Evolution

“Goodnight. Today is historic day in TnT,” a fellow animal lover/rescuer WhatsApped me on the night of Wednesday 29, April 2020.

The Parliament Channel was hot that day, turned on in animal loving homes throughout the nation. In this time of physical distancing, thousands of us were brought unimaginably closer, unified by a level of hope that (as far as I know) has not yet been experienced on a national level concerning animal welfare and protection.

We were waiting...and have been waiting for years, decades in some cases.

“I’ve got my bottle of Proseco ready,” one friend/fellow animal advocate wrote to me, subsequently sharing to social media a photo of said bottle and a tall wine glass.

“I’ve waited 40 years for this,” she revealed. Ever since moving to Trinidad four decades ago she had fought, lobbied and wrote (books) in efforts, along with other animal welfare foot-soldiers, to help bring about changes in TT’s animal cruelty legislation and animal welfare landscape. Decades later the day was indeed worthy of at least a toast.

Meanwhile, other animal lovers/advocates were updating social media with blow by blow accounts of ‘proceedings’ and sending a flurry of messages to my inbox, excitedly sharing links and giving updates from early morning, until and throughout the Parliamentary sitting.

“Faris just said this”... “No, but Clarence just said that”...“Wait, Faris just said...”

That historic day was somewhat of a long, exciting, emotional roller coaster ride, taking animal lovers through the highs of excitement (fines raised to $200,000 and 5 years in jail) to the spin of confusion (no, it’s really $100,000 and 1 year in jail), then back to the high of promise (Faris announces in Parliament that it is $200,000 and 5 years, the Opposition approves, the announcement is posted to the AG’s FB page) before making a twist and plunging into the unknown territory of unanswered questions (...now Clarence announces on his FB page, post- Parliament, that it is $100,000 and 1 year).

As I write this article, early Thursday morning (for the midday deadline), we are still not sure. However, what we do know is that while most animal lovers favour the $200,000/5 year option, the lesser fine and jail term will also be embraced with open arms. It is a quantum leap from the paltry, century-old “$400 or 2 months in jail” penalty.

Had we not been in lockdown, would we animal lovers have gathered in homes, bars, restaurants to view the Parliamentary channel and celebrate together à la World Cup Football final? Instead, we united on social media, our virtual location for everything from meetings to celebrations.

"The Voice of the Black Dog" media protest, inspired by the tragic hanging of the black dog of Embacadere, brought many of us together on Facebook like a family, gathered around a collective fire of hope, acknowledging that finally something good could be happening for the animals of TT.

The increased fine for animal cruelty is a long-awaited step in the right direction, but it is not a magic wand that will wave away animal murder, abuse, neglect and abandonment.

For this to work, those of us who care must unite and help make it happen.

Some suggestions and questions:

Social and traditional media sources, please help with ongoing public sensitisation: “What is animal cruelty”...“How and where to report crimes”...“Spay/neuter options and information”...“Foster/adopt-don’t-shop”...and so much more.

Make animals and related issues a household topic. Give them the media prominence they deserve. Elevate them from the realm of "lesser" to "sentient beings of value" in national consciousness.

Are the police on board? Will they be trained (as police are abroad) to deal specifically with animal cruelty? Will officers take these animal cruelty reports seriously? When will the CoP’s promised "hand picked" officers swing into action to crack down consistently on animal offenders?

Is the same increased fine applicable to both "lesser" and "greater" acts of animal cruelty?

When the laws are enforced, where will the influx of pets seized from or dumped by errant owners be placed?

What is the status of the Stray Dog Control Bill under the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government? (This bill is for humane management of the stray dog population).

We have so many questions. When will there be nationwide public consultations to answer them?