Heavy crosses to bear

Recently, two tourists visited Castara, Tobago and were informed that 35 dogs had been poisoned in the village a few weeks ago.

What a welcome. The tourists, understandably mortified, related the story to someone I know, who told me of the tragedy.

Some villagers had told these visitors about the shocking incident – an estimated 35 dogs (some pets, some homeless), as well as cats and some chickens and most likely other birds and small animals, had also perished in the toxic culling initiated by someone who had allegedly set up "poison points" throughout the village.

I wondered if this was in any way related to a report received some weeks ago in which eight dogs were found poisoned on the beach in Castara. Perhaps those eight were some of the grand total of 35.

I called an acquaintance in Castara to see if she knew more.

“Yes, some dogs were poisoned a few weeks ago,” she said. “But I don’t know the exact number.”

When asked why she thought someone would have poisoned dogs en masse, she theorised that it could be because dogs had been rummaging in garbage bins and strewing rubbish on the village streets. Perhaps they had also been harassing other animals – like sheep and goats – a common justification for poisoning dogs.

I made a call to another Castara acquaintance. She had heard nothing about the mass poisoning and sounded momentarily shocked as she repeated quietly “Thirty-five? Wow.

“Maybe as I don’t really go into the village much, I didn’t hear people talk about it,” she continued, before asking someone who was there with her if he had heard of the incident.

Yes, he had heard that several dogs had been poisoned. That is all anyone seemed to know or cared to divulge. Even if anyone knew who had done it, would they say it? Would they investigate or report it?

While there are many who will look at this case as "just another poisoning" – a common occurrence on the island – I consider it to fall under the category of a "disaster." According to the online dictionary, a disaster is “a sudden accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life.” While there is nothing accidental or natural about the poisoning of village dogs, I still consider it (especially when 35 dogs have allegedly been killed in one sweep) disastrous.

It is disastrous that someone would engage in a deliberate act designed to kill the most-likely-starving innocents who stumble upon what at first appears to be a tasty meal left in the open for their consumption. It is alarming that no one sees fit to report such a mass killing, and that even if they did, nothing would be done about it.

“No witnesses,” and “No evidence,” would be the likely response from the police.

I once met a man who, as casually as if he were explaining how to make a sandwich, told me that he was going to “put poison” for some dogs. He described in great detail his foolproof method, using a tin of sardines. I did not want to listen as he explained his simple yet odious technique, but decided to let him continue...so that I could understand what is perhaps a popular poisoning process.

Google "poisoning of dogs in the Caribbean" and see what comes up. At the top is "Tobago owner grieves as dogs poisoned" – a 2017 tt.loopnews story about the tragic poisoning of Errol Thomas’s dogs – a case of which I am aware because he and his guests (visitors from the UK) told me about it.

His guests, an animal-loving married couple, were unfortunate enough to witness the killer laying the poison for the dogs. Unaware of the culture, at first, they thought he was being kind – opening the gate to feed the dogs a hearty treat on Styrotex plates, within their own fenced yard/private property. Soon after, as the dogs began frothing and convulsing, the foreign visitors realised the horrid truth.

Lack of interest from and no action taken by police after they made a report further drove the final nail into the coffin of their assumption of "paradise."

The couple openly vows never to return to Tobago after that experience. Why is this toxic tourism allowed to continue? I ask, knowing there is likely to be dead silence.