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Dog Control Act and Belize Law

by tacogirl 27/11/2011
written by tacogirl 27/11/2011
dog control act and belize humane society

SAGA Assists in the Enforcement of Laws for Stray and Nuisance Dogs

Every year rumours of a dog ‘eradication’ fly around San Pedro. Pet owners, conservationists, locals, immigrants and tourists all get very upset that dogs may be poisoned and letters are written to the Town Board and local newspapers asking for an alternative solution. The good news is that SAGA Humane Society and the San Pedro Town Board have come to an agreement that will be great news for the people and animals of San Pedro and avoid the need of future eradications via strychnine poisoning.

SAGA Humane Society and the San Pedro Town Board have worked together informally for several years to try to address the problems caused by irresponsible dog owners in San Pedro. These are the owners who allow their
dogs to wander on the streets, causing a nuisance to others. This irresponsible behaviour leads to complaints to the Town Board and they have no option but to do their job and deal with nuisance animals. Fortunately, the vast majority of dog owners in San Pedro are responsible and will welcome this new initiative to make San Pedro a happier place for people and pets.

SAGA Humane Society has been given the authority by the San Pedro Town Board to act as Dog Catcher and Pound for the San Pedro area and to enforce the Control of Dogs Act 2000 (Chapter 153). SAGA Humane Society will be working hand in hand with the Town Board, Police Department, and Health Department to collect strays, investigate reports of nuisance, neglect, and cruelty, and set fines for those in breach of the law. Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act 200, allows the collection of fees and fines and it is hoped that by enforcing this law, San Pedro will become a cleaner and happier place for all. These laws have been in existence for many years, but because San Pedro is growing in population and the complaints about irresponsible dog owners are increasing,
they must now be properly enforced. Introducing fines will act as a deterrent while helping SAGA to fund this service to the San Pedro community.

Pet owners and non-pet owners have to suffer from the problems caused by the minority of irresponsible dog owners. Dogs owned by irresponsible owners foul in public places causing a mess and health hazard, they chase bicycles and golf carts, turn over garbage cans and bark and fight in the night. What many don’t know is that dogs are not allowed to be wandering in the streets during the day or night and should be safely and humanely secured by their owners.

According to the Dogs Control Act 2000, which is the law in Belize, dogs that disturb the peace by persistent barking, dogs that are loose in the street, dogs that chase people, and dogs allowed to toilet on public or private property – unless the mess is immediately removed by the owner – are all considered a nuisance and may be seized and the owners may be fined. If your dog is seen loose in town, on the street, or in a public place without a collar or without an owner present, it may be considered a stray and picked up by the Dog Catcher.
If you have a female dog that is in heat in a public place and she is not on a lead or being carried, she may be seized. If your dog is suffering from illness or injury and is not being carried or on a lead, it may also be seized.

It is an offense for a dog owner to allow their dog to be loose in any street or public place and dogs must be under the owner or handler’s immediate control if they take their dog off their property. This means that owners should have a collar and lead with them when walking their dogs and not allow their dog to become a nuisance or disturbance on walks, supervising them closely at all times.

SAGA Humane Society is already authorized to charge fees for the return of wandering dogs to their owners. Right now, if  SAGA is forced to seize a dog that has been neglected or allowed to become a nuisance or stray, the owner will have three days to collect the dog and pay a fine, which will be $50 + $10 per day. After that time, the dog will be owned by the SAGA Humane Society and may be rehomed or, if there is not sufficient space at SAGA’s shelter or the dog has been assessed as not adaptable, it may be euthanased humanely. A more comprehensive set of fines regarding owners who allow dogs to wander and create a nuisance, as well as for owners who abuse or neglect their dogs, is being introduced in accordance with details set forth in the Dogs Control Act and will be published and enforced by the beginning of 2012. Posters and articles will be appearing around San Pedro and in the paper advising the public of the specific procedures and fee schedules.

SAGA Humane Society is appealing to the public and local dog owners to help them enforce these laws, which are designed to maintain public health, reduce nuisance, and to protect dogs from cruelty and neglect. Your support will help to prevent the Town Board from being forced to resort to eradications with poison to control loose dogs and the deal with nuisance they create. Please remember that SAGA Humane Society provides this important public service with no financial support from the government.

If you have any questions about the laws relating to dogs or animal welfare or if you would like to contact SAGA about animal cruelty or neglect, please call SAGA on 226 3266.

saga humane society san pedro belizedog control act and belize lawdog control act and belize humane society

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tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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I just returned from my trip to Belize in mid-June 2022. I had been planning the trip weeks / months in advance and... Laurie (taco girl) wasextremely helpful in preparation for my trip. Her intimate knowledge as an expat who was ONCE a tourist, really helps because she is able to share first hand knowledge of how a tourist can explore Ambergis Caye like a "temporary local". An example of this, was she recommended 2 yoga classes for my wife to enjoy while on vacation that we would not have known about otherwise and the class was far better than a class arranged by a hotel, as you get the local experience not a staged one. In addition, she was helpful in providing recommendations for dinner and sharing some discounts she has arranged with local retailers. Reviewing the taco girl blog and reaching out to Laurie is like having a tour guide, but more important a tour guide that KNOWS Belize.read more
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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
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I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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