The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – The Humane Society of Grand Bahama has filed a formal complaint with the authorities in the case of a pet dog that has allegedly been subjected to ongoing cruelty by its owner.

Last week, the situation came to a head when a number of concerned residents travelling along Settler’s Way called the GBHS shelter to report that a dog was chained up outside a home in a rain and lightning storm.

It was claimed the dog is fitted with a heavy chain that was tangled around its neck and is unable to seek shelter from the hot sun or rain.

Officials at the Humane Society say it is not the first time that they have received calls from persons in the community expressing concerns about the dog.

Shelter manager Tip Burrows said they have tried for months to talk the dog’s owners.

“My staff have been cussed at and spoken to extremely rudely and aggressively, and the owners say it’s none of our business, she said.

Even though the police have been contacted several times, not much has been done to address the situation.

“We also have asked K9 officers to talk to the owners on more than one occasion; I believe they did but they didn’t get back to us on it.

“We have called Central several times to no avail. And the many people who have called us concerned for this dog have all been asked to call the Central Police Station.

“I’m also sure that the police officers themselves have seen this dog on many occasions; he is very visible from the road,” she said.

Mrs Burrows said that a shelter official made a formal complaint two weeks ago with the police.

“We heard nothing back until (May 2) when an Urban Renewal officer came to the shelter and told us the complaint had been passed to him. He was completely unclear on what he should do.

“I called Central at 3pm and spoke to Sgt Campbell and expressed my concerns and asked for police action. He promised to call me back, and did not.

“I went to Central myself just before 5pm and finally got to speak to a Cpl Hanna and a woman officer.

“While they did promise to investigate, I was disappointed in the lack of concern for the dog.

“While to me, it seems paramount that the dog be removed from that situation immediately, Cpl Hanna did not see it that way and reiterated to me several times that a dog was different from a human, and they had to get ‘the history’ and talk to the owners first,” she said.

“He promised me the woman officer and her partner would go to the home as soon as they finished dealing with another situation, and that he would call me. I told him we would come out at any hour to get the dog once he says so,” she said.

Burrows had given the officer her cell number before leaving the station.

She stated that sometime around 6.20pm when a shelter official was passing the home, she saw police officers talking to the owner.

On Friday, May 3, Burrows went by the home but did not see the dog. She is not sure whether the dog has been provided with adequate shelter.

She reported that the owner came to the shelter on Friday around 10.40am and was furious that they had filed complaint with the police.

“He was extremely irate saying the police told him we complained about him,” Burrows said.

When The Tribune contacted Central Police Station on Monday, Cpl Hanna had confirmed that they had received a report concerning the dog.

An officer Hamilton then directed us to call police press officer. The Tribune attempted to contact Inspector Terecita Pinder, but could not reach her up to press time on Monday.