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Jamaica Government To Impose Harsher Penalties For Owners Of Attack Dogs

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thursday, January 16, 2020 (CMC) – The government is taking steps to craft legislation, to impose harsher sanctions for the owners of dogs that attack, injure and or cause the death of a person.

This follows Cabinet’s approval for a proposed reform to the Dogs (Liability of Injuries By) Act, by repealing and replacing it with a new law that will provide for criminal and civil liability for an owner of a dog that attacks, injures and or causes the death of a person.

Making the announcement at yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, Information Minister, Karl Samuda, said Cabinet has given approval for drafting instructions to be given to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

The legislative changes come in the wake of recent dog attacks on several Jamaicans.

In September, last year, pit bulls attacked a teacher, leaving her with serious wounds, which caused her to be hospitalised for a prolonged period.

“I’m sure she is going to bear the effects of that attack for the rest of her life. She is being attended to, as we speak, because it will require a lot of work, beyond the particular hospital treatment that she has received,” Samuda said.

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