Am I right in thinking the Agriculture Department has no website? If it does not, why not? I wanted to check for such things as how to get assistance with dealing with a neighbour’s dog always invading my property and killing and/or chasing chickens, cats, etc, none of which I want happening.
Auntie’s answer: Actually, the Department of Agriculture does have a website. Here is the link. Of relevance to your question, included in the department’s remit is animal welfare and control. Under that responsibility the DoA aims to:
- “reduce the number of stray and neglected animals
- educate residents on matters of animal welfare
- investigate complaints of inhumane treatment of animals
- inspect licensed (animal-related) operations to ensure compliance with the conditions of their operating licence”.
While the listed jobs do not specifically mention dealing with uncontrolled dogs, the department is mentioned in this regard in the Animals Law (2015 Revision).
But first I want to note that Section 39 of the law covers civil liability of the owner of a dog for “injuries done to any person, or any cattle or sheep by his dog”. Yes, it specifically refers to those three and not cats or other dogs, though I would hope that a case can be made if someone’s pet is harmed.
Section 40(4) then says, “If the owner or, if different, the person for the time being in charge of a dog, allows it to enter a place which is not a public place but where it is not permitted to be and while it is there it injures any person or there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will do so, he commits an offence, or, if the dog injures any person, an aggravated offence under this section.”
And finally, under Section 41(1) (i) and (ii), the court can order the owner to hand the dog over to the DoA for its “immediate destruction” or compel him or her to “observe such requirements in relation to the future keeping of the dog” that the court sees fit to impose.
If you would like to contact the DoA for more information, you can call (947-3090) or email the department.
The law mentioned in this column can be found on the CNS Library
In other words “there is nothing you can do through the government agencies. Deal with it yourself or move to a Developed country.
We have so many animal haters around just wish we could treat them like they want to ill treat these poor harmless creatures. Only good people love animals.
Unclear if you are speaking in aid of the defenseless chickens or the dog that mauls them? Clearly the dog owner doesn’t care enough about the future of their pet to keep it under control!
Best bet is to make friends with you neighbor and the dog, I like a free guard dog that doesn’t cost me food, vets bills or walking!
Good luck getting them to do anything. I have tried. It is like talking to a wall. Biggest waste of public funds that I know of. You can tell them that a pitbull is attacking your animals and they will not intervene. Disgusting.
Why is it always a “Pitbull” that’s named as dangerous dogs – there are other dogs roaming the island which can be aggressive and are not necessarily pitbulls. There’s a rogue Pomeranian that stupid owner releases instead of walking on a leash and that dog is NOT nice.
Self-help works best for such things.
Yes, a perfect solution for the irresponsible owner of the dog! Lets poison him! The dog is having a great time just being a dog!
I agree: a spade to the back of the neck of these irresponsible dog owners and let’s poison them at the same time also (reduces the risk of more animal abuse)! Hear hear.
Under the Donald Trump Doctrine you can build a fence around your yard to keep the dog out and make you neighbor pay for it.
CNS please remove this disgusting and non-helpful response by this idiot. I hope “meat accidentally left in pesticide and accidentally left out” does not end up in the hands of a child, let alone his/her child/grandchild – how awful that would be…
CNS: We all know that animal cruelty happens here in the Cayman Islands but here is an opportunity to explain to them why this is wrong, If I delete the comment, that opportunity is lost. You’re not going to change anything if you don’t educate.
Choot ’em Jacob!
Laws are wonderful things…as long as they are enforced.