Stray dogs are major carriers of diseases affecting the pet population, says local veterinarian Dr. Owen Hanna, and can present great danger if a health crises were to occur.
Should there be an outbreak of a major disease affecting dogs such as rabies, The Bahamas would be hard pressed to control its spread due to the large population of stray animals, Hanna said.
The stray dog population in Grand Bahama appears to be increasing, and is placing a strain on the resources of the Humane Society of Grand Bahama (HSGB), the main pet shelter on the island.
According to Elizabeth Burrows, executive director of the HSGB, the facility has the capacity to hold 200 animals. However, the numbers have been increasing steadily, prompting the organization to hold several “puppy lifts” where dogs were shipped off to shelters in the United States.
Burrows told The Freeport News last year that she believes the problem of strays is exacerbated when persons acquire dogs as pets when they are puppies, but are not fully committed to taking care of them.
She said some members of the public fail to realize that it costs a lot of money to properly care for and train a dog.
“There’s no excuse for these dogs to be coming in here with a million ticks on them.”
“Don’t get a pet unless you are truly prepared to make a 10 to 15 year commitment to that pet and unless you are prepared to take it to the vet and get all the shots and preventative care that it needs.”
Burrows added that the unwanted dog problem could be managed successfully if dog owners got their animals spayed or neutered, but many do not take advantage of the free service provided.
