LEGISLATION IS now before the House of Representatives aimed at allowing local authorities to shoot stray animals.
On Tuesday, two companion Bills were tabled in the House containing proposed amendments to the Pound Act and the Keeping of Animals Act. The intent of the Bills is to ease the strain on the island's six operational pounds, which are mostly overcrowded with unclaimed animals.
Under the Bills, Parish Councils will also be able to dispose of stray animals where the owner has failed to claim the animal or where there is no acceptable purchaser. The Parish Council will be allowed to sell or donate the carcass to institutions approved by the Council or dump a carcass that is unfit for human consumption.
Persons could be fined up to $60,000 or imprisoned for up to 30 days, if they allow their animals to stray onto public roads or other places; or to stray onto a private property. Stray animals, especially cattle, have caused much damage to the agricultural sector, and have been blamed for a number of motor vehicle accidents.
The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) is opposed to the shooting of the animals. At a recent meeting of the JAS, directors suggested that the proposal was aimed at small livestock farmers and that it could deplete choice local breeds Jamaica Hope, Jamaica Brahman, Jamaica Red Poll, and Jamaica Black which form about 80 per cent of the rapidly depleting local stock. Under the amendments, persons who suffer injury or damage to property caused by stray animals will also be able to claim compensation from the owners of the animals.
