Poisoned snacks for dogs

SHARLENE RAMPERSAD

AN Enterprise family is claiming their dogs were poisoned and killed for getting too close to a nearby school.

Although the Jagroop family said they will not name those responsible, they are alleging that poisoned snacks were left in and around the school over the last weekend, resulting in the deaths of two of their dogs as well as other dogs and cats in the neigborhood.

Andell Jagroop, 28, told Newsday at the family’s Raghunanan Road home yesterday that a school official warned his mother Indra Jagroop that the two female dogs needed to be restrained last Friday. “She came around 8am and told my mother that the dogs were coming in the Savannah behind the school and around the compound and we needed to secure them properly before they attacked any children,” Andell said. “Our yard is fenced and the dogs were in their kennels but they both managed to escape and go by the school. My father had left home to buy some wire to secure the gate better and I was fixing the kennels so they couldn’t escape when she returned around noon and started to quarrel and get on, saying she will call the police and the pound for the dogs.”

Andell said later that day, he was horrified to see their oldest dog, Bella, come stumbling into their yard, frothing and heaving.

“Within minutes she had collapsed and died. She didn’t have a chance.” Bella was eight years old.

On Saturday, five-year-old “pothound” Princess went missing.

Andell said Princess’ body was not found until Monday morning by school cleaners in the savannah behind the school.

“My mother saw them gathered at the back fence, staring at something and she started to shout. When we went across it was Princess.”

Indra wept as Andel recounted the discovery.

“They both had puppies less than three weeks ago. I believe they were running away from the pups after they fed them. They were both pothounds and very loving and friendly.” He said the manner in which the dogs were poisoned is more disturbing than their deaths.

“We should have secured our dogs better and we understand that, but why put poisoned snacks in and around a school? There is a preschool and a primary school there, what if one of the younger children had picked up a piece of poisoned snack and eaten it?”

During the visit, the last surviving adult dog the family owns, Nala, wandered around and inspected members of the media. After a brief examination, she went back to her spot in the yard and went to sleep.

The family said they made a police report on Monday and two officers visited their home and the school, however, they said they have not received any feedback. Calls to the cell phone of Education Minister Anthony Garcia went unanswered yesterday.