The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Humane Society president Kim Aranha said animal shelters have reached their capacity and reports of animal cruelty are increasing.

Her comment came after two people were charged with cruelty to animals for abusing 10 dogs at their Goggle Eye Road residence, one of whom died in May.

Ms Aranha said people are more sensitive to animal cruelty than they used to be.

“People are finally alert- ing us when they find dumped dogs,” she said. “It does seem to be extreme at the moment. Every different neighbourhood seems to be reporting oh this dog has just suddenly turned up, he’s running around like he doesn’t know where he is and then we’ll go and pick them up and bring them in and try to find a home for them. “

She said with shelters full, some animals have been turned away.

“They are just so many we actually are having to turn away any animal that is turn-away-able,” she said. “And then I worry what people are going to do with them if they didn’t want them and they were bringing them to us and we say we can’t take them right now. Are they going to find their own evil ways of disposing of them? I worry.”

“There are dogs all over this island being starved to death and I just don’t get why. They tie them up and they fail to feed them. We go over and over again into people’s yard where there is no food, no shelter and no water. The animals are just skin and bones. They walk past him every day and he lies there slowly dying from lack of food. You tell me what kind of person is capable of that.”

“More people have to be charged, more people have to be prosecuted, more people have to be held accountable for their acts. Only then do I believe things will change.”