Trinidad and Tobago: Animals are being maimed and killed by firecrackers being shoved into their mouths

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO -- An  animal welfare activist shared horrific photos of a cat which was tortured by an unknown person, who forced a firecracker to explode in the animal’s mouth.

The animal was so injured that it had to be put down.

Rona Jo shared the gruesome photos on social media on November 8 to show the horrific act – as yet, no one has been held for the crime.

“PEOPLE BEWARE. I THOUGHT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN HERE. THESE PICTURES ARE NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED BUT IT NEEDS TO BE POSTED.”

“On arriving home at 9:30 pm tonight, I was greeted with a box in front my gate. My first thought someone had dropped kittens. No it was an adult cat which I thought then had gotten bounced.”

“It was the same color as two of my cats, so I guess whoever put it there thought it belonged to me.”

“I got the vet who came in a few minutes to assess.

Verdict: Apparently he was an owned friendly, trusting cat in good health.”

 

 

“BUT SOME LOWLIFE BASTARD, DEVIL PUT A FIRECRACKER IN ITS MOUTH. It was totally burnt and one of the eyes popped out.... The pain and trauma that the cat was in was heartbreaking. I can't sleep right now. RIP boy.”

Citizens shared disgust and horror at the despicable act. They are again calling for a crackdown on illegal fireworks:

“Monsters! How can someone even put a thought in their mind to do such a thing! Poor baby.”

“Humans, I don't know if they understand, that kind of evil you do, you pay for that immediately, right here on this earthly plain before you leave.”

“What kinda sadistic fool did this to a poor animal... Disgusting....”

“Monsters and demons walk among us, and despite protests against fireworks authorities are doing NOTHING, and therefore they encouraging this sh*t”

“Jesus!!!!!!! I am calling on you now more than ever,I think the human race is at our lowest ever.”

“Omg! What will these ppl tell god boi! I'm soo hurt right now words can't explain, so let's get serious an fight for the right if animals ppl an to get this blasted fireworks banned we can only do it together.”

Another woman reported that a similar act had been done to a dog in her neighborhood as well.

Rona said this is just one of many acts of terrible cruelty against animals which must be stopped.

”It’s heartbreaking that I had to deal with it, but I'm glad that the poor cat was was brought in front my gate, not left wherever it was to suffer for the whole night in pain and traumatized.”

“It’s horrible enough that the animals suffer so much because of these senseless loud noises, but to do this to the animals is the lowest of low. Only the devil himself would do such a thing.”

Section 16 of the Summary Offences Act states:
 Any person who unlawfully and maliciously kills, maims, or wounds any dog, bird, beast or other animal, not being cattle but being either the subject of larceny at Common Law or ordinarily kept in a state of confinement or for any domestic purpose, is liable on first conviction to a fine of one thousand dollars over and above the amount of the injury done or to imprisonment for three months and on any subsequent conviction to imprisonment for six months.

Section 79 (1) of the Act states:
“Any person who cruelly beats, ill-treats, starves, overdrives, overrides, overloads, abuses, tortures, or otherwise maltreats any animal is liable to a fine of four hundred dollars or to imprisonment for two months.”

 

AND ANOTHER...

Yvette Baboolal added 4 new photos.
November 8 at 11:59pm
Today a friend called me to check on a dog in chaguanas. This poor dog belonged to someone but she was betrayed, a firecracker was placed in her mouth, it was totally destroyed she has been like this since divali, she vould not eat or drink, she was smelling from a mile away so nobody helped, but thank you to my friend Renae John for calling me, dr. Lutchman for attending to her and M&L liquor for paying her bill. This young beautiful pup had to be euthanized. I guess i should say thank you to our beloved governments past and present, fire one fireworks for importing, the various distributors, the sellers and the buyers FOR ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING AND TORTURE INNOCENT ANIMALS, SENIOR CITIZENS, SICK PEOPLE AND BABIES HAVE TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE OF YOUR GREED.

(Loop - Nov 13, 2016)

Trinidad & Tobago: Woman, 83, mauled to death by her son's three pit bulls

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO -- There are renewed calls in Trinidad for the Government to ensure the proclamation of the Dog Control Amendment Act that has been passed in both houses of Parliament.

The calls come after an 83-year-old woman was mauled to death yesterday by three pit bulls.

The police say the attack happened as the woman was going to check her mailbox.

They say the dogs belonged to her son.

(The Gleaner - March 26, 2014)

Pit bull, Rottweiler shot by police

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO -- A pit bull and a Rottweiler were shot by police early yesterday morning at Silver Mill Street, San Juan.

The dogs earlier escaped from their yard, ran into another residence up the street and killed three ducks belonging to resident Mikey Sadoo.

Hearing a commotion outside, Sadoo looked through his window and saw the dogs mauling his ducks.

The police were called and both dogs were shot.

The pit bull was killed instantly but the Rottweiler was alive and was eventually put to sleep by veterinarian Dr Patrica Pow-Brown.

Owner of the dogs, Mokesh Maraj, said a tenant at his property did not secure the gate properly and the dogs escaped.

“I will not be getting any more dogs again,” said Maraj. “It is too painful. The police did what they had to do but at least they could have ensured that both dogs were dead. My “Lovey” (the Rottweiler) should not have to suffer so,” Maraj told the Sunday Express yesterday as he wiped away tears.

Last Monday, 82-year-old Lillian Bunsee was mauled to death at her home at La Seiva Road, Maraval by a pit bull belonging to a relative.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said last week the re-named Dog Control Bill was passed on the last day of the parliamentary session in order to prevent it from becoming “lapsed”.

With the bill being passed, Ramlogan said there was a Parliament undertaking that would accommodate certain amendments based on suggestions from members of the Opposition and Independent senators.

Section 19 of the Dog Control Act:
19. (1) Where a class A dog injures a person, without reasonable cause whether in a public place or on private premises, the owner or keeper of the dog commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $100,000 and to imprisonment for five years.

(2) Where a class A dog kills a person or causes the death of a person, without reasonable cause, the owner or keeper of the dog commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for ten years.

Class A dogs are identified in the Bill as:
1. Pit bull Terrier or any dog bred from the Pitbull Terrier.
2. Fila Brasileiro or any dog bred from the Fila Brasileiro.
3. Japanese Tosa or any dog bred from the Japanese Tosa.

(Trinidad Express - Aug 31 2013)

Trinidad & Tobago: Elderly woman mauled by her family's pit bull

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO -- Police shot and killed a pit bull after it mauled an 84-year-old grandmother to death at her home in Maraval, Trinidad, on Monday.

Police said that Liliann Bunsie was bitten several times by the dog, despite the efforts of her relatives to save her. They said they fired 11 bullets to kill the dog, one of at least 10 being kept on the property.

The pit bull is described as a Class A dog in accordance with the Dog Control Bill, which states: "where a Class A dog kills a person or causes the death of a person, without reasonable cause, the owner or keeper of the dog commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of TT$200,000 (almost $30,000 USD) and to imprisonment for 10 years".

(The Gleaner - Aug 28, 2013)

Pit bull owner released, will not be charged

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO -- THE owner of the pit bull that claimed the life of 82-year-old Lillian Bunsee was released late Monday night as police are seeking to have a coroner’s inquest in the matter.

According to police, the man would not be charged under Section 17 of the Dangerous Dogs Act, which carries a $200,000 fine or imprisonment for ten years. Instead, officers are seeking to have an inquest conducted to ascertain if any liability could be placed on the owner of the dog.

According to neighbours, Bunsee had never ventured close to the dogs as she had been attacked in the past. One of the dogs reportedly escaped from its kennel and again attacked her, this time killing her on Monday morning.

Bunsee died as a result of asphyxiation consistent with strangulation.

Neighbours said shortly after 9 a.m., they saw Bunsee on the ground of her La Seiva Road, Maraval home with the dog tearing away at her body.

The dog was one of approximately ten which were bred and being given aggression training in preparation for sale by two of the woman’s relatives.

 Residents said they tried throwing stones at the animal in an attempt to stop it but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Investigators said several police officers who were on patrol nearby went to the scene after receiving a report and were only able to have the dog stop biting the woman after opening fire on the animal, shooting it six times.

A video, shot and posted by Trini Moments on Facebook, of the incident was shared 858 times by 5.15 p.m. yesterday.  The 30-second video shows the dog ferociously biting the elderly woman.

The dog only moved when a man threw concrete blocks (cinder blocks) at it from atop a nearby roof.

 Trini Moments defended the video, saying that Bunsee had already been killed when they arrived.

The group claimed that Bunsee used to “beat the dog with a stick and tell it shut up”.

Minister of the People Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh, who is also a veterinarian, told the Express in a telephone interview that the mauling is “heart-wrenching”.

“As Minister of the People, I know that the elderly are the vulnerable of the society, they have their own disabilities and capabilities that render them less capable to fend off an attack,” he said, adding that the absence of regulation does not mean that owners should not be responsible.

The Express contacted Jones Animal Clinic yesterday and spoke to one of their veterinarians on duty who wished not to be identified. The vet said that the dogs generally ought not to be blamed.

 The vet said that of all the dogs encountered, the Pompek is the most aggressive.

She agreed that pit bulls should not be trained to be aggressive, mostly because of the power they have and if they become aggressive the combination is lethal.

She warned that a dog with the power of a pit bull should not be trained to be aggressive.

(Trinidad & Tobago Express - Aug 27 2013)

12/17/12: Two pitbulls attack woman

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO -- An Arima woman was hospitalised while one of two pit bulls that attacked her near her Santa Rosa Heights home was shot dead when the animals attacked her on Sunday night.

Police said around 7 p.m. on Sunday, Karen Lara , 22, was near her Cinnamon Crescent home in Santa Rosa when the dogs attacked her.

Her piercing screams alerted the police who were on duty at the Pinto Road Police Post and two officers ran out to investigate.

By this time one of the dogs had Lara pinned to the ground and despite the desperate shouts of the officers, the dogs held on to her.

One of the officers took aim and fired a single gunshot which killed one of the dogs, while the other ran off. Officers ran after the dog but it escaped.

Lara in the meantime was taken to the Arima District Hospital with injuries to her face and buttocks.

According to her relatives, Lara was then moved from the Arima Hospital to another medical institution which they did not want to name.

Arima police said that they did not know who owned the dogs.

In August this year the Dangerous Dogs Act was supposed to have been proclaimed but when a number of animal interest groups began protesting parts of the law, the bill was sent back to the Law Review Commission with the view to tweaking it.

The bill is still being pondered to date. The Act, which was released in April this year for public review, listed three breeds of dogs which are considered dangerous dogs - the Pitbull Terrier or any dog bred from the Pitbull Terrier, the Fila Brasileiro or any dog bred from the Fila Brasileiro and the Japanese Tosa or any dog bred from the Japanese Tosa.

Section 4(1) of the Act provides that no person shall import into Trinidad and Tobago a dangerous dog, or the semen or embryo of a dangerous dog. Additionally, section 5 (1) of the Act states that a person who owns a dangerous dog shall ensure that the dog is spayed or neutered by a veterinary surgeon within three months of the coming into force of the Act, while section 5 (2) (a) provides that no person shall breed or breed from a dangerous dog.

(Trinidad & Tobago Express - Dec 17, 2012)

Woman fighting for life after pit bull mauling

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO -- Five pit bulls almost killed a housewife on Thursday at her Ste Madeleine home.

According to reports, Sherry Ifill, 48, was at her home around 6 p.m. doing chores when she was attacked by the pit bulls belonging to a relative.

The dogs attacked her and bit her on her abdomen and legs.

They dragged her several feet.

She was rescued by relatives and was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital.

Doctors told police one of her legs may have to be amputated.

Ste Madeleine police officers are conducting investigations.

(Trinidad Express - Jan 7, 2012)

Teen mauled by pit bulls

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO -- A 15-year-old Fyzabad schoolgirl walking to afternoon classes was bitten by two pit bulls on Tuesday afternoon.

Chrishel Tannis, of Hickling Village, was rescued by neighbours who heard her screams.

Tannis is a pupil of Holy Faith Convent in Penal. Investigators said the dogs are owned by a police sergeant, who is currently on suspension on a criminal charge.

 

Yesterday, neighbours told police they live in fear that the dogs will attack again, and the next time might be fatal. They said there are several children who reside in the area and they are fearful of allowing them to walk the streets.

A police source said officers approached the owner of the dogs several times and relayed the resident's fears but their warnings to him have been ignored. 

Tannis was attacked by the animals around 4.10 p.m. near the police officer's house. Tannis' aunt Deborah Hannibal said: "She (Chrishel) heard some noises in the bush and looked back and saw the dogs. She started walking a little faster and they spotted her and took off behind her. She ran almost 1000 feet and swung her bag at them. They back back and continued running but fell. The dogs came on her and she took her left hand to brakes her throat but they still bit her up."

Tannis was bitten seven times on the left hand. She was rescued by a neighbour who beat off the dogs with a piece of wood, Hannibal said.

A neighbour, who is a paramedic with the Emergency Health Services (EHS), assisted in bandaging the teenager's left hand and attended to her injuries. An EHS ambulance later took Tannis to the San Fernando General Hospital.

In May, several pit bulls owned by a police officers bit and killed security guard Denise Rackal, 46 as she walked roadside on her way to work at Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas.

Last month, nine-year-old Jessie Boiselle was mauled to death by the family pit bull in Maraval.


(Trinidad Express - Sept 8, 2011)