The Potcakes of the Bahamas

This is an article I recently wrote for the summer issue of Fetch Magazine, a Milwaukee-based publication about dogs. But I'll post it here so y'all can read it. Photo credits to my dad! :)

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Spend a few days on the islands of the Bahamas – outside of the all-inclusive resorts –and you’ll notice that this Caribbean nation has a bit of stray dog problem. The capital city of Nassau alone has over 5,000 stray “potcakes,” as they are called, wandering its streets. The term potcake comes from a traditional food source for island dogs: the burnt-on remains at the bottom of the pot after cooking a staple Bahamian side dish, peas and rice. Restaurants and families leave out the pots, the dogs eat up the “potcake” and then hopefully the pots are further cleaned by something other than stray-dog tongues.

Potcakes are the results of generations of breeding among escaped pets; but since the gene pool is limited to a particular Bahamian island the dogs’ physical traits can vary from island to island. Despite their inconsistent appearance, these mutts are recognized as a breed (the Royal Bahamian Potcake) by the Bahamas Kennel Club. Typically, they are mid-sized,have floppy ears, and thinner coats.

 

In my experience, these dogs have been friendly enough to encounter on beaches. They’ll hang around, digging in the sand, and it’s clear that they still crave human attention. Residents of the islands often develop relationships with potcakes in their area, name them and feed them, but they continue to roam freely – except to loyally return for meals. Nevertheless, it is undesirable to have many stray dogs, especially in a country so dependent on tourism. I guess most people aren’t fond of being approached by strange dogs on the beach. To me, it’s all part of the fun.

There is, though, a real overpopulation problem, and it’s not good for domesticated animals to live without human care. Strides have been taken by both the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (another island nation with a potcake dilemma) to humanely reduce the number of stray dogs. While spaying and neutering efforts have largely failed, there has been success in putting potcake puppies up for adoption outside of the Caribbean. Many end up in no-kill shelters in the United States, or going directly to loving families.The Turks and Caicos-run website www.potcakeplace.com always has adorable puppies waiting for a new home. Thanks to this organization and ones like it, potcakes are transported to adopters usually without travel expenses to the customer and they come pre-vaccinated.

Potcakes may not be the most pedigreed dogs, but they are as loving and loyal as any purebred – and that’s all we can really ask from our pets. So, if you’re ever looking for a unique addition to your family, consider adopting a potcake. These dogs need a home, and we can always use companionship.