Officials call for dog control after bin man bitten
(CNS): Government officials from the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) are appealing to owners to keep their dogs confined to secure areas and under control after a garbage collector was bitten last month while collecting bins. The DEH director said the public servant was seriously injured and had to be treated at the hospital and is presently on leave recovering from his injuries. According to the Animal Law (2003) section 40, it is the responsibility of every dog owner to ensure that the animal does not injure anyone. Failure to comply may lead to charges being brought against the owner.
“At DEH we are most concerned about the situation. Our workers should not have to worry about being attacked by animals during the course of their duties,” Roydell Carter, DEH Director said. “This matter is under investigation, but meanwhile, we are seeking cooperation from the public. If there appears to be a threat, we will leave garbage uncollected.”
For further information, contact DEH at 949-6696.
Category: Local News
Ever since I have been in the Cayman Islands dogs have been a major problem.Caymanians in general take care of their animals but many do not and herein lies the main problem.They are so cute when small and have to be taken care of(the kids start out doing the work)but that soon falls away and the parents have to take up the slack after they get too big for the kids to play with.The other big problem is that many locals will not heed the advice of the hard working Vets to get them all spaide(sp?) or neutered which makes them much better pets anyway.Too many times driving along any major road one sees a female dog with hanging teets out looking for food to feed her young ones deep in the bush.They usually run in packs and really need to be brought down anyway possible.The Humane Soc.has their hands full trying to deal with these dogs and I cannot see why more of them are not put down.They are doing a great job but again they are only taking care of animals that should have been taken care of by Caymanians in the first place.I urge all pet owners and would be owners to really look at your own situation BEFORE getting that pet that your kids are trying to get you to bring home.One last topic with all this PLEASE dog owners that WALK your dogs clean up your CRAP especially along the beach areas.
Please dog owners that reside in Omega Gardens – Prospect area heed to this warning. As dog owners you have the responsibility of taking proper care of your animals and not letting them roam care free through the neighborhood.
I’ve tried to do the neighborly thing and ask owners to keep their dogs on leashes or keep them fenced in – you either get a response with an attitude or they just simply continue to let them take charge of the neighborhood.
Every morning from 6:30 am onwards they’re terrorizing people that are walking, jogging, cycling or just simply people that are out doing yard work in their own respective yards. I’ve seen dogs snap at persons, terrify persons, take dumps in our yard and I have had ENOUGH!
There is a pack of about seven dogs that run free on Omega Drive consisting of a Pit bull, Boxer, and 4 other cross breeds. You may think that they are of no harm or risk to others but all you had to do is hear my neighbor screaming this morning when they all charged at her to ralise this is not always the case.
Everyone has responsibilities in life: dog owners leash your dogs before someone gets hurt and just do the right thing because roaming dogs are a nuisance!
Be warned the agriculture department has been notified and theywill be placing cages around the area!
i would not put much faith in the residents of prospect/omega gardens…its like the 3rd world down there….
In the USA all dog bites must be reported. If you go to the ER or any hospital it will be reported to the Police. Any dog with more than 2 bites will be dealt with. If the dog owner does not have proof the animal has had all of the required shots and wearing a license then the dog is taken and held for so many days. Of course the owner is fined. I know this is because the US is a known rabies country but it is also to remove dogs, big or small, that have a bite history from doing harm to the public. Where I live now, which is the US, a dog owner that has a dog picked up without a rabies tag, license and not neutured would have a fine of $150.00-$400.00. Our county shelter would neutured the animal for a fair cost, less than the local vet, and then reduce the fine. But if you want your animal back unneutered it is going to cost you big $$$$. Rabies shot and license is always done and owner will pay for such. Sadly a lot are not paid and picked up so many are put down. Again the animals pays for what mankind has screwed up.
i was bitten by a dog while out jogging around prospect. the owner showed no remorse at all, i asked if he could tie the dog up as it could bite a small child. his reply was a snigger and a reply that went…." well…. he dont like black men either" i couldnt believe what i was hearing. anyway. i went to hospital and got my shot and anti biotics and went out running two weeks later. the same dog came running out of the yard and snapped at me again. missing me by inches, i screamed at the owner who came out and started to throw stones at the dog thin time. i decided i was wasting my time and went home and reported it to the police. the police came out and went round and spoke to the owner. to this day the dog is still loose and comes out so far to bark at me. i know its only a matter of time before it bites me again .the owner suggested to me that i change my route? lol. im running on a public road for gods sake you damn fool. do i have to wait till this dog bites me again before anyone does anything? looks so.
Why do u keep jogging to the same place then??? Sheesh
To Thursday 8:06; 13:19; 16:23 how dare you generalize with such asinine comments?? Sorry, with your obviously limited respective and collective IQs you won’t understand these words but seems like you might make good pets yourselves. Actually, on second thought, any of my 4 well-cared dogs, bunny, parakeet, lovebirds and cockatiel would be insulted by your company.
A responsible Caymanian pet owner.
well maybe go and ask the good people at the humane society about what they think about caymanian dog ownership (obviously off the record)
Does anyone know where a person might obtain a copy (digital or on-line) of this and other laws that are spoken about?
I have been searching for some time and can’tseem to find them
Thank you.
No electronic data available, you need to go to the Legislative Assembly building in town to purchase the animal law or any other printed law for that matter.
My heart goes out to the gentleman who was attacked I wish you a speedy recovery. I am a Caymanian (don’t think this is written anywhere in my passport or birth certificate but yes I have one) should this mean anything significant I don’t think so! I love my dogs and treat them the way natured intended us to, they are loved feed, bathed and walked not tied to a 10 foot death sentence so they can dig holes and become unhealthy and uncivilized. Just like any animal in captivity they need interaction with us so they can become social and not fearful. If you only have a dog or get a dog to tie it or allow it to just roam you should be FINED and the animal removed! How would you like to be tied or put in a 4 by 5 cage for life? People in Cayman or that live in Cayman that practice tying your dogs need to be educated that this is wrong as it will create behavioural issues and this is ABUSIVE to the dog. My dog was attacked on many occasions and the police report was made and the 3 dogs where to be removed and was never because of poor police work! So until laws are enforced and this means NO ONE is exempt from them (this was my case I was not as important it seemed) things will never change in Cayman if laws are not enforced. A dog is one of nature’s most trusting and loving animals and yet we as humans discard this by our behaviour we want our dogs to protect us and be our friend and yet we fail them daily in our country. For those of you who tie your dogs or let them roam and don’t feed them and PROTECT THEM …… shame on you!! This is a PRIVILEGDE not a right and it should be taken away from anyone who displays this type of behaviour. This is why people or other animals are hurt or killed and it is the fault of the owner and not the animal. I was always fearful of walking my dogs in my own neighbourhood for the fear of being attacked and this has left my dog scared for LIFE he has one leg much shorter and has a limp not to mention the other numerous times his was bitten all over his body! People need to be educated on how to take care of animals in Cayman.
There are so many inconsiderate owners of dogs out there. They think it’s ok to have apitbull running around children without a leash. I have been witness to kids being frightened out of their minds when a dog is allowed by the owner to charge at them. The stupid owner I saw doing that laughted saying "oh he won’t hurt you, he’s a really friendly dog". Idiots like this don’t realize that children don’t always see a friendly dog but a scary animal coming to bite them! I wish the DOA would fine these people heavily when they are reported and not be so lenient on them. These dogs should always be walked on a leash and muzzled! The laws in this regard should also be revamped to be more stringent.
To the people commenting on the dog in the photo;
If you haven’t noticed by now, the jocular photos that CNS posts with some of the stories…. I say, pay attention!
Is everyone just looking for something negative?
I only clicked on the story because of the photo even though I knew right away it was over the top!
Heheheh
And yes, German Shephards are great dogs
My sympathies to the individual. There are laws about confining dogs but no one pays attention. My neighborhood is littered with trash because the dogs get to it before the collectors do.
May be a campaign needs to be run letting the public know who to call to pick up dogs that are running free. many in my area have dog tags but are still not confined.
This situation is serious.
I ride a bike around Cayman and dogs are a huge and serious problem. I’d like to make the folowing points: –
1) Dogs are domesticated animals. If a dog is not under the control of it’s owners, it should be taken off the streets. There should be no "wild" dogs in Cayman. We are not in the wilds of Africa.
2) If you own a dog, tie it up, or keep it in a fenced yard. I have been chased on my bike by dogs so many times it no longer surprises, or even scares me. I just have to deal with it. Several of my friends have fallen and broken bones as a result of dog attacks.
3) If a dog attacks a cyclist (or anyone else, but cycling is my only perscpective on this), it threatens your life. Cyclists on the island can travel at up to 35 miles per hour. If you crash at that speed you can die. When a dog attacks you, you tend to swerve. It is a natural reaction you can’t avoid. If another cyclist is nearby, or a car coming past you from behind, or even from the other direction there is a strong chance of you meeting a sticky end.
4) I have gone back to the homes of dog owners after being attacked and have asked them, as calmly and politely as I could, to be responsible (this is not a swear word) for their dog. On one occasion I had to go to the house four times. On the last occasion I said I would be asking for animal control to destroy the dog. The owner then chased me in the car and deliberately drove in front of me, pushing me off the road, yelling at me that I have scared her children. This is a criminal offence. And your dog has caused one accident and scare the life out of me four times now. (I should say, I mentioned a dog attack to one owner and I have never seen the dog loose again).
5) On a seperate occasion I hit a dog on the road, when fireworks went off, scaring the animal into the road. I was travelling at around 40 miles per hour and could easily have killed the dog. It actually ran off and although I persued it for 15 minutes, I couldn’t catch it. I was told be people in the area that it was looked after by the local community. I don’t think the way in which it was "looked after" was very effective.
6) After hitting the dog I have reported dogs loose in the street to the police. They are not interested. I was told it is not a police matter. I told them I thought it would be if a car crash was caused as a result of someone hitting the dog.
7) I am disappointed that so few people in Cayman take responsibility for their actions, or inaction. If the owners fail to take responsibility, theauthorities should take action. Cayman seems to have an over-abundance of national pride and vitriol. You have nothing to be proud about in reltation to you animal welfare. You wouldn’t let your children, or very old people wander the streets would you….oh wait a minute.
8) As the owner of anything you have responsibility for that thing, be it an animal, a gun, fireworks, a car, anything. If you are in charge of that thing and it kills, or injures, you are directly responsible. In most countries owners of animals face very serious punishments if their animals injure people, including manslaughter, or their animal kills.
9) It does not matter what breed the dog is, what size it is, how old it is, how cute it is, what time of day it is, or what area of the island the dog lives. THE OWNER HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DOG.
‘You wouldn’t let your children, or very old people wander the streets would you….oh wait a minute.’
Yes, parents have a responsibility for their children – parents – not helpers!
As stated in another comment, it would be very helpful and fair if the DEH could be a bit more forthcoming with some details pertaining to this incident such as, was it seemingly a stray animal, did the dog have a collar, was there perhaps a provoking circomstance etc. etc.
It is well known that most dogs are not very appreciative of our sanitary engineers, perhaps because the dogs think they are stealing their food supply based on smell when they pass by our homes, who knows really? Our dogs are very secure in our yard but they will go unprovoked ape the moment they or anybody else for that matter shows up, regardless of circomstance.
It is also well known that it is not the dogs that need education, regardless of breed, I got unsuspectedly bitten twice by our neighbours 10 lbs Bijon Frise in my ankles as they were walking free in public space as I was actually putting our waste in the bin up front our yard so what does that tell you? Size or breed has nothing much to do with it.
It is however utterly sad it always has to come to this before we humans wake up and realize that OUR behaviour is totally unacceptable, not only towards innocent unexpected visitors but also towards the animals themselves as we can hardly blame them for what they are, dogs to a certain degree doing their job and protecting what is rightfully theirs to protect. Fencing at least will prove to do just that.
So, no matter how bad we feel what happened to one of our faithful collectors and hope he will recover soon again, I sincerely hope this will not turn out to become one of those blame it on the breed type things. Find out if this dog has indeed an owner before coming our with the guns to kill him or her and follow the law as it is written. To me this would be the same thing that when a drunk driver kills another human, that we have the right to come out with our guns and kill the bugger on the spot simply because he/she was not supposed to do that.
I hope this makes some sense to those who read this and that all dog owners can find the humanity to really start taking care of business when it comes to preserving human and animal lives alike.
Like the other person said it gives the german Sheperd dogs a bad reputation to have a picture of one there,obviously that one is in his yard.
In the mornings early when the garbage man arrives to pick up garbage,man they are soooo louddd,the noise of the truck and all the shouting that they do in front of your yard is just to noise,it makes all of us get out of bead and if you have a dog or your next door house has one no wonder they are all barking.
Sorry for the man I hope he recovers and that this dosen’t happen again.
I have dogs too but mine only barks at peoples that comes in to the yard and some times passing outside,but they have never bit any body thank God.
I have a question that I had to ask since I know that the Jamaican are very afraid of dogs and the dogs sense this from very far,tied or leashed,Why does the garbage man are all Jamaican nationality.Is this one of the jobs that Ellio wants to make for Caymanians only,spesially first born Caymanians,I sow one Caymanian once doing this job and when he tried to go back to pick up some garbage that droped,the rest of them just shouted at him to get in the truck if not they’ll leave him,he din’t last very long there,why not more Caymanians…All jobs as long are they are honest are good jobs.
Who let the dogs out?
caymanians should not be allowed have dogs…..
I totally agree, they don’t have a clue of how to take care of them.
I am an expat, and not really in love with a lot of things here, but your comments about caymanians not having dogs is a bit rude, and inflammatory.
I could not agree more!!
Neither should the foreigners who let their dogs roam all over the place.
And there are plenty of them here!!
I have been repeatedly chased by dogs -pit bulls and all sorts when on my pedal cycle. I have been bitten, knocked off my bike and hurt and then attacked. On the occasions the dogs haven’t managed to get me they have run out of their yards snarling for blood and I have veered into the middle of the road and nearly been knocked off by the cars.
I have complained to the police and absolutely nothing has been done about these dogs whihc are primarily pit bull breeds. I have complained to the agricultural department about prohibited breeds being kept on island in breach of the law and been told that nothing is to be done about them UNTIL they bite someone. Its about time that owners of dogs kept them under control and those that are not owned are either kept in the pound or put to sleep.
don’t get me wrong I am a dog lover but the dogs kept in yards here have agressive natures.
19:09, Thank you for standing up for the breed. German Shepherds have been serving mankind for many years. Just look at what breeds are used for guiding the blind, bomb sniffing, search and rescue, and even in war time it is such breeds that have saved many lives. They are used in the USA to protect the Borders now. These dogs are used because they a smart and strong. You could never use an ankle biter for such work. My GSD is loving and gentle but let a strange try anything and my dog would give up his life to protect me. Can’t say that about our police. As for the pittbulls it is the people that cause these problems not thedogs. FYI, this breed was called the Babysitter Dog for years before man did his damage. Yes it was a PittBull on the old TV show Little Rascals. Stop breeding and letting them roam. For god sake feed the poor things and they would not have to fight or kill to eat. There is free spaying done by the Humane Society so just do it . No excuses. Man created this mess so man needs to clean it up and not make the animals suffer. I totally agree that Animal Control is worthless. They do nothing to prevent the breeding but pick them up and put them down. The DOA has people working for them that are importing more dogs for breeding and big bucks. Talking is falling on deaf ears since like most just look the other way since it is easier to do. Get up off your lazy a@@ and do something. Stop blaming the animals and make the owners care of them.
No animals should be allowed to enter the Cayman Islands unless it is spayed. Only if a special permit is give with a big fee involved and major control over the permit holder. This way it is not a money making business. I have provided DOA with how to make changes that would work for pet owners and the pets. But again no reply. So spend more money for people who do not do their jobs, make more laws that are never applied and of course look the other way and hope this all is forgotten.
let me correct you ALL DOGS i dont care what breed they are ALL have TEETH and can BITE so to single out one particular breed is unfair i have friends with pitbulls , malinades, german shepards rottweilers , i own 2 rotti myself and they can all be big playful babies but can also be protective of their surrounding and owners i have seen this first hand with all of them so please stop it , i have my rotti’s for companionship and protection as police cant and dont patrol my house 24/7 but they sure DO ! so yes i agree with keeping dogs on a leash , tie outs, or fenced yard or maybe even inside your home but stop singling out select breeds not all are vicious as you make them out to be , we do need to work on the unwanted breeding of dogs that cause over populating an "wild" dogs here it so hurtful to see them malnurished coming out of the bushes and along the bypass and looking like they are covered with mange or some other parasite
Unfortunately, the animal welfare officer is overwhelmed and I believe fears some repercussion when reports are made that owners don’t control their dogs properly or abuse them.
Nowadays, you can’t go walking or jogging anywhere withouth having to fear that a dog jumps out at you and chases you down the road. It is even worse if you try to go jogging with your own dog as obivously one dog attracts other dogs.
I once was chased down the road by two dogs which I knew who they belonged to. A police car was close by and I flagged them down and pointed out the situation, but they told me there was nothing they could do about it until I actually had been injured.
So if the animal control unit can’t do anything to prevent something from happening and the police can’t do anything until after the fact, what is one to do?
Well – finally – it took a Government Employee being chewed up to get this enormous problem some attention. I would love to see the owner of this dog prosecuted AND actually make it stick! There are so many owners on this island – especially in West Bay that don’t properly look after their dogs – no wonder they are aggressive – just take a drive around and you will see . As for the laws that are in place – WHAT A JOKE! Indiscriminate breeding of pit bulls and other aggressive breeds for the "prestige" and of course the $$$$$ – and then of course because these dogs aren’t spayed or neutered they quite often mate with the mix breed dogs (take a look at what gets dumped at the Humane Society). It’s a waste of time to fill out a formal complaint at the police station. Nothing is ever done. I’ve been bitten more than once, my neighbors too, and some of the neighborhood pets have been killed or seriously maimed . So how’s about it "Law Enforcement"? Start putting "the bite" on some of these owners. Remember – it’s not so much the fault of the dog as it is THE OWNERS!
I AGREE WITH ALL YOUR SENTIMENTS. IF YOU KNOW THE OWNER OF A DOG THAT BITES SOMEONE, IS IT POSSIBLE ON CAYMAN TO TAKE OUT A PRIVATE PROSECUTION AND SUE THE OWNER FOR DAMAGES?. I HAVE TO SAY THOUGH THAT SOME OF THE DOGS I HAVE SEEN ON GC AND THE BRAC ARE KEPT IN APPALLING CONDITIONS, BUT AS YOU SAY THE DEPT. SEEM AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR THE LAWS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
I am also appealing for every one else in govt. to do their job as well. You know who you are, now just find out what it is you are supposed to do to serve the public that feeds your face and do it. Thank You so much for your kind cooperation.
I usually don’t sign my name for fear of repercussions, but this time I will.
– a person feeding you
I am appealing to the Dept. of Enviromental Health to do their job and enforce the law, or just shut up!
A speedy recovery for the DEH worker, you all are so pleasant and invaluable to the job you do. Bodden Town seems to have an over population of dogs with partial or no owners that stray around evading people’s garbage by the road-side and yards. Some of these are not cared for at no time. They have become a nuisance to the children’s play grounds at the Parks and public areas in leaving their feces, Minge germs and leftovers of carcas. Their is a need to visit and make these grounds healthy and safe in the district.
Where dat dog at I need him to guard my property,with rising crime I hope agriculture didn’t put him down. I know no criminal coming in my yard with him there.He looks fearful. I have a big fence around my place and he won’t get out.Sorry for the bin man and hope he gets well soon.
Was that the dog that bit the guy? Was it a German Shepherd .If so great, but to post a picture of a German Shepherd snarling kind of gives a bad picture of the German Shepherd as a whole and if it was not a German Shepherd, it gives them a bad rap in toltality. We face many anti-dog leg. as it is, and in this case due to poor ownership, and not because of any one breed a man was injured and the owners need to be held accountable for their actions or lack of. This is a clear problem in almost every community of poor canine ownership, but it is breeds of dogs that are singled out and while there is some evidence of certain breeds that are high on bite ratio lists, they are also some of the more popular breeds out there, so there are far more of them, hence the the chances are greater if there are more for some idiot owner to get an innocent person bit. I say educate the owners, and not single out dogs.
Why in the world is West Bayfull of pit bulls roaming around again? I thought that some laws were put in a few years back.
Ha Ha Ha, you are funny. Did you just get off the boat or what?!! There are HUNDREDS of laws here that are not and won’t be enforced.
‘thought some laws were put in’ phew, that’s a good one. ha ha ha
you can call animal control and tell them of an un-leashed, un-fenced pit bull and watch em leap into action! Like the Fng pension board! Ouch… now my stomach hurts from laughing… Thanks
What Animal Control?
We look forward to prosecution of the dog’s owner. Strays have no territory & run off, but pets/guard dogs bite to protect their territory, so I repeat, we look forward to the prosecution of the owner. You dont need to be Kojak to find him so the RCIPS should be able to clear this one up.
What’s that? They are too busy prosecuting a dive operator for failing to fly a divers-down flag that had blown down in the wind? Oh well, no prosecution of the dog owner then, lets get our priorities right!
At least a very strict warning to the owner should be laid down. Owners usually are too lapse with the security of their dogs getting at pedestrians and even other animals.
Oh yes a very strict warning, are you just off a cruise ship?
The animal control laws might as well be burned for all the good they do the community.
The laws that forbid the importation of certain breeds into the Cayman islands means the gene pool for pit bulls is closed and they will continue to breed them within this closed pool and the dogs will end up being inbred.
go figure…
Yeah! A strict warning to the people robbing all the businesses too! Once we get this dog thing sorted out, we are coming after the violent criminals.
Seriously, I am far more concerned about being robbed at gun point than attacked by a dog.
and you wonder why some people put out poison in their yards…..
Poisoning an animal is NEVER OKAY
so what happened to the owner of the dog? nothing?