Dog breeding in New Providence, The Bahamas, and its potential impact on the roaming dog population I: planned and accidental.
This article reports the first known study on dog breeding in an Afro-Caribbean community. The study obtained the information on 517 matings through interviews with dog caregivers. Few litters (6.8%) from mongrels (potcakes) resulted from planned matings, whereas 66.5% of matings between purebred dogs were planned. Confinement of the female is often inadequate, and roaming dogs may have been responsible for 24.8% of the litters. The lack of confinement of potcakes has resulted in the perception that potcakes are "responsible" for the companion animal (pet) overpopulation problem; however, potcakes made up the minority (29.4%) of the breeding females. Until regulations concerning dog breeding are introduced, caregivers can be expected to continue exploiting their nonhuman animals to supplement their incomes from the sale of puppies. A consequence of unregulated breeding may also be inbred offspring of "purebred" dogs as few self-styled "professional" breeders appeared to use dogs who were not their own.
Fielding
William J
WJ
Planning Department, College of The Bahamas, New Providence, The Bahamas.
D000818:Animals; D001444:Bahamas; D001947:Breeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002369:Castration / Q000662:veterinary; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D011153:Population