OBA MP Robin Tucker has called for the government to address legislative reform on canine management
Full opinion from OBA MP Robin Tucker:
The Government confirmed in mid-June 2025 that the Canine Advisory Committee submitted its final report in December 2024 and that the report included significant recommendations to address the dangerous dogs and dog attack issue – yet those findings and recommendations still have not been shared with the public.
To date, there has been no update on when the associated legislative reform will be brought to Parliament.
For more than a year, the Government has spoken about strengthening dog‑control laws, improving enforcement, and introducing a ticketing system for minor infractions. Those commitments date back at least to January 2024, when the Ministry of Home Affairs said legislation would be tabled that summer.
That deadline passed with no meaningful progress shared with the public. Despite repeated assurances that recommendations were “under active review,” to date, legislative updates have not been presented. The responsibility for dog control then shifted to the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, and yet, still nothing.
If dog‑control reform is truly a priority for this Government, why after almost 18 months of receiving the Canine Advisory Committee report, hasn’t it been tabled and why hasn’t the Government presented the long promised legislative reform?
Or, at the very least given the public an update on its progress?
Bermudians and their pets deserve to be protected from dog attacks. All necessary protections and guardrails must be in place before the next dog attack happens, not after an unfortunate incident. So, I ask the Government, what were the Canine Advisory Committee Report findings and recommendations? When will the Report be tabled and when can the public expect the long-awaited legislative reform needed to effectively address dog control as the Government promised in 2024?
