The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is pleading with the public to stop taking in illegal dogs.

It comes after a male pitbull-type puppy was seized on Tuesday morning, prompting animal advocacy group Punish the Deed not the Breed to renew its call for a dog amnesty.

A department spokeswoman confirmed that the puppy was taken by animal wardens, scanned for a microchip but none was found and deemed to be illegal.

“The dog is in the custody of the department and the matter is currently under investigation,” she said.

“It should also be noted that the puppy was born illegally, as the result of illegal breeding.

“If illegal breeding was to stop, it would prevent the heartache that comes from the seizure of these dogs.

“The department pleads with the general public to stop accepting or purchasing illegal breed dogs.”

The spokeswoman also confirmed that “the owner has the opportunity to send the puppy overseas”.

But she said: “In this particular case, the owner has not informed the department of her intentions.”

The puppy was found by a couple in the Spice Hill area of Warwick. They alerted the wardens, who took the dog, and then contacted Punish the Deed.

The group was able to locate the owner and they are now working together to get the dog to a new home in Florida.

“Despite numerous phone calls and e-mails, we are still waiting for a response from the wardens,” a spokeswoman told The Royal Gazette.

But the group also stressed that the present policy was not effective, reiterating that it is time for change.

“The current legislation has proven ineffective — this puppy proves it,” the spokeswoman said.

“It is time for the policy to be amended to enable these dog wardens to go after the breeders.

“The Government needs to get control of this situation to control the underground population by granting an amnesty for bull-type mixed terriers and ensuring they are fixed.

“We must commit to a complete renovation of the Dogs Act to promote the welfare and public safety of the people and the dogs.

“With the current laws that stand, this puppy will be euthanised for merely wandering into someone else’s yard. It is time for an amnesty.”

She added that a puppy was being punished for looking like a prohibited breed, which “is not animal welfare and this is not public safety”.

Punish the Deed has collected more than 2,550 signatures through a change.org petition that is calling on Jeanne Atherden to place pitbull-type dogs on the restricted list instead of the prohibited list.

The group has also submitted legislation amendments to the canine advisory committee and helped rehome five “healthy, happy and good-natured” dogs abroad.

“We have advocated throughout this petition for an amnesty to allow for the breed to be protected under the welfare laws of the Dogs Act given the current safety flaws this policy allows for,” the spokeswoman added.

“There are many bull-type terriers living in Bermuda under previous amnesties, living without incident and in the hands of responsible owners.

“We cannot simply ignore these breeds, nor can we ignore the blatant abuse, negligence and welfare of these breeds. It’s time to wake up.”

•For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010161786960