The dog population in the Bahamas consists mainly of mongrels, called "Potcakes" a term unique to the greater Bahamas archipelago. The fact that Bahamians have lived with Potcakes so long has given them an accepted place in society, and they are considered part of the country's heritage. The word "potcake" has entered common usage and has evolved to have associations beyond that with dogs. Potcakes provides the first, systematic study of dog ownership in a Caribbean society by investigating the Bahamian perceptions of "pet" and "responsible pet ownership" in the context of both dog overpopulation concerns and how "image" dogs like Rottweilers and Pit Bulls have interacted and altered the Potcake population. In the latter case, dog bite data are examined over the last decade. The final chapter draws the threads together from previous sections to show how all members of society, dog owners, non-dog owners and the authorities, need to work together in order for the dog population to be controlled and dog welfare enhanced.
