Man Fined $2,000 For Illegally Keeping Dogs

March 26, 2015

Appearing in Magistrates Court yesterday [Mar 25], a 37-year-old man was fined $2,000 after he pleaded guilty to unlawfully keeping pitbulls.

John Caesar, who told Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that he was an animal lover, was fined $2,000 after he pleaded guilty to unlawfully keeping the dogs without a licence to do.

According to the evidence read-in by the Prosecutor, the dogs, one adult male, one adult female and 10 puppies, were pitbulls and had since been put down.

The dogs had been found in July 2014 when the Dog Warden visited Mr Caesar’s residence, got no response from within, but had heard dogs barking. On investigating, they found the twelve dogs.

Mr Caesar admitted owning the dogs and told the Magistrate that he had found the male pitbull, and had been given the female pitbull when she was in poor health. He said that he had cared for her and returned her to good health.

He stated that he had not deliberately bred her but that it had happened. He said: “I was trying to do things right.”

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Comments (18)

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  1. sage says:

    Two adult and ten otherwise healthy puppies, killed because the owner broke the law, that is insanity. Yet it continues.

  2. Tis a joke says:

    Yet the premier is proclaiming over Insta that mans best friend is all you need in this world… So why do you continue to take ours? We shouldn’t be persecuted for what breed steals our heart. It’s a connection between man and beast that cannot be explained in words alone. #Free the bulls

  3. Longtail says:

    If your going to kill a peaceful animal,,, you better be eating it. This is sick putting them in the dirt like this. I would’ve adopted them all. Like you can’t at least keep the dogs and train them for police enforcement? Come on, you guys putting down animals like this its f****ry… makes me sick in my stomach

  4. Bermy says:

    This senseless legislation is absurd and crazy! In cases like this the owner should be granted a license ( and responsible of course for all costs) if they can satisfy any and all requirements much like owners of restricted breeds. Euthanasia should be a scenario of last resort!

    • stunned.... says:

      the law as it stands protects residents of this country from irresponsible breeders as this man. re-read this stupidity: He stated that he had not deliberately bred her but that it had happened.

      in Jeopardy, the question would be: What happens when you put a male and female dog together and neither one of them have been neutered or spayed?????

      • sage says:

        “Authorities” will kill the parents and puppies with absolute disregard for the value of a life, and brainless followers like you will make excuses.

  5. mr speaker says:

    I hate Bermuda Laws. Ban a certain animal you get a fine parties end at 3am you take a life u do 15 years n not life in prison. You import drugs u do 25 years. BERMUDA NEEDS TO CHANGE free up

  6. Vote for Me says:

    What is the cost of a pitbull puppy?

    Does anyone beleive this was the first litter?

  7. Jr Smith says:

    the govt has been enforcing the ban law since the OBA came into power to raise more $$. they have killed dozens of pit bulls without no remorse because they have the law on their side. the zero tolerance stand has never worked, proper education of dog owners and dogs is a better alternative. the spca sit silently and does nothing for the dogs. you cannot even adopt a dog from their shelter. Bermuda needs better legislation for these dogs, and their owners. We need to start a dialogue with the people that can help us change these laws. I fear though that too much $$ is being made through prosecution…

  8. cmon says:

    why is the animal always punished? vet the owners on a regular basis to decide if they are worthy of having these dogs rather than kill off the innocent puppies. just sad

  9. positivity says:

    WHY ARE WE KILLING ANIMALS? This is disgusting and barbaric. So what are we going to do about it? The laws are not going to change themselves.

    • emmy says:

      Another good reason not to visit Bermuda. I’m going to send this In to the press here in the USA and you’ll be seeing few Americans visit your barbaric horrific island. I’m so disgusted. 10 innocent puppies and their parents murdered.for what? What did they do to anyone?

      • Ladeej says:

        I agree that the dogs should not be killed but I don’t think that is a valid reason not to visit our beautiful island. It’s not like things like that don’t happen in the US.

  10. Keepin' it Real!...4Real! says:

    i’m all for responsible pit owners BUT i wanna know why prosecutions are far and between…i see pits being walked EVERYDAY!!!…the scales of justice really are off kilter. i say legalize EVERYTHING, then use the draconian methods of discipline(100%
    effective i might add) to those who ABUSE…this is the ONLY method of weeding out the vermin among us…e.g.If you get caught inhumanely dog fighting automatic sentence is; Dog gets adopted by a loving home and You spend life in a steel cage, eating ONLY if you work hard for it, NO exceptions, NO pleading required. Now!…How many of you wanna risk dat!!, consequence. All in all, it’s all a big ploy to keep everything illegal as a dirty way of taking revenue from you and i. another example of unbalanced scales are, because the guy next door’s pit is ready to rip the rawhide off a bull…i can’t own one to possibly compete in obstacle or tracking competitions..?? man i could go on and on but …who care’s.

  11. wow says:

    Puppy killers wrong on so many levels. i hope the one that did it burns in hell. Have night mares for the rest of you life.

  12. licensing of dogs is important as it provides money to provide care for them,this money provives advocates proponents, and protective services for them…it is a small price to pay .I just think it is a shame our own children aren’t licensed and protected in the same way…maybe that is what is needed…if your going to have a child a fee of five hundred or so yearly untill 18-21years of age might be required so social services can ensure the child is raised well and not dragged up,healthy and happy…assuredly…without doubt,so there are not cast aways and all have fairplay and a system that is there for them.

  13. Creamy says:

    I am glad the law is being enforced, and the fact the dogs were put down was the fault of the irresponsible owner. The fine should have been $2,000 per dog.

    • sage says:

      I hope a dangerous dog, one not on the banned list, takes a piece out of your @ss!