Potcake dog

Dogs on various Caribbean islands share a common ancestry; many residents of Turks and Caicos were originally from nearby islands and took their dogs with them.[2] Three types may have contributed to development: dogs the Arawak brought with them to the Bahamas; terriers protecting supplies from rodents on ships that arrived in Eleuthera, New Providence, and the Abaco Islands; and dogs from North Carolina that arrived with Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War period.[2] It is also likely that the early Spanish settlers may have introduced their own dogs. As these could have included fighting dogs, the Arawak dogs may have been killed off. In addition, many breeds were imported in the 20th century which interbred with the local dogs, so making the mix of breeds in the potcake dynamic.[3] DNA studies have shown no residue of early dog DNA in today's potcakes. Any such remaining DNA has become inconsequential due to the constant imports of dogs with the arrival of colonizers.[4]

The type's name is derived from the term "potcake", which refers to the congealed rice mixture at the bottom of the family cooking pot that Bahamians have traditionally fed dogs[5] In Nassau alone, there are an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 stray potcakes.[6] In the late 1970s, The Bahamas named the type the "Royal Bahamian Potcake".[6] As of February 2011, the Bahamas Kennel Club lists it separately from the mixed-breed dog within Group 9 – Non-Registered.[7]

The number of stray potcake dogs on the Turks and Caicos Islands has apparently increased, despite spay-and-neuter programmes designed to minimise their numbers.[8] Because the territory is dependent on tourism, officials consider the dogs nuisances, and police have shot and poisoned them. Strays have a median age of three years.[3] In the Bahamas, misconceptions about spaying and neutering dissuade residents from altering their pets.[10] According to The Bahamas Advocates for Animal Rights group, there are 11,000 unowned dogs in New Providence. Forty five percent of tourists report seeing roaming dogs, and two percent state they were "scared" by their presence.[11]

Local organisations adopt out stray potcake dogs to alleviate the overpopulation problem. In 2005, Turks and Caicos-based rescue organisation Potcake Place became a registered charity. After running out of families to adopt to on Providenciales, volunteers connected with potential adopters through the rescue's website www.potcakeplace.com and Facebook page.[9] Puppies are vaccinated and sent on airlifts free of charge to adopters.[8] Additionally, several no-kill United States shelters accept potcake puppies.[9] The Humane Society of Grand Bahama, located in Freeport, ships them to Florida on ferries.[8]

The canine charity OutPaws airlifted 1,001 potcakes from the Caribbean to Denver, Colorado in 2013, and placed them all for adoption to Colorado families. The 1001st potcake wandered into camp shortly before the take-off of the plane, and was included in the group.

In September 2019, the Humane Society of Grand Bahama was devastatingly hit by Hurricane Dorian. The shelter was flooded by a storm surge and over 100 Potcakes and Potcats were lost. The remaining animals were sent to the US for medical treatment and to be eventually adopted out to new homes.

Additional rescue programs exist in Puerto Rico, St. Croix and in Saint Lucia (St Lucia Animal Protection Society and HelpAWS).[12]

A potcake dog named Amigo is the mascot of the Humane Society of Grand Bahama and the BEKIND Campaign, a collaboration with the HSUS to bring greater attention to animal welfare issues.[13][14] He was also an Ambassador of Hope for homeless animals until his death due to cancer in 2007.[14] Amigo has appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN, and received the Ambassador of Goodwill and Hollywood Life Breakthrough of the Year 2007 awards.[13][15] In 2009, he was one of four potcake dogs honoured in a series of commemorative stamps.[15]

Potcake dogs Daisy and Dusty, born in Providenciales and owned by Andy LoCascio, are trained to locate fish through scent on the water and distant cries of feeding sea birds. They have been featured on television and in magazines, including Northeast Boating Magazine.[16] Dusty died in the Fall of 2018 at age 15 and Daisy died in the Spring of 2020 at age 16.