The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Humane Society is seeking financial assistance from the public in repairing one of its walls after a motorist crashed into it and fled the scene yesterday morning, scaring some of the dogs who escaped their enclosures and killed seven cats on site.

Bahamas Humane Society (BHS) General Manager Percy Grant told The Tribune the non-profit organisation (NPO) is seeking donations to have the wall fixed immediately, as it compromises the entire property and the animals housed there. Mr Grant said while he plans to get an official quote to have the wall fixed today, he expects the repairs to cost upto $5,000. Until that time, he said he has closed up the hole with plywood.

Nonetheless, he said the hit-and-run accident could not have come at a worse time, as the BHS is currently struggling to make ends meet given the sheer number of animals it houses and takes care of, coupled with standard operational costs.

“We’re facing a lot because we have so much on our plate because of the amount of animals we have at our shelter,” he said. “It’s going to be hard on us to find the money now to fix the wall. Because we’re having enough issues with trying to get these animals all taken care of, healthcare, drugs, food, all those kinds of things. So that’s another added drama we don’t need right now.”

According to Mr Grant, he said one of his staff called him sometime around 6am yesterday and told him that a number of the dogs kept on site had gotten free and that he was trying to corral them back to their enclosures.

Mr Grant said the worker told him it wasn’t until daylight broke that the worker discovered a big hole in one of the facility’s walls.

Mr Grant said the worker didn’t hear the initial crash because he was on the other side of the main building, away from the crash site. Mr Grant said the worker was only alerted that something may have been amiss due to the sounds of the dogs barking, and upon investigating, discovered that the dogs had gotten out of their kennels.

Mr Grant surmised that the dogs likely got spooked by the sudden crash, as the accident was near their enclosures. Those dogs, which included some of the larger adoption dogs, then made their way to one of the cattery areas killed seven cats.

Officials suspect the driver was in a truck, based on the tyre marks.

“We are seeking voluntary donations right now so we can be prepared to get this wall fixed immediately, because it is really an urgent situation because it compromises the whole property,” Mr Grant said. “(The vehicle) went through the wall, man. I had to focus on trying to get it temporarily closed up with plywood until we get it fixed. (Today) I’ll try to get some quotes to try and get it fixed. So it’s a troubling thing right now.”

According to its website, the BHS receives only $15,000 in funding from government each year, relying on donations, memberships and fundraising for the rest of its operating budget.