The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Aside from the damage inflicted by COVID-19 on Bahamians health, both physical, mental and that of our economy, there has been considerable collateral damage to health of other members of our community who have seemingly fallen through the cracks. I am referring to the animals that live with and among us.

The proliferation of stray animals, dogs in particular, is concerning. More and more I see roving packs of dogs on the streets, my own garden and that of my neighbours has been invaded by them more than once resulting in the horrible killing of one of my cats.

The Bahamas Humane Society is overwhelmed, and sadly, underfunded. Mrs. Kim Aranha, Humane Society President, has in the past made countless appeals for assistance and for dog owners to be more responsible in the care, confinement and neutering of their animals at the expense of her and some of her family members being vilified in the press by online bloggers.

Other animal care organizations such as BAARK Bahamas as well as our many caring veterinarians also continue their good work in our animal community while the Governments Canine Control Unit appears to be a nonentity.

Bahamians on the whole have never been regarded as paragons of animal care, the continued plight of the surrey horses and numerous stray dogs a typical case in point, and deliberate acts of cruelty inflicted on animals throughout our communities remains commonplace.

It is past high time that our government enacts and enforces legislation with teeth for the registration, proper care and treatment of animals that will harshly penalize Bahamians who continue to mistreat, disregard and abandon their animals.

IAN MABON

Nassau,

September 17, 2020.