Government’s Canine Advisory Committee has completed a review of Bermuda’s restricted dog policy in the wake of a campaign to save a pit bull puppy.

The news came yesterday as lobby group Our Misunderstood presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures from around the globe to Government calling for a revision of breed specific legislation to control dangerous dogs.

The group plans an “awareness walk” at noon today in Queen Elizabeth II Park for dog owners to “show off the positive side of their beloved breeds”.

The seven-month long review was scheduled to present the former Minister of the Environment Sylvan Richards, who has been replaced by Trevor Moniz as Environment Minister.

Mr Richards told Gina Davis, the owner of the pit bull Hershey: “What you are not aware of, and the public is not aware of, is that in the last seven months I was working closely with a Canine Advisory Committee.

Mr Richards has spoken with Mr Moniz, but made no indication as to when or if a decision had been made.

“(I have) brought him up to speed on all the good work that has been done to-date, and I am encouraging him to continue with that,” he said, adding he believes the committee has “come up with a very good policy going forward, and I think that if it is enforced, and put into play, I think it would take care of a lot of the issues we have right now.”

Mr Richards said he reconvened the Canine Advisory Committee when he became Environment Minister in order to address the problem.

“I told them: ‘Look at the policy, the way it is now, advise me whether the policy makes sense.’ For example: do we have the correct breeds on the correct list — prohibited, restricted, and unrestricted — and should we continue to have a prohibited list? So they were looking at everything to do with the dog policy. In fact, they were going to make a recommendation to me this week, but I’m no longer the minister.”

Outside the House of Assembly yesterday, Ms Davis presented Mr Richards — flanked by Public Safety Minister, Michael Dunkley — with the petitio.

“Our petition itself talks about changes in the legislation, and it also puts forward a recommendation to look at possible ways to introduce a pure breed from overseas,” said Ms Davis.

Ms Davis presented further recommendations asking for current, responsible pit bull owners be required to obtain a license; an amnesty be put in place for illegally bred dogs, and to establish a reputable breeder in Bermuda that can provide well-tempered, well bred dogs.

“Bermuda is one of thirteen countries that banned the pit bull. There are many more countries in the world that have things in place. Because those of us firmly believe that isn’t the dog, it’s the owner,” she said.

In regards to Ms Davis’ dog ‘Hershey’ being euthanized, Mr Richards said he stood by the decision, and that he would do it again. He also challenged the notion that pit bull attacks are the result of bad owners.

Ms Davis said she was glad to hear that the legislation had already been reviewed, but said the Junior Minister was wrong in saying pit bull attacks were the product of irresponsible owners.