Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jason Sands released a statement over the weekend on a dog shooting that garnered public attention when footage of the incident was circulated online.

Sands stated that an investigation had been launched by the Animal Control Unit after a family pet was shot by an officer of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. The officer was part of a funeral procession on Soldier Road. They encountered civilian dogs that charged at the dogs of the K9 unit while returning the dogs to their transportation vehicles near Restview Memorial Mortuary.

Dr. Sands spoke with ZNS News on the issue on Monday. He said, “we will be speaking with the prison officers involved in the incident. We have contacted their prison senior officers and they have given us a date of tomorrow to conduct those interviews. The intention was to interview those officers today but some internal investigations within the prison were being conducted today and we agreed that we would have those interviews with them tomorrow.”

Those found guilty in such cases can face up to a $5,000 fine, up to six months in prison or both. The Animal Control Act also speaks to how pets are to be kept by their owners. Animals can be ceased, impounded, euthanized and deposed of my an animal control warden or authorized person.

Dr. Sands warned pet owners to be responsible for their pets. He said, “the act does provide for the protection of animals and we cannot allow the inhumane treatment of animals. But on the other hand, we must practice responsible pet ownership which involves licensing those animals, controlling unwanted breeding of the animals and not allowing animals to be at large.”

The agriculture director encouraged the public to take more responsibility, to be aware of humane treatment of animals and to reconsider pet ownership if they can’t fulfill the requirements of the Animal Control & Protection Act.