There has been a great deal of discussion recently about removing pitbulls from Bermuda’s restricted breed list. Many people believe that if pitbulls were no longer restricted, finding them homes would become easier. Working in rescue, I do not believe that is the question we should be asking. The question is not whether more people could own a pitbull. The question is whether more people are prepared to provide a safe, stable home for the next ten to 15 years. Those are two very different things.

We constantly see pitbulls passed from one home to another. Sometimes owners can no longer cope. Sometimes people take a dog because they feel sorry for it. Sometimes the dog has been rehomed through social media with little understanding of its behaviour, history or needs. The reasons vary, but the outcome is often the same: another dog looking for another home.

Eventually someone contacts a rescue, expecting us to step in. The heartbreaking reality is that we often can’t — not because we don’t care, but because there simply isn’t anywhere for that dog to go.

People often ask why rescues don’t just take more dogs and make more room. The answer is simple: there are not enough space, resources and most importantly, suitable homes in Bermuda to support the number of dogs in need. Forget Me Not is foster-based. Every foster home is somebody’s family home. Every rescue on the island has limited space, limited volunteers, and limited resources. Even if we doubled our foster homes tomorrow, or built kennels, there still would not be enough suitable, committed homes for the number of pitbulls already needing them. Rescue organisations cannot create homes that do not exist.

Removing pitbulls from the restricted list does not automatically solve that problem. It may increase the number of people legally able to own one, but being legally able to own a dog is not the same as being prepared for the responsibility of owning one. Changing legislation cannot create lifelong commitment, responsible ownership or rescue capacity.

Another trend that concerns us is the increasing use of social media to pressure people into adopting dogs. We’ve all seen the posts: “If this dog doesn’t find a home today, the wardens will take it,” followed by, “We all know what happens then.” These posts create urgency, fear and guilt, encouraging people to make emotional decisions rather than informed ones.

That isn’t fair on anyone. It isn’t fair on the adopter, who may never have been given an honest picture of the dog’s behaviour, training or needs. It isn’t fair on the dog, who experiences yet another move when the placement fails. And it is not fair on Bermuda’s Animal Wardens. They did not create this problem. They did not overbreed these dogs. Their role is to enforce the law while balancing public safety and animal welfare. They should not become the villains in a problem that began long before they became involved.

If Bermuda is considering removing pitbulls from the restricted list, we also need to ask what comes next. If secure containment requirements are relaxed, what safeguards replace them? Many stray dogs come from properties where containment has failed — or never existed. How do we prevent more dogs from roaming, more accidental litters and more preventable incidents? If we remove safeguards, we owe it to the dogs and the community to explain what will replace them.

We also need an honest conversation about breeding. No new pitbull genetics have been introduced into Bermuda for many years. At the same time, those of us working in rescue are seeing increasing numbers of pitbulls euthanased because of serious health conditions or behavioural concerns. Whether that is related to genetics, breeding practices, poor selection, early development or a combination of factors deserves careful discussion. If we truly care about the future of these dogs, then improving the health and welfare of future generations must be part of the conversation.

The greatest challenge facing pitbulls in Bermuda is not simply that they are on a restricted list. It is that we continue producing more dogs than we have responsible, lifelong homes for. Until we address that reality, rescues will continue making heartbreaking decisions — not because we don’t care, but because there are limits to what rescue can achieve.

If we genuinely want a better future for pitbulls, our focus has to begin long before a rescue is asked to help. It starts with responsible breeding, responsible ownership, education before adoption and a lifelong commitment to the dog we bring home.

Changing legislation may change who can legally own a pitbull. It does not change what a pitbull needs. Before we remove safeguards, we should first be asking how we intend to replace them.

Because saving a dog should never begin with panic. It should begin with planning. Every pitbull deserves more than a series of temporary homes. They deserve one home that lasts.

• Kelly Glazebrook is the cofounder of Forget Me Not Canine Centre