The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources has launched ‘Mission Pawsible,’ a new national initiative aimed at promoting responsible pet ownership, improving public safety, strengthening compliance with animal protection laws and enhancing animal welfare throughout The Bahamas.
The initiative was officially launched on Monday, August 31, 2026 at the Ministry of Agriculture’s offices with the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. Jomo Campbell, joined by senior ministry officials and representatives of key animal welfare, veterinary and law enforcement organizations.
The launch comes amid renewed public concern over recent dog attacks, but Minister Campbell emphasized that the issues surrounding roaming and uncontrolled dogs extend well beyond the latest incidents.
“Recent dog attacks have understandably brought renewed public attention to this issue, but the truth is that this problem did not begin with the most recent incidents,” Minister Campbell said.
“For many years, communities across The Bahamas have dealt with stray and roaming dogs, irresponsible ownership, poor containment, nuisance complaints, animal neglect and situations where uncontrolled dogs have posed a real danger to both people and other animals.”
The Minister said Mission Pawsible represents a deliberate shift from responding to incidents after they occur to putting preventive measures in place to reduce the likelihood of such incidents happening.
“Mission Pawsible is about changing that approach. We want to move from reaction to prevention,” he said. “Government has a responsibility not only to respond to incidents, but to put preventative systems in place that reduce the likelihood of those incidents occurring in the first place.”
Education, Compliance and Enforcement
Mission Pawsible will be built around three core principles: education, compliance and enforcement.
Under the education component, the Ministry will seek to ensure that dog and pet owners clearly understand what responsible ownership entails, what the law requires and why those responsibilities are important.
Over the coming months, Mission Pawsible will take its public education message directly into communities through engagement with schools, constituency offices, pet food and animal-supply stores, veterinary clinics and other community spaces.
Public education will also continue through social media, traditional media, informational materials, community outreach and direct engagement.
The initiative will emphasize the importance of:
Licensing dogs;
Providing proper identification;
Keeping dogs securely contained;
Using leashes and appropriate restraints in public;
Preventing animals from roaming;
Microchipping;
Vaccination;
Spaying and neutering;
Responsible breeding;
Providing adequate food, water, shelter and care; and
Ensuring animals do not become a danger or nuisance to others.
30-Day Amnesty Period
As part of the initiative’s compliance component, the Ministry has announced a 30-day amnesty period from September 1 through September 30, 2026.
The amnesty provides dog owners with an opportunity to review their responsibilities and take the necessary steps to become compliant with the relevant requirements.
Minister Campbell urged residents to use the period proactively rather than wait until enforcement begins.
“We want residents to use this time wisely. Do not wait until enforcement begins,” he said.
He encouraged dog owners to check their dog’s licence and identification, assess their enclosure and ensure that their animals are properly restrained and cared for.
Enforcement to Follow Amnesty
The Minister made clear that the amnesty period is not an indefinite extension before enforcement.
“I want to be very clear that this is not an indefinite warning period,” Campbell said.
Following the amnesty period, citations will begin to be issued for breaches of the animal protection and control framework.
The Ministry will work in partnership with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, with citation booklets to be used as part of the enforcement process.
The existing legal framework provides penalties for a range of offences, including unlicensed dogs, roaming dogs, dogs without identification, unleashed dogs in public places, dogs that are dangerously out of control, failure to microchip, nuisance offences and other breaches of responsible ownership requirements.
Minister Campbell stressed that enforcement is not intended simply to punish pet owners.
“These penalties exist for a reason. The objective is not simply to punish people. The objective is to create accountability, improve animal welfare and protect the public.”
Strengthening Partnerships
Mission Pawsible is also designed to strengthen cooperation among government agencies, animal welfare organizations, veterinary professionals, law enforcement, businesses and communities.
The Minister acknowledged the contribution of the Ministry’s Animal Control Unit, noting that its officers have worked for years on numerous cases, often in difficult circumstances and without public visibility.
The unit has responded to complaints, managed dangerous situations, dealt with roaming and abandoned animals and carried out a range of responsibilities aimed at protecting both people and animals.
“Mission Pawsible will help strengthen and amplify that work,” Campbell said.
The initiative has received support from several key partners, including the Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness (BAARK), the Bahamas Humane Society, the Veterinary Medical Association of The Bahamas and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The Minister said each partner brings valuable expertise, experience and capacity to the initiative.
“This issue cannot be solved by government alone,” he said. “It requires cooperation between government, animal-welfare organizations, veterinarians, law enforcement, businesses, communities and, most importantly, pet owners themselves.”
A National Commitment to Prevention
Mission Pawsible is intended to evolve over the coming months as the Ministry strengthens public education, expands community outreach, improves coordination with partners and identifies additional ways to support responsible pet owners.
The Ministry has identified several clear objectives for the initiative: fewer roaming dogs, fewer preventable attacks, better animal welfare, more responsible owners and safer communities.
Minister Campbell said the Government does not want to continually respond only after tragedy has occurred.
“We do not want to continue issuing press releases after tragedy has already occurred. We want to get ahead of the problem. We want to reduce the risk. We want to prevent the next incident where possible.”
He said Mission Pawsible represents a commitment to act immediately through education, strengthened compliance and, where necessary, enforcement of the law.
“Because responsible ownership is not simply about caring for your animal. It is also about respecting and protecting your neighbour, your community and the wider public.”
Stakeholders in Attendance
Among those attending the launch were Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. Jomo Campbell; Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jason Sands; Permanent Secretary Janice Miller; Deputy Permanent Secretary Julianna Brennen; Undersecretary Evette Evans; Senior Veterinary Officer Dr. Suzette Lyn; General Manager of the Bahamas Humane Society, Inspector Percy Grant; Officer in Charge of Animal Control, Pearline Rigby-Jones; Vice-President of BAARK, Dr. Daniel Katz; Senior Animal Control Officer Kevin Laing; representatives of the Veterinary Medical Association, Peter Bizzell and Kim Aranha; and Director of Veterinary Services at the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), Dr. Somatie Inderdeo.
Mission Pawsible is expected to continue as a national public education, compliance and enforcement effort, with the overarching goal of promoting a culture of responsible pet ownership and helping to create safer communities across The Bahamas.
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