda. The amnesty, if approved, would allow responsible dog owners of currently banned breeds a period of time in which they would be able to come forward, have their dog’s neutered, micro chipped, and properly licensed without fear of prosecution or seizure of their dog.
It is our position that this amnesty satisfies three key issues:
- The Amnesty protects and respects the rights of the dogs and their owners: Through allowing responsible dog owners of currently banned breeds to come forth, and take the proper steps necessary to legally own their dog, without fear of prosecution in the process of doing so.
- The Amnesty protects and respects the rights of the general public:
Through the process of having the current population of illegal, undocumented dogs getting properly documented, spayed/neutered and monitored by Bermuda Animal Control. We believe this serves as a humane and fairly balanced solution to controlling the existing population.- The Amnesty protects and respects the rights of Animal Control and the Bermuda Government:
Until the legislation is changed Animal Control is under direct authority of the Bermuda Government, who must follow current legislation. This amnesty serves as an opportunity and legitimately viable solution for the Bermuda Government to address and assist with the efforts of this movement without breaking any current standing legislation.
• On Saturday, December 14th 2013 at noon (location pending) there will be a rally for supporters of our movement to end the current breed ban. We are inviting pit bull owners, animal advocates, dog trainers, local veterinarians, and animal lovers to come out for the event. It will be an amazing educational opportunity for all who attend. You will be able to meet first-hand some of these stereotyped breeds and learn why their owners feel so passionate about their fight for the breed. We are gathering resources to also provide to any owners who want to take further responsible steps with their pup including information on spaying/neutering, training, socializing, health care, and more. You won’t want to miss this!
We have put forth an enormous amount of thought and effort into putting this plan together, we truly hope and believe that it will serve as a fair and balanced solution to all sides of this issue.
More importantly we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and relentless outcry of injustice for these dogs. You are each individually responsible for already greatly impacting Hershey’s life alongside the lives of many other dogs just like him, and you should all be very proud and humbled by that fact, for without you he wouldn’t be alive today.
In continuing that level of commitment and support we hope you will continue to stand with us and assist with the following:
-Keep Spreading the link to this petition, the more people we get on it, the more impact it will have once it is submitted for review to the Members of Parliament.
-Come out and show your support on the Friday when the petition and request for amnesty are handed to Parliament.
-Come out and join us on Saturday and help spread the education of proper dog ownership and training, and show your support for the release and amnesty of Hershey and all dog’s like him.
We think it is vital to hear and understand what the public is saying. We’ve noticed that quite a lot of people are talking about this on various comment sections throughout the Internet, and we want to provide a way to centralize all of this valuable input and make sure you have the chance to voice your opinion/concern on this matter.
That’s why we’ve created the following email: bermudabanforum@gmail.com
We are inviting you to send your opinions, suggestions, give feedback or find out how to get further involved with this movement, send an email there and someone will respond. This is also where we will be centralizing all media related inquiries.
In Closing:
We understand that the ultimate goal here is to change the legislation, but we are hoping that this amnesty will serve as a temporary solution to the issue of currently illegal, banned breed dogs. We believe it is fairly balanced in it’s approach, and serves to satisfy all sides of this issue.
We thank you again for your unbelievable level of support and commitment to helping impact the lives of dogs and their owners all across the island. Keep sharing this petition with everyone, spread the word, and get involved!
We will simultaneously post all updates and relevant information on this website as well as on Our Misunderstood’s Facebook page which can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/OurMisunderstood
The full official request for the amnesty will be available to view and download online in the following days to come.
Thank you.
-
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Articles that link to this one:
- Ministry Reminds Public: Pit Bulls Are Banned | Bernews.com | December 9, 2013
- Man Denies Dishonestly Receiving Stolen Pitbull | Bernews.com | December 18, 2013
- Statistics: Dog Attacks & Interactions By Breed | Bernews.com | December 31, 2013
I know where I’d like to stick the needle!
The needle should be stuck in the lawless idiots who keep breeding and profiting off of them .
Then we wouldn’t continually be subject to all these bleeding heart stories .
And a further few jabs should go to people who seem to have been living under a rock for the last decade and a half who ‘claim’ to not know that pits are illegal. And include a little up to date and current wisdom injection for people who don’t know that dogs need to be licensed .
Lord what an island I live on .
And let me guess ur one of those toy dog owners. From my understanding someone was trying to see if they could get the dog overseas but no gov went and killed it anyway despite thousands of signatures to at least delay the killing. Ya its against the law to have one but jeez man. The dog showed no signs of being vicious. U people make me laugh. A small dog is ten times more likely to bite someone than a pitt but theres no problem with them. This government is a joke! Would rather see people carrying their dogs around in a purse. Smh. Go play in traffic u twit
So what do you mean by “U people”?
Who exactly is “U people”?
Oh dont try and play dumb u people means u idiots who r so biased against an animal u obviously have no experience with. U people refers to the same old trolls who come on here just to start ish! U obviously have never interacted with let alone owned a pit therefore your opinions mean nothing anyway. Tryin toake me out to be racist cause i called u out on another of your ignorant rants. Hahaha have a nice day. Its a damn shame the world has people like u in it
Anbu , I can see you’re as confused as about 90% of the other respondents on this thread.
You admit that it was illegal .. ‘but jeez man ..’
Where do we draw the line on our laws if we keep letting everything that’s already slipped through just keep sliding through ?
And for everyone who keeps bragging that their Yorkies are nasty biters .. Well they need to be put down as well .
And if Balance’s question was directed at me , yes I am a pet/dog lover.
If I told you my background and involvement many people would probably be able to guess who I was.
I have deliberately kept my words to a minimum here but everyone can rest assured that there’s probably a lot more to this entire story ,and all the others like it , than the general public will get to know .
You are An Animal Lovet?
Lyle Lovett
My heart is broken! Why can’t be sent off island?
This is a gratuitous killing of an innocent animal who has done nothing wrong. This is the evil and stupidity that is breed specific legislation.
It might be the law, Bermuda, but shame on you for enforcing such deadly, baseless and unjustifiable cruelty. I’m glad what you just did to Hershey isn’t on my karma.
You spelled caramel wrong.
Sorry but people know the law. If you make an exception, people will continue to ignore the law and then beg for mercy for illegally bred animals…then what’s the sense of even having that law?
There are lots of breeds of dog out there-there’s no need to own pit bulls and any other dog on the banned list. It’s all so macho guys can feel big walking down the street with a big, bad pit bull yanking at the leash and/or to guard drugs-we all know that.
No, this wasn’t Hershey’s fault but he won’t stay a cute little pup forever. Gov’t did the right thing-they need to send a message that this won’t be tolerated. End of.
BTW, I highly doubt that euthanizing a dog racks up bad karma. Give me a break.
Not if it’s suffering, but killing a healthy animal because the owner broke some ill conceived law, and just to prove a point is ridiculous and indefensible, you a-holes have no respect for life,go straight to hell.
Wah, wah, wah…cry me a river…
Because we had the audacity and arrogance to petition to have the law changed instead of doing the smart thing and setting up a fund to cover expenses to find Hershey a loving home overseas. You can’t be caught breaking the law and then petition to change it expecting to save the dogs life. This was a stupid move and I hate to say I told you so. Now Hershey is chocolate syrup. Truth is if they cared more about Hershey than sticking it to the man he’d still be alive.
no law was required to be changed as there is no breed specific legislation in Bermuda
what you do have under the relevant act is a ministerial power to make any such policy deemed necessary such as banning certain breeds where it in the public interest
any such policy may be discontinued or amended by the Government Minister at anytime by simply publishing the changes to the policy in the Gazette
it memory serves me this particular policy was enacted controversially by the PLP in 2001 amidst public opposition and its amazing that the OBA some 12 years seems fit to continue what was then a poorly conceived policy
as for sec 7D of the Dogs Act 1978 relied on by the Minister namely that “the director may seize the dogs and destroy them or otherwise dispose of them in such manner as he sees fit” provides no excuse for the decision to euthanize
this section actually does the opposite of what the Minister contends it does as it gives him a clear discretion to decide each case presented to him on a case by case basis
its therefore really disappointing that Minister Richards having been elected through espousing an intention to govern in a new fashion would make ministerial decisions in the old way of doing things
ie without public consultation
Vote them out. It’s the only way.
And bring back the PLP who did such a great job on running Bermuda INTO THE GROUND! You must really be looking forward to living in a 3rd World Country!!
So this present Govt. is for us locals?
The first thing that was done, before the petition, before any media coverage, was the family made contact and informed them that they had multiple offers to send the dog overseas, and those people also called the warden to confirm.
know your facts.
I hope the family does not let this rest and approaches the Minister as to why they had to receive the news of the death of their beloved Hershey via email and that which Dog Warden is responsible for telling the Minister that the family ‘declined the offer’ which apparently is not true as they asked for that option from the beginning.
The original petition was to save the dog. We decided that a bigger issue was at stake. There was no need to raise funds to send the dog overseas. I would have gladly paid for that myself. Besides, there was an offer to take Hershey overseas with full expenses paid. On December 3, when Hershey was taken to the impound, Gage a Miller, a Bermudian living overseas offered to take him and was told no. I asked a politician about the ability to send Hershey overseas and was told that no policy exists. When I spoke to a dog warden and told him I had an offer by someone who would take him, he told me to ensure the place was reputable, because many rescue places are not such. However, Hershey was offered a home. Never once did anyone from the government end offer to send the dig overseas. There was no “put it to the man” mentality in the petition, much that it was for larger issues. During my conversations with the warden I learned that even pups born to licensed dogs, but no breeders permit, are illegal. There is a bigger issue. If you want to control something, make it yours. If they wanted to control any type of dog, I would think they would want to know where they are and who has them and where they are going. What a better way then to microchip, legalize and neuter, and know who the breeders are. I stand behind no pseudonym.
@ Ms Davis, I am so sorry for your loss and I did sign the petition to save Hershey. It breaks my heart what happened to him. I hope you find out the truth as to why Minister Richards was told from one of his ‘dog wardens’ that the offer to send Hershey overseas was declined by the family. Don’t let it rest as these dog wardens we have on our island are known to be… I hope this law we have can be reviewed and revised immediately.
doesn’t our dog warden have very large dogs that are also on the banned list. Thought he owned Rottweilers (sorry if I spelt that wrong).please correct me if I am wrong
you are wrong
Could you please disclose to us all, all the details of Hershey’s parents? It would be good to know their lineage. What was the percentage of inbreeding? (My breeder gave me the % on my dog along with it’s lineage for 10 generations.)Did you know that breeders have to register in order to breed legal dogs in Bermuda? Did he come from a licensed breeder? IF not, have you given the names of the breeder to the Dog Warden? Were there other puppies in the litter? Did you know the pup was an illegal breed when you purchased it? Was he micro-chipped? Who stole your dog? Are they being charged with theft? Why on earth would you want to own a type of dog that was breed to kill other dogs? Many thanks.
Ms. Davis: Let’s face it, your ignorance killed that dog. You keep saying ‘you didn’t know this’ or ‘you learned this or that.’ You should have done your homework BEFORE acquiring that puppy! What Bermudian doesn’t know that every dog in Bermuda must be licensed? What Bermudian doesn’t know that you need a permit to breed dogs-even legal breeds?! If you weren’t sure of something, why not do all the research BEFORE you got the dog???
Furthermore, knowing what your son does for a living and where he works, I find it highly unlikely that he didn’t know this stuff!
Sorry to inform you but some peoe are first time dog-owners and they don’t know certain things about dogs!! Stop being the judge n jury
I know this guy really well and I do not believe he did not know. This is a guy who does research and collects data for a living (won’t say where) and he didn’t know this??? Sorry-not buying it…
Where overseas? Because dogs cannot be imported into the USA until the have had ALL their RABIES shots (around 10 months)! And I doubt they would have ever allowed your dog into the USA once they looked over his breeder’s license and blood line. You just can’t put a dog on JET BLUE and land in NYC. There is reams of RED TAPE to go through and the fact that your dog was illegally bred and it is a banned breed would pretty well guarantee that the US authorities would NEVER allow your former dog into the US.
Just did it to my Son(sent him off the island)he had cute eyes too.
The family had to make the decision for that to happen! Did you read the full article!!
It’s a dog, for gods sake. Pick a Pet has legal pups for sale right now. Today more than 100 people were killed in Syria and more than 100 children died of starvation in Ethiopia.
In the first 5 months of 2013, pit bulls inflicted 93 percent of all dog bite related human fatalities.
As the pit bull population rises, more human fatalities ensue. During the last eight-year period that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied fatal attacks by breed.
If the current rate of fatalities inflicted by pit bulls continues, 33 Americans will lose their lives to pit bulls by the end of 2013.
anyone in Bermuda being fatally mauled? Rottweilers and Dobermans inflict injuries too. So do small dogs!
The emergency room deals with about 200 dog bites a year.
From just Pit Bulls?
Sandy bottom, shut the f%^&k up !!!!!!!
Yeah, I know that actual facts confuse you.
Yea I like to see those facts my self please send a link or let me know where I can get said Facts for Bermuda. Do they break down the type of dog per bit?
LOL
I don’t know the stats for Bermuda. They are a banned breed here, supposedly, so it’s hardly relevent. If you want the US stats look at dogsbite.org. For 2012 pit bulls represented under 5% of all dogs, but 61% of dog bite deaths. Rottweilers were the second most dangerous, accounting for another 4% of dogbite deaths.
It’s a similar story in any year.
These stats are easily found. I know other dogs sometimes bite, duh. But the fact is that the consequences of a pit bull attack is potentially far more severe than other breeds. A rottweiler is up there too, but statistically pit bulls are way ahead in the number of deaths and maimings.
So why were rottweilers taken off the banned list ?
Dogsbite.org is not a credible source. It is a propaganda site that has been discredited for their extreme views and unreliable statistics based entirely upon news reports.
The Centre for Disease Control no longer mentions breed in their dog bite statistics as they recognise that breed is actually irrelevant and concede that using media reports to identify breeds is notoriously unreliable.
If there was any truth in Lynn’s claims about Pit Bulls we would see hundreds if not thousands of deaths a year. Instead we are seeing 30 – 35 with a dog population of 78-80m dogs and no reliable indicator of breed but we do know that Pit Bulls are among the top most popular breeds (VetStreet).
Ms Lynn is a web designer. She has no qualification whatsoever as a geneticist, dog breed or behaviour expert.
So you want CDC stats. The CDC published a 20-year study which showed that out of 238 dog deaths, 76 were by pit bulls and 44 were by rottweilers. So between those two breeds, 120 or 76% of all reported dog deaths were by those two breeds, which between them account for under 8% of owned dogs in the US. According to the CDC, those two breeds were by a huge margin the most dangerous breeds over the 20-year study period.
Of course, causing death is the most extreme outcome of dog attack, so there thankfully aren’t many of them. But there are thousands of dog bites a year, and the CDC report supports the contention that attacks by certain breeds, principally pit bulls and rottweilers, are more likely to be severe and to cause death and maiming.
There’s also a post from Steve G below with stats from other studies. Look at that. Then respond.
@ sml NO, because we were smart enough to BAN these dangerous animals, thank heavens.
They’re actually restricted, not banned.
Please get your facts right , there are two list in Bermuda a band list and a restricted list and you will find pit pulls are on the band list and have been for over 9 years
What instruments do they play in the band?
Pit bulls were breed to kill!
By humans .
Pitbulls aren’t the breed with the highest bite statistics. Pitbulls are the breed that the media choose to report on, because stories on dog bites by pitbulls sell.
Since 1965 worldwide there have been fatal dog attacks by 52 different breeds of dogs!!! And pitbulls are
When dog bite statistics are taken into consideration versus the population, pitbulls come in at the BOTTOM of the list.
The most aggressive dog in the world right now is a Dachshund. Yes that’s right, 10lb, 10 inch tall sausage dog.
Regardless of what the media would like everyone to believe about their ‘selective’ reporting, the FACTS are what matters. Pitbulls and pitbulls type dogs are no more dangerous that any other breed. The fact is that their overall temperament is more stable and people friendly than that of most other breeds.
It’s time to stop believing the hype and educate yourself on the truth.
“educate yourself on the truth”
What, that a 10lb hotdog is more dangerous than a pit? Because I assure you that is not the truth. It’s like saying an ant is more aggressive than a scorpion therefore it is equally dangerous. Nonsense
Please just just the f up and go crawl back under the rock from which you came.
No u idiot they r saying that a stupid hot dog is more likely to bite u than a pittbull. Pay attention. Same with yorkies jack russels and the like. Like another said go back under the rock u crawled out from!
Ha! Show me where you got that statistic that pit bulls are the least likely to bite of every breed in the world. Not likely because you can’t do it, it isn’t true.
The statistic about dachshund bites is totally rediculous. I am more likey to get a cold than cancer, that doesn’t mean a cold is more dangerous. When a weiner dog attacks a child it doesn’t take three people to wrestle it off while the child loses its face or its life. Even if they bite more often, the point is that they don’t do the same amount of damage.
That is just as pointless as the people who keep saying “It isn’t the dog that’s bad, it’s bad owners.” Who cares? The fact remains that these dogs are powerful and destructive when they attack and it doesn’t matter if it is the owner’s fault or the dog’s, the innocent bystander is the one who loses.
This dog did not die because of the breed ban, it died because the owners and breeders decided to roll the dice and hope they wouldn’t get caught with it.
Then the solution is to ban all dogs infact cats scratch and breed at an alarming rate they should be banned too, birds such as parrots and geese should also be bann. Lets be fair.
LOL
Small dogs are more likely to bite then let go. Pit bulls by their nature bite and hold. Their jaws are much stronger, so do more damage
got bitten by a miniature colly so where are they on the list.
Ariel, where do you get those stats from? They are untrue. Give us the link.
No answer I see.
there have been a lot of Rottweiler attacks also so what about them
A rottie lover is on the Canine Advisory Board, and pit bulls make for more sensational “news”.
United States:
Betty Todd, 65-years old – Killed by her son’s pet pit bull.
Christian Gormanous, 4-years old – Killed by his neighbor’s chained pit bull
Elsie Grace, 91-years old – Killed by her son’s two pit bulls
Isaiah Aguilar, 2-years old – Killed by his neighbor’s chained pit bull
Ryan Maxwell, 7-years old – Killed by a pit bull while visiting family friends
Daxton Borchardt, 14-months old – Killed by his babysitter’s two pet pit bulls
Monica Laminack, 21-months old – Killed by her family’s pet pit bulls
Tyler Jett, 7-years old – Killed by his neighbor’s two pit bull-mix dogs
Claudia Gallardo, 38-years old – Killed by a property owner’s pit bull
Jordyn Arndt, 4-years old – Killed by her babysitter’s pit bull
Beau Rutledge, 2-years old – Killed by his family’s pet pit bull
Rachael Honabarger, 35-years old – Killed by her family German shepherd
Pamela Devitt, 63-years old – Killed by a pack of loose pit bulls
Carlton Freeman, 80-years old – Killed by four roaming pit bulls
How many deaths in Bermuda to Pit Bulls?
What, are you waiting for a pit bull to rip the head off a baby in Bermuda? Then you’ll just say ” it was the owner”.
we already had that done by a doby or rott here , it bite a baby …now what all dogs bite …
relevance in relation to the evidence?
The relevance is that a doby and a rott is legal in bermuda and pits are illegal. Also, there are still more pitbulls in bermuda than those dogs but you haven’t heard of a pitbull attack all year here in bermuda.
Funny how no one has raised the events from May 2011 on Angle St…dog had a lock jaw on a dog warden and police tried punching, baton strikes to no avail, and dog chased them and had to leap a wall before it was shot before it made it out the yard….
What was the dog? Oh yeah, a pitbull.
This policy is designed to prevent any issue’s. Waive the policy and it will be like it was years ago with people with a bunch of dovermans and pitbulls as family pets…no thank you.
The dog was on its own property. And you can tell you don’ have the most knowledge about dogs…. Doverman? Go buy a clue.
that was probably because it had been trained as a guard dog and was doing what it was rained to as would any other dog that is a trained guards dog including, believe it or not a labrador
Your dog doesn’t have to be trained as a guard dog, it’s called territorial .
Seriously? You’re referring to the dog that was commanded BY THE OWNER to attack the warden?
“roaming” pit bulls? i think it’s his fault for living in an area where wild dogs travel around in packs?
I live in a quiet neighborhood here and there are two pits that roam. It’s not the victim’s fault that a neighbor has animals they can’t control…
my neighbor has a dog who barks all day long….. The neighbors are fed up…enough of these annoying dogs ….we humans need our piece….I say to hell with these barking dogs, do what the hell you have to do get rid of these dogs…
Humans talk all day long. Enough of these annoying humans. Do what you have to do to get rid of these humans. What makes you think you’re better than another living creature? Humans destroy the very planet we all share every single day, I’ve never seen or heard of any animal doing that or anything similar. FYI dogs don’t bark for no reason. Bunch of miserable heartless people on here.
@ Come Correct! Talks for putting Ms Tina in her place! pure ignorance!
I thought she meant piece of the rock. But she meant peace on the rock. Amazing the number of people who write and can’t sort their homonyms.
Wait: amazing the number of people who right and can’t sort there homonyms.
A comment I would expect from someone who is clearly illiterate. It’s peace not piece idiot!
get a life
Get a new catchphrase loser.
@Jina, why name call the person an idiot… there are people who are not literate… it would be good if they did more study but do we need to call them idiots.As limited as they may be, they have every right to post here as the rest of us.
and my neighbors have babies that cry all the time…….. should we kill them too……..! open up your mind and by the way, i think you meant to say ‘peace’.
yes, yes we shall
Tina – call the police and say you are willing to go to court about the annoying dog. They will ask you to call the Dog Warden but you insist as it it theirs to deal with under the Act.
Under the act only 1 person needs to complain. I had to deal with a neighbor who had 2 Doby’s bark all night and this worked.
Only in America mate , here they don’t run around in packs …
I’ve seen a few pits running free in BDA
What sells newspapers? Stories people want to read!
The majority of dog bites in the US aren’t reported because no one cares about reading a report of a Golden Retriver biting a child, or a Chihuahua.
It’s not that pitbulls are the most dangerous. It’s that stories on pitbulls sell and are read. Notice how dog bite reports of other breeds just say ‘dog bite’ or something vague in the heading, yet bites by pitbulls make sure to post that front row right in the heading.
It’s solely people that have reuined everything for this breed!!!
Pit Bull bites are more likely to get reported because they are more severe. Other dog bites are over and done with. Pit Bulls can and do maim and kill.
@ Sandy bottomless – wasn’t there an incident a couple months ago where a Rottweiler maimed a 13 yr old boy while he was walking it???? Can you provide statistics from your hospital records when a pitbull did that to someone on our island? if it did why wasn’t it reported like this Rottweiler attack was. Please advise.
Actually, I recall an incident about two months ago where a pit bull badly injured a boy. The owner was right there when it happened.
I’m pretty sure that wasn’t a pitt.
No, you’re right, the 13 year old boy was a rottweiler. That was in August. If you’re asking for a pit bull incident there are quite a lot. For example July 2013, man fined and ordered to pay restitution after his pit bull attacked a woman who was walking by. She was hospitalised and needed weeks of treatment. The owner and his brother faced charges of illegal breeding, no license, keeping an illegal dog. The dog was put down.
I don’t know how many dog bites ending up in ER are pit bulls. They are supposed to be illegal, after all.
But, but you can own a rottweiler… How come? I can also tell you for a fact the incident you refer to is a prime example of the types of people who give the breed a bad name. Forget the illegal breeding I’m talking about the owners themselves, and how would you feel if you had to carry a 10ft boat chain around your neck? I’d probably bite someone too. There was another incident where a child went into the yard where a pitt was tied up, another prime example of the type(breed) of owner. That dog was trained to be that aggressive, I saw videos of it. Look at what warlords have done to children in some African countries. Is there much difference? You can’t sit here and paint an entire breed in a bad light because I could show you a pitt that would crumble any argument or statistic. He isn’t chained or fenced in and never leaves the yard even when other dogs are being walked by, he’s great around infants and other small dogs. Can you tell me why you think that is without simply hating on the breed?
Rottweilers are actually restricted, for good reason.
But I can own one. My boy has one and I also own a restricted breed that not too long ago bit both hands that feed it Nd guess what…he’s still alive because I understand dogs and it wasn’t entirely his fault.
Can you please let me have the stats on the owners of these dogs, and also the condition of how the dogs lived. Outside/caged/household pets/etc. etc.
This data here is only a list of numbers. Statistically speaking pitbulls tend to be a popular choice among bad/violent dog owners who train these dogs to protect and attack. Its a case where its reputation for being a strong violent dog make them more likely to fall into the hands of the wrong individuals, thus increasing the likelihood for dog attack to be committed by pitbulls. Posting numbers like these doesn’t prove much at all unless you include all the factors involved in the attacks.
They are popular among a certain type of owner because they are dangerous, intimidating dogs.
Sandy bottom, please tell us the type of owner you are referring to !!!!!! Or should we guess where you are going with this statement ?!!!
I know you would love it to be racial, but it isn’t. I was answering the comment by guest, and my point is that these dogs are (or were, before they were illegal) attractive for people who want an intimidating dog which everyone knows is dangerous. Someone who wants to make himself look like a big time criminal is probably not going to have a Chihauha.
Actually thats exactly what u were talking about dont try and do damage control now. U know u were talking about black people and if u werent u knew thats how everyone would take it. So stop ya noise
You know, you’re pathetic.
Thats it? Hahaha can dish it but cant take it. Why bother commenting if u cant take someones retort?
So you were being racist when you said U people, right? It’s the only explanation that makes sense, according to you.
Lol, like i said before, shut the f@#k up !!! Your true colors are starting to shine through, what complete fool !!
It all comes down to one subject with you doesn’t it.
Look at me! I’m Bermyman and I’m cherrypicking stories about pit bulls hurting and killing people to prove they’re all dangerous and Hershey being put down was justified! Seriously, what’s your point? Do you honestly think the plenty of other breeds prevalent aren’t prone to violence? One-hundred percent of the time, a dog’s behavior is tied to the upbringing of the owner or owners. You have to be kidding anyone with a brain that you support this particular outdated and inane law concerning animal rights, because certain people behind it lack an education or moral compass. You’re the typical person who buys into the media’s negative pit bull hype and is completely clueless.
Absolute rubbish. Take an hour, and try to find fifteen news stories about golden labradors that have killed people.
No response.
i am just reading through this… and for your information a friend of mine had his baby hospitalized and required plastic surgery due to being attacked by a dog… would you like to know the breed… give ya a hint (it wasn’t a pit)… it was a golden retriever
Your point ?!!
Do we know who is “preparing” to put the dog down ? As far as I know , it’s very little preparation and just a simple needle. I don’t see how the employees at a vet office can allow this to unfold . They need to make a stand against this and have the final say. (my opinion)
Dog wardens can do this themselves. No vet involved
Untrained – unlicensed(?) wardens!
Why cant they submit the Petition today to save Hershey, if he’s in the process of being put down! PLEASE!
Baby Hershey has been put down today .
Should never been born.
Owning a pit bull is like owning a Gun. Everyone believes it is their right and that if controlled properly then no one will get hurt. But when things go wrong, people get seriously injured or die.
Imagine you are walking your children up a neighborhood street and someone has left the gate open. A pit bull tears out of the yard in fight or flight, protecting their turf . Sure they are friends to their own pack but you are an outsider and they are programmed to attack and kill you if you are seen as a threat.
A simple mistake, such as leaving a gate open could ruin or end someones life. Do we really need to have this risk to society so someone can own a family pet. Sure the dog is friendly to it’s owners, but all it takes is one moment for that loving, cuddly pet to attack a human and maul. Earlier this year a woman was attacked by a pit bull outside point mart while the dog was being walked. It did not let go of her arm for 45 mins! Can you imagine a bear trap on your arm for 45 mins? The trauma that this woman endured. Sure it maybe the negligent owner. But no other dog has the capability to lock it’s jaw and inflict devastation in such manner. No other dog has been bred for hundreds of years specifically to fight in pits.
I owned a pitbull and he was the kindest most loving animal I have ever owned! I now have a Yorkie and he bites everyone that enters my home! They should ban them too! Any dog can be aggressive, stop just saying the Pit Bull. I know many other dogs that have mauled humans, they are not just pitbulls! You obviously hate the breed.
Like a yorkie can really hurt anyone….
Yorkies draw blood when they bite. Just cause their small they can hurt as well.
Pits kill and maim.
Are you implying that only pitbulls fly out of gates to protect their turf? Why don’t you come walk cross my yard and meet my yorkie… She bites.
And the “lock jaw” myth has been proven false. Studies show that NO dog breed has the ability to lock their jaw. However, the strength of an individual dog can lead others to think otherwise.
Also prove your statement about them being “programmed to attack and kill”, “The American Canine Temperament Testing Society (ATT), studies show that pit bulls achieved a passing rate of 83.9%, passing 4th from the highest of 122 breeds. That’s better than Beagles, passing at 78.2 and Golden Retrievers passing at 83.2%. The average passing rate for ALL breeds is 77%.”
Who cares if the lock jaw thing is a myth or not? If 500 pounds lands on your head, it doesn’t matter if it is locked there or not, you still can’t move it. The point is that when these dogs attack they bite so hard that people are unable to detach the dog from its victem because they are so powerful. You are just throwing out red herrings to detract from the fact that when they do attack, they are cause huge amounts of damage or even death.
Good temperament or not, dog’s fault or “bad owner’s fault” it doesn’t matter, when they attack they are deadly and then an innocent person who suffers for it.
Throwing out red herrings? My comment was in reply to false assumptions/opinions made by Bermyman. All I am doing is proving that his statement was crap and any dog can do as so, not just pit bulls. Whether you agree or not. I don’t care. I don’t condone people breaking the law by illegal breeding etc, however I have a heart and care for animals. Hershey did not deserve to die.
Owning a pit bull is nothing like owning a gun. A loaded gun never hurt anyone, it was the human who pulled the trigger
Bermyman. Are you insinuating that no other breed is capable of doing such things? If I do recall in the USA German Shepards were once classified in the same category as pitbulls and therefore, any owner of a German Shephard in the USA is no longer eligible by law to gain home insurance as it is a liability (the same applies to pitbulls).
Also, please clarify what you mean by lock jaw can you define the word because being an owner of Jack Russell terriors, one of our females have what you would call “lock jaw”.
As far as the statistics you provided earlier, please provide information based on other breeds as well. This would be quite helpful.
To finish up, I would like to provide you with some food for thought…
“The term pit bull is a generic term used to describe dogs with similar physical characteristics. Usually a “pit bull” is considered one of several breeds including the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier or any mix thereof. In some parts of the world, the American Bulldog and Dogo Argentino are also classified as a “Pit Bull-type” dog, despite major genetic differences. Any dog that is mixed with a “bully breed” may also be called a “pit bull” including those that are descended from the English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Boston Terrier and Cane Corso”
Also…
“The American Pit Bull Terrier comes from a combination of English and Irish stock brought to the US in the 19th century. Once in the US, pit bulls excelled as cattle dogs and “catch dogs” for pigs. And unfortunately, they were still used as fighting dogs. However, the majority of pit bulls were NOT fought, instead earning their keep as hunters, herders, guardians and friends. Yes, friends. Ease of training and a predisposition to interact well with humans was essential for all of their traditional jobs. Thus, it is no surprise that by 1900, the American Pit Bull Terrier gained its greatest renown as a courageous and loyal companion to both adults and children, even acquiring the nickname “nanny dogs” in some locations”
If we were to go by what you are saying, then all German Shephards, Rottweilers, Dobermans, British/American Bulldogs, Staffi’s etc. should also be illegal in Bermuda
Bermyman it would be nice if you could educate yourself before doing so much talking pitbulls can’t lock their jaws it’s just another pitbull myth your just as ignorant as the irresponsible fools who get these dogs and do no provide the proper care they are jus like children they need to be bought up right socialized shown love from a stern owner with experience when you don’t do that with children u end up with a**hole adults and gang members when u don’t do that with dogs u end up with dogs with no respect for other dogs or humans
Just a point on the Pitbull myth about lock jaw….in some documented cases the intense bite from their massive jaw muscles can sometimes dislocate the jaw at the hinge therefore they cannot open their mouths…
Pitbulls can not lock their jaws. They do not have a locking mechanism. They have a high will, and high determination. They were bred to bait and hunt hundreds of years ago and that has more or less been so thoroughly diluted simply because no one baits bears or boars anymore. Any agression you see today is direct result of a majority of things, including first and foremost inbreeding and irresponsible breeding of animals with undesirable traits. Why don’t you actually read some legitimate information instead of spewing the elaborated embellished nonsense your granny fed you as a child. Grow up
If these compassionate dog lovers felt the same way about their fellow Bermudians, we would we better off.
Besides, the law is the law, and where do we draw the line?
Well I haven’t heard of any dogs murdering any of my fellow Bermudians. Just Bermudians murdering other fellow Bermudians.
I am absolutely DISGUSTED with our Dog Wardens.
@ Karma – Amen to that! Disgusting is putting it mildly.
sad…
I’m sorry… Am I reading the title correctly? Hershey has been put down?
Bermuda Animal Control…. YOU DISGUST ME. I understand that you did not want the dog on the island, but I recall reading that they had someone abroad willing to take it. YOU EVIL IDIOTS. Nothing but CRUEL. How could you? I’m having a hard time just typing because I am so angry. I want to say so much more but I’m afraid it would to rude for Bernews.
Totally agree with you ‘Animal Lover’ Heartbreaking news.
Sorry, but the dog is an illegal breed and the owners chose to obtain an illegal breed knowing what the consequences can be. I find very hard to believe with all the hype surrounding the law that the owner did not know the dog was banned. Also the fact that this dog is not licensed should put it on the list to be put down. I know persons who have pitbulls and have them licensed. They managed to skirt by the law but have to beware that if something were to happen (dog getting loose, biting someone) that they would be heavily fined.
The law is the law no matter how much you love dogs, horses, cats or chickens. The law was correctly upheld in this matter but unfortunately an innocent animal lost its life because the owner took a chance.
What happened to the option of sending Hershey overseas to a good home instead of killing him??? I thought that was in the process?? Unbelievable. So SAD! RIP Hershey. We tried to save you.
Heartless people out there!
I hope who stole him gets put down next! That’s what started this whole mess.
Whatever happened to the idea of being a responsible dog owner? Buying a license? Checking the breed is in fact legal? Neither of which these people did.
@ Ms Sandy Bottom: I can name on both hands the number of homes on this island that have unlicensed dogs that I know of personally! They are not pitbulls either! these are small breed dogs. Take that to the bank!
The point, my idiot friend, is that people who are so stupid as to not know they need a dog license, are unlikely to be responsible owners of a dog that is normally illegal.
Prove it
@ Sandy – so you are calling me idiot?! That’s fine you hater. It is possible some people can be clueless, so shut up already.
If they’re so clueless as to not know a dog license is required, how likely is it they will be “responsible” owners of a dog that is normally illegal?
Wrong !
The person who started this whole mess was not the person who stole Hershey , it was the person who chose to have an illegal litter and profit off of it without a breeder’s permit. And it’s probably something they’ve been doing for a long time too.
Next in line was the unknowing customer , who regardless of breed type should have requested to see the breeder’s permit to make sure the litter was above board.
The guy who stole Hershey deserves licks too , but your logic suggests that if he had never been stolen Hershey’s owners would come out the ‘winners’ in owning an illegal dog without anyone knowing any better .
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait till they start putting people down for population control. Ooops! They already started.
@sml
“I hope who stole him gets put down next!”
Really??
When they stopped the Bermuda Specials here they ruined things. I don’t ever remember packs of wild dogs roaming the Island. Now in order to have a family pet you have to pay out off your ears, Or take in a pup that you hear about needing a home. I do not know about this particular dog or its owners but I bet they just wanted a pup to love.
BRING BACK THE BERMUDA SPECIALS!!! BEST DOGS EVER!!!!
i checked the price of a new puppy.. next we need to regulate the prices.. a dog is such a wonderful addition to a family and the price they want.. is a bit extreme…
SPCA
I think the animal wardens need to release the figures of dog attacks before the amnesty was held a couple of years ago and compare them to the figures post amnesty. Transparency will show that the animal wardens have done and are continuing to do a thankless job.
Just this morning on the news they said the dog was part of an ongoing investigation and would not be put down. This actually pisses me off. No more words.
Bermynam should educate themselves before they open their ignorant mouth. No dog I repeat NO DOG has the ability to lock their jaw. What the pitbull and every animal/mammal with a mouth has is jaw strength. Studies of jaw strength indicate the pit bull’s bite is of comparable strength to other dogs its size.
It might interest you to know that dogs with the strongest bite force are in order 1)Wolf 2)Rottwieler 3) German Shepard 4)Pitbull It is blatantly obvious you have never owned one of these breeds and therefore should not comment on things you know nothing about. Its people like you that continue to breed racism and hate mongering. In the early twentieth century, pit bulls were so respected for their loyalty, determination and bravery that they were chosen to represent America in WWI posters. The first decorated canine war hero was a pit bull named Sergeant Stubby. He was, until his death, a guest of every White House administration. Many highly respected historical figures have owned pit bulls: President Woodrow Wilson, President Theodore Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and Thomas Edison, to name a few.
The Unite Kennel Club lists the Pitbull charactaristics which includes: APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children.
I’m so sick of people who have never owned one of these dogs regurgitating media scare mongering with no direct knowledge themselves. I challenge anyone with a hatred of these dogs to take a human chain it up since babyhood and throw food and water at it occassionally and never let it interact with anyone and see how well adjusted they turn out. As usual human have interfered, manipulated and destroyed another creature to suit their purposes and then want to kill when it goes horribly wrong. Lets start banning the stupid ignorant fools who betray these dogs by using them for anything other than what they were meant for….a loving member of a family. And yes I have owned these types of dogs and they have let my children sleep on them and had cats, kittens, ferrets and rabbits climb all over them too. I would never own any other breed.
Experts say that a normal Pitbull Terrier is the worst dog to have as a guard dog because they like people. Its because of the iresponsible dog owners who abuse these dogs to the point where they dont like humans that the breed has been banned. If the dog becomes aggrivated it may attack a toddler thats on all fours mistaking it for another dog that also implies for a Doberman Pincer etc.
This is absolutely ridiculous! Who are we to judge the death of animals!
Stop being breed racist. I have been around dogs my entire life…neighbors, my own dogs, family and friends, and by far the most aggressive, out of control dog I have ever seen was a German Sheppard. Does that mean I am going to go around saying all German Sheppard’s are terrible, aggressive dogs that should be put to death? Uh…no. My Yorkie and I have been attacked by a pair of labs (Yes, those supposedly happy-go-lucky “family” dogs), but I won’t go around screaming about labs being aggressive and suggesting we add them to the banned list. In both cases the owners were to blame (just ask Cesar Milan).
True, the law is the law, but it is a law that has done nothing to diminish the population in BDA. There are still puppies being born, and you can even go to the SPCA and get a puppy that has been neutered/spayed to adopt. The owners of these illegally breed dogs get a slap on the wrist and a fine less than what you’d get for a speeding ticket. Maybe, if the punishment for having an illegal dog was greater less people would be willing to take the risk to breed them.
Hershey’s family were responsible owners. They had him in socialization and puppy classes. They were trying to give him a good home and make him a decent doggy ‘citizen’. That’s more than I can say for the owners of the two labs who attacked me and my Yorkie. The law should be changed to penalize irresponsible owners of ANY breed, not just ban those with a ferocious stigma. Any dog will become aggressive if taught to be so , or if not given the proper training and interaction that the breed requires (um, hello, anyone encounter a Min-pin lately??). I know of two ‘restricted’ breeds in my neighborhood. The authorities allowed the owners to get these dogs. Neither dogs get the proper stimulation that they need. The rottweiler lives in a kennel and never gets walked. The guy goes in once or twice a week to clean up and that’s it. The poor dog paces up and down and goes ballistic every time someone walks by. Now, what do you think this dog will do should it ever gets loose? The other dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (looks exactly like a pitbull only smaller) who lives on a chain. He is not trained, doesn’t go for walks, none of that. But should he ever get loose and kill a cat or harm a person, guess who everyone is going to blame…..the infamous pitbull. And this is a dog the authorities let into the island. Stop blaming pitbulls and start monitoring dog owners more closely. Want to change your mind about pitbulls??? Come knock on my door and be greeted by a 62lb pit and 9lb Yorkie who will lick you until you leave. Why? Because we don’t do biting in my house……and that’s my whole point.
@ just a thought. I am there with you. Come knock at my door and see who is more aggressive ‘meet my Yorkie’ who will take a chunk out of you in a heartbeat! oh and where’s my pitbull, laying on the couch propped on a cushion, unconcerned who is knocking.
Yeah well my 10 year old could punt your yorkie across the room, meanwhile a grown adult might not be able to drag your pitbull off if it attacked.
You must be able to recognise the difference between what happens when a yorkie attack versus when a pitbull attacks.
who cares about this one dog?
this has been happening for 15 years
Well… a couple of thousand people obviously care…
It is a pity that the same law does not apply to the 2 legged dogs that pose a threat to society.
All dogs go to heaven.
Guess who I’m voting for next time Minister..it wont be your party.
There’s a shocker.
go back to your kennel,no one asked you to bark!
I don’t need permission.
But it says a lot about you that you think I shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy the same privilege of posting that you have.
I wonder why…
I second that opinion.
This is a sad ending of a difficult case. Nobody won this one. Least of all the dog.
The law as it stands does not work. It does not serve the intended purpose which is to prevent dogs from being bred for fighting. I also maintain that the pit bull is not a naturally dangerous dog. Like lots of breeds it can be but it is the human trainer, not the dog that is the danger.
Maybe the law should prevent anyone who has a record of any sort of violence from owning any of the currently banned breeds & drop the ban on the breeds. That ownership ban would extend to anyone in the same household preventing the dog being registered to somebody else at the address.
Its just a dog!!!
Yeah and?! A harmless dog..
@ bermydude. Shut up.
Thanks Bermydude for the incredible insight and empathy you showed with your post towards this innocent dog! And I sincerely mean that in the most sarcastic way.
How Ironic a Pit bull was named Hero Dog of the Year 2013! See post below! RIP Hershey. I signed the Petition to save you.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pit-bull-named-years-top-american-hero-dog-at-the-2013-american-humane-association-hero-dog-awards-226656851.html
RIP handsome. I am sooooooo sorry that you have become another victim of the ‘human’ condition. You will not go in vain!
A weak excuse to warrent killing a lil puppy .They didn’t wait very long to find out if he could be flown to the states .Go after the illegal breeders if you must and the dog fighters ! Damn heartless individuals !
Suggest you do some research on importing dogs into the USA. You will find that it cannot happen until about age 10 months due to the dog having to have all its Rabies shots….
Yesterday he was saved till court case. Today he is gone. The warden knew damn well that animal lovers were willing to get together and send puppy overseas. I have never in my life heard so much bulls***, the dogs that got amnisty last year of some were Pitts were allowed. . Why?! Couldn’t they save this dog. It was a baby didn’t know anything about being dangerous.
I think Mr MP Sylvian Richards needs to question his so called Dog Wardens. Sounds like a little lying going on, which I am not surprised considering who the Dog Wardens are on this small Island. They need to be replaced especially one individual. Karma! that’s all I will say.
I will never forget the day that they invaded my neighors yard. It was a SWAT Team with Shields and weapons looking for an illegal or unlicensed dog! I couldn’t believe my eyes how they swooped on this house like fools. it was a good 8 police officers with one Dog Warden, who is known to be Ruthless! The dog in question wasn’t even a Pitbull either. SMH! Oh by the way the dog was licensed and legally bred.
Biters are 6.2 times as likely to be male than female
Biters are 2.6 times as likely to be intact than neutered
Biters are 2.8 times as likely to be chained as unchained
Statistically Pit Bulls rank number one, make it a male who is chained down and has not been neutered and you’re looking at a dangerous animal.
So do you think we should get rid of the top three? Rottweiler, German Shepherd?
Please show us all where your statistics came from.
I am glad that pitbull’s are on the list of banned breads. You cannot convince me that we need to return to the days of lil gangstars riding motorcycles while holding onto a pit with a 20 pound chain around its neck for exercise.
You can’t go around generalizing an entire breed because of the acts of a few. This is racism in a different form. This is like referring to all Germans as Nazis because of what some of them did in the past. I’ve owned a rotti, had to put her down for biting three people, and people she knew including myself. I then got a staffordshire bull terrier, he is still with me, and I’ve never even heard him growl before, and would have to gp down as the sweetest dog I have ever had. My tiny beagle however, gets defensive with everypne and bites whenever he gets the chance. Just like people, there are good dogs and bad ones, but their breed, race, gender, nationality should not be judged.
Not f****** racism again. Its a dog breed you idiot.
@ Sandy Bottom – what right to you have to keep calling people idiots! Says a lot about who you are!
And morons…coming from the person who thinks people smoke marijuana leaves.
So they don’t want to adjust the law to save this dog but they adjust the law for all out leaders who break the law
http://www.today.com/pets/bully-her-elle-pit-bull-2013-american-hero-dog-8C11332418
For Hershey RIP
It is a myth that pitbulls have a “locking jaw”! Ask any vet. You pit haters make me sick. Have you ever owned one? Theyare the most loyal loving breed. Any dog can attack and kill…german shepherds, dobermans, rottweilers, labs the list goes on only problem is the media doesnt care to report on those.
I’m generally a fan of the breed… I’ve known a couple of great pit bulls and a couple of really awful ones but that is irrelevant. The breed has been banned for years. This puppy was obtained illegally. Who bred it?? Where did it come from? You can not for one minute tell me that the owners didn’t know that they had what was effectively “an illegal dog”. This saga ultimately comes down to the guilt they have for causing this dog’s death. The good that might come out of it? perhaps the next family will think twice about obtaining an illegally bred dog and that there will be less underground breeding due to less demand. In addition, there is conversation that is taking place now about the pros and cons of this law and whether it should be changed. So this dog’s death was not in vain despite the guilt that the owners clearly feel.
Double standard head dog warden (he should be ashamed of his scared of large dog self). How many pit bulls has the department micro chipped and licensed in the last 2 years, let alone since this so called dog ban was put in place? Can someone at the department answer this question in public please? I hope that the department tries to deny it. Speak the truth for once.
I can see both sides of this story but (to use an old line) I don’t have a dog in this fight.
I do notice how the government holds to the strict letter of the law regarding illegal dog breeds but when it comes to illegal cars, the law seems to be waived on a whim.
I wonder if I can get one of those big honkin’ Jeeps in a Hershey brown?
I love pit bulls. They have been given a very bad rap. Yes they can be aggressive as with any dog that isn’t properly trained and disciplined!!! I only had pits when I was growing up and I can say that our other dog the Doberman and German Shepard was much more dangerous! They both would bite if given the chance. My pit nope never bit anything or anybody. My sister has pits and they love my children. In fact I trust them more than Her terrier mix!
Years ago My mom had a neighbor who had several pit bulls and he bred them several times. No breeding permit either. I won’t name the dog warden that kept coming by (cause I can) but strangely enough the illegal breeder never seemed to get into trouble neither did he have his dogs confiscated. Yup he kept getting away with having these illegal litters and somehow didn’t get them confiscated. WTF??? And to top it off those dogs had several illegal litters. Never got into trouble. These dogs were the nasty pit kind. They were not socialised and in actual fact they were all killers. Those pups ended up killing other animals and the guy did end up in court in some cases. Why did that keep happening? Why did he continue to be allowed to have known killer litters and always got away with that? Hershey wasn’t dangerous at all, hew as properly socialised, going to obedience classes and the owner was very responsible but no chance was given none.
The only thing that the government is doing is moving the dog fighting underground and much more difficult to find.
My girlfriend saw a kid on Berkley Hill only a few weeks ago walking a pit bull and he had a cat in his mouth. The kid was walking the dog with a cat dead in the dogs mouth!! A cat that the kid obviously let his dog kill!!!! He was so casual about it like it was a tennis ball hanging out in his mouth. This ban isn’t working. It sucks. There has to be a better way!
Update 7.57pm: Ms Gina Davis, the mother of the family that owned Hershey, very strongly disputed the Minister’s claim that they did not take the offer up to ship him overseas.
“We were the ones who offered to send the dog overseas, they never responded,” said Ms Davis. “They never offered to us, we offered them, and they never got back to us.”
Ms Davis said Gage Miller offered to pay for the dog to be shipped overseas, and said “Not a single person has called and made the offer that we could send him overseas, as if so the dog would have been gone.”
“In fact it was always our hope, that if nothing else, he could leave Bermuda. One reason for the petition to save his life,” said Ms Davis.
Sounds like someone is now in the DOG HOUSE
I hope the family does not let it rest and confronts MP Richards and asks for answers. They were told via email he was put down. Tacky and unprofessional. Someone is telling lies here and i’m sure its the good ole dog warden that’s fibbing about them declining the offer to send Hershey abroad.
Don’t let it rest get answers!
I agree! I certainly hope our elected officials aren’t lying to us and if he isn’t are they once again making statements before they have the facts? I too hope the family doesn’t let this rest. These dogs are illegal because stupid humans made them illegal rather than actually coming up with a sensible thought out piece of legislation. Humans are judged in court on an individual basis but these people feel no way about taking the life of an innocent family pet because the breed is “banned”. Did the dog harm anyone? I don’t get it, what did the dog do to deserve to die? If someone is lying here maybe they should be “euthenized” too.
PLP made them illegal. Take it up with Marc Bean.
Marc bean would be all for allowing the breed, to what extent is what concerns me. My problem is here and now with whoever is lying. The oba(Sylvan Richards) had an opportunity to do what was right instead of following a generalized rule. This alone would have shown a lot and I can tell you if the oba is anything less than spectacular I will refrain from voting in 4 years. Good luck oba, you could use 1500 votes but now the LIFE is gone.
I hope a pit bull bites you in your @SS.
May be the Dog Warden found out the level of inbreeding involved. May be it was bred from a male & female from the same litter (brother & sister). May be the owner can shed some light on this & the other pups from the litter? After all, no new Pit Bulls have been imported for more than a decade so all the Pits here are from the same very small, secret, illegal, interbred, gene pool. And we all know what happens when inbreeding takes places. Bermuda has been very lucky so far that Pit Bulls here, have confined their killing and maiming to other dogs, not humans. It is only a matter of time before a human being will be killed in Bermuda by a Pit Bull and then all 2,000 people who signed the petition will each contribute $100,000.00 to pay off our National Debt!
http://www.today.com/pets/bully-her-elle-pit-bull-2013-american-hero-dog-8C11332418
Shame on you Minister and Dog Gestapo , these dogs didn’t create themselves, people did, and driving them into extinction in Bermuda is reprehensible and unnecessary.
We do not need pit bulls in Bermuda!
But they are here. There are more pitbulls in Bermuda than any other breed of dog. So you tell me, is the legislation working.
as a keeper of pit bulls for 30 odd years mine never attacked anything. they were attacked repeatedly by other unchained breeds while walking them though. as an important and potentially lifesaving note though, a pitbull will release its bite instantly if you stab its anus hard. forcing a steel item in its mouth will likely take a while causing more trauma to the victim, and damage your dogs teeth.
A five-year review of dog-bite injuries from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, published in 2009 in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, found that almost 51 percent of the attacks were from pit bulls, almost 9 percent were from Rottweilers and 6 percent were from mixes of those two breeds.
In other words, a whopping two-thirds of the hospital’s dog-attack injuries involved just two breeds, pit bulls and Rottweilers.
Other studies confirm these statistics: A 15-year study published in 2009 in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology revealed that pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepherds were responsible for the majority of fatal dog attacks in the state of Kentucky.
And a 2011 study from the Annals of Surgery revealed that “attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs.”
The authors of that 2011 study go on to say, “Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the U.S. mortality rates related to dog bites.
Sorry to make this political but didn’t they say when the OBA got in government all the lies would stop. They clearly said in previous articles that they would send the dog overseas!!!! Just think they lost out on potentially 2,000 votes. Also am I not mistaken but don’t they have the ability to change the law regarding which breed is banned whenever they see fit I know I saw that written right on the list of banned and restricted dogs when i saw it since this article has dropped. Someone is clearly lying here and I doubt it is the family!!
Sylvan Richards is new to politics. Mistake #1, trusting the judgment of a Civil Servant (most likely a PLP supporter) who probably saw the opportunity to recommend that the Minister “follow the letter of the law” knowing quite well that it would be an EXTREMELY unpopular decision and make the new OBA look REALLY bad. Very sad that some people would actually return the hopeless PLP Govt. to power over a decision surrounding one puppy. God save BERMUDA!!!!
It’s amazing some of you folks are so biased and stupid! This is an Oba decision, live with it.
To Hershey’s family, my condolences on the passing of your beloved family member.
So In reality, statistically no other breed of dog, kills, mauls or attacks with devastation like a pit bull. Sure, all dogs bite, but a pit bull is strong and deadly. In truth they kill more people in the US out of any other breed.
From 2005 to 2012, pit bulls killed 151 Americans, about one citizen every 19 days. Of these deaths, 52% involved a family member and a household pit bull.4 Notably, in the first 8 months of 2011, nearly half of those killed by a pit bull was its owner.
My only questions are these
a Could not the Minister have visited the owners himself to clarify if they were willing to allow Hershey to go overseas?
b What was the rush to kill this pet?
for once I agree with CF…that dont mean I’ll do it again!
@ nuffin LOL! I agree with CF too.
Dog Warden is pro-PLP so he recommended putting dog down to the Minister, knowing that ultimately it would be the OBA Minister taking the heat, not him..
QED
So, Chris, you think the minister should be personally visiting every owner of unlicensed illegal dogs just to see whether a special case can be made for the dog to perhaps be shipped overseas? You think that’s what government ministers should spend their time doing?
Politricks….again….did the family offer to send the dog overseas? If so, why rush to put it down? Is the thief who stole the dog going to face charges of theft? Is the family going to face charges of having an illegal dog? Personally, I think they could have saved the dog, and tried to find a safe place overseas for it, and I hate dogs!!!….Our Lawmakers love to rush into making decisions…I hope the family can find some way of replacing Hershey, and bring joy back to them..- Peace
Sylvan richards is gut less !!!!!
[1]Any breed of Dog in the wrong hands is dangerous
[2]All dogs have some root from which they were developed and all dogs came from the Wolf.
[3] So what I’m saying is all dogs no matter what breed have the capability of biting someone.
[4] Pit Bulls [ both English and American Staffordshire Terriers were developed as a Fighting breed and look
the part too and is inherently in there genes but if this breed of Dog is not shown Love,Cared for,and gets in
the hands of a idiot owner than what you have with this type of Dog is a killing machine,
on the other side of the coin I knew Pit bulls who were very friendly and loving.- and not just to the owners but to
unfamiliar people too. – but one significant thing stood out – the owner’.
[5] it is the preferred breed of Drug Dealers,and Gang members which doesn’t help either.
My sisters Yorkshire Terrier and my neighbors mixed miniature Pincher is the worst and most hostile animals I’ve ever seen
but they won’t get a bad rap because they are on the cute list.
The Question is how and what will Pit Bull Puppy develop into.
It appears that the problem is not the dog, the breed, the law, the dog warden or the Minister.
It is actually people… dog owners (irresponsible ones)!!
The solution may be stronger involvement of responsible dog owners to assist with ‘rehabilitating’ irresponsible dog owners. One suggestion of for anyone caught acting irresponsibly should be required to undergo mandatory ‘training’.
Whilst I have no personal opinion in this matter (and without causing distraction) it is a little difficult to accept that Hershey’s responsible owners had no idea that the breed was restricted. Knowing the law is part of being a responsible owner.
I hope that Hershey’s owners cooperate fully with the authorities to identify the source of their ‘illegal dog’.
Good idea – let’s borrow some more money so we can institute a “dog owners rehab program”
Double Standards much? GET THE OBA OUT OF GOVERNMENT. They are causes to many problems
The family lost me when they claimed they didn’t know dogs needed to be licensed. Plus the dog was an illegal breed. Case closed. Ignorance from the family and many posters. It was a dog, not Nelson Mandella.
Move on.
Thats one of the earths children you are referring too.
It was a dog not Nelson Mandella? Seriously? You clearly don’t have a connection with a dog(s). I know that if my dog was to be put down I would be sad because I had a connection with it, it was part of my family. I’ve never even met Nelson Mandella. My connection with him is built purely out of respect, nothing personal.
Go get a heart!!! You clearly don’t really like dogs. Your comment shows it.
So I guess slavery and segregation was good laws point is bad laws have been made so many times before and good people see this and know it was wrong. OBA has no good people they had a chance to redeem some sort of credibility that they lost so much over the year but they didn’t. They are just like that mess the dog leaves in the grass . So we all need to take out our doggy bags pick em up and put em in the trash where they belong.
For all you lawbreakers out there…THE LAW IS THE LAW! If you don’t like it then get it changed…FULL STOP!
BAD BAD decision on the OBA’s part. I would have expected a more compassionate and educated outcome given the circumstances. Disappointed to say the least. With great power comes great responsibility. In my opinion the Minister/dog warden just abused that.
It’s actually despicable to think that a healthy beautiful animal was put down. This would NEVER happen in the UK. Between this and other laws regarding how animals can be kept in this country been an animal lover I just want to leave this country and take my contributions elsewhere. Locals, Expats and people from overseas all spoke on this issue, putting our names out there, we spoke for Hersey yet neither ours nor Herseys was heard. I am so disappointed right now I can’t even put it into words.
This island pisses me off they complain about the smallest things but make a big deal about it and the big things they push aside….how bout ya putting in the media on a regular that people are driving drunk and killing themselves but so quick to sell alcohol on sundays…..mmmmmm figure that one out Bermy is Backwards!!!!!
From what I have been told by 2 wardens they have taken pit bulls and the wardens office has fixed them and allowed the dogs to be adopted out to other people. I know this to be a fact as they have done that to me. Ask them, if they deny it I would gladly go public with my knowledge.
Should the law be changed? Yes, I think it definitely needs to be reviewed. HOWEVER, as it currently stands all pitbulls and any cross breed of them are illegal. The Animal Wardens were doing their job as set up by the law of the land and it is horrible they are now taking all this flack for something their higher ups told them to do. Jonathan Nesbitt is the first to tell the Wardens to put them to sleep.
Why won’t anyone bring up the fact that 2 years ago an Animal Warden was attacked by a pitbull in town and despite severe efforts from the police to get him off beating him etc, he kept going for the Warden trying to kill him. He finally had to be shot twice while pinning the Warden down to stop. His arm mangled and time spent in the hospital. If that Warden had been a kid walking down the street and attacked he would be dead right now and the parents would have gone mental and wanted the book thrown at the owner.
@ Get Over It: I am glad you bought up the attack on the former warden. His name is Jeff Shaw and as we all know was badly injured. Jeff is now the S.P.C.A Inspector, his job now makes him responsible for protecting the very same type or Dog that tried to kill him. Jeff is a very caring, compassionate person, this is why he is a better fit for the S.PC.A than the wardens. We don’t know the heart wrenching stories he could tell, but they are there!
If the news article is correct, and this animal has been euthanized then it clearly demonstrates to me that those with the power and authority to positively direct the final outcome (save the animal and export him to the US) was never in the cards.
The way I see it, this smacks of double standards, and clearly demonstrates that those who “dream up” these policy’s and enforce them need to go………
Just my view……
-FWB
Hi Mr Burgess, thanks for your comment, we just want to confirm our article is correct in stating the dog was put down. The family confirmed it, and in the audio clip above, the Minister said himself “the puppy was euthanized.”
Bernews, was the dog purchased from a licensed breeder? How much did they pay for the puppy? Did they know it was an illegal breed when they purchased? Is the breeder going to be prosecuted? Were there other puppies from the litter? If yes what happened to them? Do you know if anyone is being prosecuted for stealing the dog? Seems like that there is much more to this story….
@ Norff rock, you are on a roll tonight with your sarcastic remarks. Feel sorry for you.
It’s about getting out the truth surrounding this inbreed, vicious breed of dog in Bermuda. I have seen them in action many times. I have a pure bred pedigree dog from a reputable breeder. It has been bred for a purpose like almost every breed in the world. I have papers showing the diversity of his gene pool. I had to get references from other dog owners before the breeder would sell me the dog. I have been trained by professionals to train it and socialize it with other dogs and people. In Bermuda most of the pit bulls has been bred for money and to fight and kill and protect drugs and drug dealers. The breeding has been illegal and uncontrolled with no attention paid to the gene pool. We now have a pit bull population in Bermuda similar to many humans. Unpredictable, poor temperament, violent, dangerous, poorly socialized, etc. It is only matter of time before a human is killed by a pit bull in Bermuda. Putting down this dog may have saved a human life. Suggest Ms. Davis look to get a non-banned breed of dog from a reputable breeder. She should also have her property inspected by the SPCA to ensure that the dog will have an adequate area for exercise and shelter etc..
Listen to this stupid Oba insider
Sylvan, this was a cowardly and thoughtless act. You had the power to stop or stall this atrocity and breathe some common sense into the law.
Shame on you for not rectifying this.
@ Truth – You not have said it better. Very disappointed in Mr Richards cowardly decision. Also the fact that an email by Mr Smith was sent to notify the family of Hersheys being put down. Absolutely no remorse from him. Where is the compassion! I thought dog wardens were supposed to love animals. The family was working along with the wardens and still this happened.
We really have our priorities mixed up!
It seems that while hundreds are petitioning to keep this animal alive, no-one is complaining that our Governor has a problem with appointing a qualified Bermudian to the post of DPP.
As to the dog – I really don’t have a problem with the decision. Regardless of what pit bull lovers think, numbers don’t lie.
I recently read that in the US, pit bulls make up approximately 2% of the dog population while accounting for approximately half of reported dog bites, some of which are fatal.
We are talking about a life vs a job.
Since when is a life less important than someone being overlooked for a job? There is time to rectify that situation. There is no time to bring back an innocent animal who didn’t deserve to die.
You should review your priorities and at the same time get your facts straight. The law is flawed because the logic doesn’t hold. Black Humans have killed white humans, should we kill all black humans? Sharks attacks are on the rise in Hawaii. Should we kill all sharks in Hawaii?
German shepherds have bitten humans, should we kill all German shepherds? It’s a flawed logic. You should have thought about it more before commenting. All matters like this have to be taken on a case by case basis. If the animal doesn’t have a history of violence, why kill him?
The law is meant to serve the common sense needs of our governance. There was no common sense here. Just cowardice and ignorance.
Where’s the petition to save thousands of chickens?
And rats. And cockroaches too. These poor beings are slaughtered by the million and its as if the oBA doesn’t care. And that’snot all, there is a project to reduce the number of pigeons that fly around par La Ville park too. They are all God’s creatures – how sad I’m about to cry…..NOT!
You people should get over yourselves. It was an illegal breed, the family claimed to not know that dogs need licences (That one made me laugh out loud). There are many things we are not allowed to own – and the law is the law.
Quit with all the Hersheygate already.
Quit with all the Hersheygate already.
It’s your choice to read this blog or not, move on!
Come on everybody, let’s forget the SAGE report and the complete mess we are in. Let’s worry about changing the law to allow us to have really dangerous dogs again. I want a real biter myself. Who cares that these people broke the law and owned an illegal dog, and got caught.
BOO EFFING HOO!!!
Grow up you people. Laws are there to protect people.
There are many illegal things I’d like to own in Bermuda, but I am forced to accept that it is not possible – cos its illegal. Its a shame these people didn’t respect the law.
Where is the protest to legalize guns so we’re all protected?
This whole sitution saddens me. I am so disappointed at our newly elected Government. They have the power to change this law. Each case is different and i fully believe these people are decent people that would have raised Hershey properly. Mr Richards you say you are a dog lover??? Where is your compassion here? Beaman Smith your email was heartless. I’m sure in this case something could have been worked out. I have lived and raised pitbulls all my life and not once have they been aggressive to anyone or any animal. It’s not the dogs but the owners.
Lost my vote for sure, and i voted for change.
I would like to know how Opposition Leader Mr. Marc Bean would have handled this situation had they been in power?
Heartbreaking to read about Hershey. Good for you Ms Davis to speak out via the media. I would demand answers from Minister Richards. I expected this govt to be a bit more compassionate.
Minister Richards, I have been following your animal policies during your short time in government, thus far, you have produced nothing but a failing grade. You obviously have very little compassion or knowledge for those who cannot speak for themselves! You may well continue on with the OBA for another 4 years but have no fear, when the next election is called, you and your fellow party members will be reminded about what you did to this puppy (Hershey). Your next 4 years cannot come soon enough, I just fear the damage you will do between now and then. Bermudians have very long memories and for those with shorter memories, there’s Google.
The PLP Civil Servant just threw the OBA Minister under the bus….
@ James Rego hit the nail right on the head. Thank you. 100% in agreement with you.
Rego, i don’t think the bermuda public are going to fall for that one. in for years time the public will have “long memories” dating back to when the PLP were in office.
PLP still grasping at straws!
@Cleancut I am not quite sure what or if you are assuming what my political affiliations are. People who know me, also know I don’t wear green neckties! What I am saying is there are better choices for this Ministry than Sylvan Richards. Cole Simons who has been around animals his whole life and Jeff Sousa who is literally down too earth need something to do and would be (in my opinion) be better candidates than someone who sits in a re-insurance office all day?
In 4 years time, yes we will still be talking about the green regime but, if I haven’t fallen off my perch, I will be here to remind you about what Sylvan Richards did too puppy Hershey. It’s already in my nice little electronic diary.
ya because it was sylvan richards who himself put de puppy down. you know how moronic and stupid you sound rite now bra. foh! get a life
So you’re going to vote the OBA out over a puppy? Give me a break! In four years’ time you’ll vote your precious OBA back in and you know it.
All this fuss over a brown dog. Had it been a brown human we wouldn’t hear a peep out of most of you.
Classic example of a civil servant with no clue lol, speaks before he thinks. But don’t worry, everyone above you in the service is terrified of confrontation so they will not say a thing to you.
just very nasty inhumane people is all i can say,or think
who they were trying to impress?
The facts are the facts. In saying that, it doesn’t mean that every dog on the top of this list will be a dangerous animal. It is however, easier to regulate and cull dogs by breed than it is to make sure every dog owner is responsible enough to own a particular breed of dog.
http://list25.com/25-most-dangerous-dog-breeds
So it’s convenience killing ?
Minister Richards and the OBA seems to be taking some stick over this; but who was the minister, and which party was in power when pitbulls were banned? I actually agree with the ban. It also seems unfair that the license fee for a potentially dangerous dog such as a pitbull or Rotweiler should be the same as that as a Yorkie. The argument against Pitbuls (and rotweilers) is that (due to no fault of their own) they are the dog of choice for drug dealers and people who engage in dogfights. (Yorkies will not fit the bill!) There are many other breeds of dog that make wonderful family pets if that is the only motive for owning a dog. Even a small dog barking is a good deterent against robbery
I am so very sad…how they can say that sending Hershey off-island was not accepted is an outright lie. All of us who read the petition knew that was in the works.
I am sad and disgusted at our Government…and that is something I am surprised to say…
This is exactly what I would expect on the Godforsaken island of Bermuda. I have never been around more arrogant, entitled people in my life. This poor dog did nothing wrong except be born a pitbull. Such a sad day. God bless you little Hershey.
I have a feeling this Hershey issue is gonna come back to bite OBA in Arse next election !
OPBA to regret? Not really… do you think any of the posters will switch votes over Hershey? Note that MP Marc Bean would have treated this situation differently according to media reports and direct quotes.
From his past statements on it, Marc Bean would allow pit bulls, rottweilers etc to freely roam the streets, totally unregulated.
BOTTOM LINE: IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO HAVE HIM!
all breeds need a license to be bred. So what if he was a good pet, illegally acquired from an illegal source. I wonder if the owners will give out where he came from, probably not as they probably know the litter was unregistered but got him anyway. I also wonder if they are going to end up in court for obtaining an illegally bred dog from an unlicensed source. I love pitbulls by the way, and have owned a few before, but people they keep on indiscriminately breeding without the required license and the people that keep getting them from these sources is part of the reason the dog wardens and the minister have this mess to deal with. I would also like to get another pitbull but until they sort out all the unnecessary breed banning, it looks like i’ll just have to wait
all breeds need a license to be bred. So what if he was a good pet, it was illegally acquired from an illegal source. I wonder if the owners will give out where he came from, probably not as they probably know the litter was unregistered but got him anyway. I also wonder if they are going to end up in court for obtaining an illegally bred dog from an unlicensed source. I love pitbulls by the way, and have owned a few before, but people they keep on indiscriminately breeding without the required license and the people that keep getting them from these sources is part of the reason the dog wardens and the minister have this mess to deal with. I would also like to get another pitbull but until they sort out all the unnecessary breed banning, it looks like i’ll just have to wait
I know who I will be voting for in four years time!
Ms Davis,I feel for you and your family at this time, I know how pets become so much of your family as I have two pets. A loss of a pet hits hard and it angers me how a viable solution could not be found in this situation. Please seek answers as you have supporters here and away I’m sure! Hershey was such a lovely and healthy looking dog, you have my condolences.
Here you go, let Minister Richards know how thrilled you are with his decision.
srichards@oba.bm
Guys please!
Aren’t there bigger better issues that we need to solve on our Island! The unemployment is all time high, the economy is sloping down and our Govt. is calling in committees for a pitbull!
I am an animal lover myself but this has been taken way out of proportion.
BOTTOM LINE: IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO HAVE HIM!
I’m sorry, but who is effing it up for everybody?
OK OK thats enough about a done deal… RIP Hershey. Now i am waiting to read about the other pits on the island and YOU know where they are of being exterminated so that all of YOU law abiding citizens can feel rested and safe because he was “illegal”…ooooooow
Now you can just send Bda. Snipers’ around and eliminate from afar, just like a feral chicken. I wonder how many would report that their illegal dangerous pitbull was killed by gunshot. oh…and while we’re at it lets make it illegal to walk n text…i think helmets should be worn while walking coz you never know what object you will walk into or what highway you step into.