AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye SAGA to enforce stray laws

Again, I say, get involved with SAGA. You will begin to understand the complexity the politics, the hard work and the frustration of trying to solve these problems. Do you have any understanding of how many years (over a decade) that dog licensing has been discussed and the walls of resistance it has met?

I should also mention that it's a thankless job. Many bitch but VERY few step up to the plate.

I have been here for 23 years and the dog problem has been getting worse each and every year. I dont have the solution to the problem, I dont think anyone has. As for getting involved with SAGA, if I got involved with every organisation dealing with probelms on this island, I would have no time to work. I was just venting my anger at what I had witnessed. Lets just leave it at that.

I hope you were not meaning me when you said "Bitch"

Something we can look forward to

There is a couple that drive their golf carts into our neighborhood every morning as their dogs run alongside. Their dogs hassle our neighborhood dogs, that are all confined indoors or within the yard. So every morning around 5:30 the whole neighborhood is disturbed. On many occasions my friends have talked to these folks asking them to leash their dogs as the run up and down along then fences tormenting the dogs that are in their yards. It's a circus. Of course the response is - we are San Pedranos, we can do what we want with our dogs and run them wherever we want to. Well these dogs are a nuisance. As soon as Saga and the town board are ready they will be getting names and hopefully those folks won't mind being told what the leash laws entail and the fines involved.

In my 'hood just about everyone has at least one dog. But at night you can hear a pin drop because we don't let our dogs wander around getting up to mischief. They are home and happy. We do have a couple of dogs that assist with our patrol team, I consider the. Our early warning system. When they bark it is because a person or animal does not belong. The don't chase bikes or bark at the residents or folks going about their regular business. I am grateful everyday that we have such considerate neighbors.
Hooray for Saga, keep up the good work. It won't all be resolved over night but I will be glad when we can walk the streets and beach and parks without dancing around dog poo - and when I can walk my dog on a leash without the fear of her being attacked by a pack of unrestrained dogs. Many of my friends don't walk their dogs because of the fear of attack.

Hopefully the new educational info will help with the understanding that society needs to be safe and that means that we all need to follow the rules.

Unless I have specifically stated a name it's a generalization.

Animal regulation and leash law enforcement is truly a thankless job...it's an occupation that puts the enforcing agent in immediate conflict with "The Homeowners Inviolate Three: Dont screw with my family, my house, or my pets...and not necessarily in that priority".

Given what people have said about the number of animals allegedly in violation of leash laws, I wonder if SAGA could even deal with the volume of strays it would be picking up in a concerted effort.

My respect, regards and sympathy for the folks at SAGA. In fact I believe a donation is in order.

On the flip side of all that is state above, is the continuing and absolutely reprehensible practice of individuals poisoning other people's dogs. There has been a run of this up north (4-6 miles north of town) this past week. One of our neighbor's dog died a horrific death a week ago from poisoning and one of our dogs died a similar death early yesterday morning (despite the heroic, round the clock efforts of Dr Laurie to try to save her, thank you.) There is a special place in the bowels of hell reserved for individuals who do this. Trust that if I ever find who is responsible for this, I'll be their personal chauffeur to said destination.

RE: Bear, thank you for so succinctly summarizing the "Homeowners Inviolate"... I think I will have that made into a sign for our front yard, but perhaps not worded so politely.

To add to what Collyk has stated above, unfortunately the problem ultimately sits with the owners. Saga and SPAH can only do so much, and it is foolishly optimistic to ever think that town will do anything. (Licensing and such is not a solution... I mean please, the town is unable to effectively oversee subjects that in theory ARE considered a priority, ex: taxes, let along things not considered a priority.) So the solution lies in educating the masses... Good luck.

Oh, Jeff, I am so sad to hear that. My heart still hurts thinking of my dear little dog (Ms Kitty) who died in my arms last February. Someday, someway, somebody is going to spill the beans and we will have retrobution. I have all kinds of tortures in mind.