Animal cruelty under-reported in Trinidad and Tobago - 33 cases in five years

ANIMAL cruelty is a serious issue. In fact, it is a crime in TT. Yet, even with its severity, it is barely reported. Only 33 reports have been made to the police in the last five years – a number that in no way reflects the harsh reality. Just ask any animal-related NGO. Almost weekly, animals are chained outside without food or water, dumped in remote areas or even thrown out of boxes and plastic bags from moving vehicles.

So what’s the reason for this silence? Newsday spoke to activists, the police and the public for this report.

What the law says 

Prior to 2020, the penalties for cruelty to an animal were meagre, with a fine of $400 or up to two months’ imprisonment.

But a person can now be fined up to $200,000 and face five years in jail.

The Animal (Diseases and Importation) (Amendment) Act 2020 says any person who cruelly beats, ill-treats, starves, over-drives, overrides, overloads, abuses, tortures, neglects or otherwise maltreats any animal commits an offence.

It further outlines that owners must provide the animal with a sufficient/suitable diet, access to sufficient and clean water, proper shelter and housing, veterinary care when needed to treat and prevent suffering and disease, suitable accommodation during transportation, and humane care and treatment.

Police reports from 2020-2025

Newsday requested data from the police's Crime and Problem Analysis (CAPA) unit for the period January 2020-May 16, 2025.

It showed 33 reports across all divisions, with four arrests (southern: 2020, 2024, 2025; northern: 2022), and two convictions (southern: 2020, 2025).

In 2020, there were seven reports – one in the southern, northern, and north central divisions, and two from central and Tobago.

In 2021, reports jumped to nine – three in western and north central, and one from central, south western and Tobago.

It reduced to three in 2022 – one in the northern, central and south western divisions.
There were also three in 2023 – one from the northern division and two from Tobago.

It increased to seven in 2024 – one in the southern, western, north central, eastern divisions and Tobago, and two from the northern division.

And as of May 16, there have been four reports – one from the Port of Spain, southern, north eastern and Tobago divisions.

No confidence in police 

There was an avalanche of responses to a question posted on Newsday's social media accounts which asked, "Would you report a case of animal cruelty to the police? Why/why not?"

On Facebook, Natasha Nunez said, “Yes! I have in the past but the response was not favourable and I did not receive justice for the harm caused to my animal.”

But she added, “The police response absolutely needs to change but citizens must be steadfast in reporting, as the volume of reports is the only way (in the current system) that will encourage the police to take these reports seriously.”

Ead Rao Lorenzo said many have laughed at him for rescuing animals and crying over seeing them abused. Others said police laughed at them.

Van Rottmom said, “Unfortunately no because there is unlikely to be any response.”
Suzan St Bernanrd said while she would report it, she too has little hope.

“I feel it will get no attention on the matter from them.”

On X, user @DanielxMitchell said he would report it, “However, our lovely TTPS (TT Police Service) barely take us seriously when we report crimes against humans. I don’t think they’ll take this seriously.”

User @marisekjg said she has reported such crimes before and “got a lil victory."

“(I) will continue to do it. (It) prevents obvious harm, it’s a criminal offence and this usually leads to other forms of violence from the sickos. So yeah, report.”

Another user, @Gishala said while she would like to say yes with “all her heart…

“My own personal experience reporting crimes to the TTPS leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I have little confidence they will take such reports seriously.”

She suggested, “Perhaps there should be a dedicated (assigned) AND dedicated (committed) branch to deal with this.”

And @MauriceVET believes TT needs to be educated on animal welfare vs animal rights.

“Additionally, welfare applies to all animals and not just dogs and cats. Example: Why aren’t the welfare needs of livestock and poultry considered?

Similar sentiments were echoed on Instagram. A user named Kevin said, “Whether they actually take the report or not is the real question. Another concern is if they do take a report, will anything actually be done?”

Many others simply said yes. But some questioned whether, or even denied, there are animal cruelty laws in TT.

NGOs: Make reporting as common as the offences

Tobago-based animal welfare activist and Newsday columnist Elspeth Duncan said the fear of vengeance is a common reason people don’t make reports. She runs the NGO Venus: Doggess of Love.

“For instance, people would tell me about particular cases and when I ask, ‘Well, why don’t you report it?’ they say, ‘I can’t do that, it’s my neighbour. They will know it’s me.’”

She also said that many do not feel like the police would take them seriously – something she has experienced.

“They look fed up, they say they don’t have time to follow up on animal stuff, some of them aren’t aware of the law.”

She once had get a copy of the relevant laws to show an officer after he claimed they didn’t exist.

“And they see it as an insult when you do something like that.

“I even showed an officer pictures of a dog that was basically a skeleton with fur. It was really horrible. He looked at it and said, ‘Yeah, so what’s wrong with this? The dog hungry?’”

She believes officers need to be trained on animal welfare, and the laws which are “buried” in the relevant act should be put into a booklet.

And to the public, she urged, “Make reporting it as common as the abuse itself.”

And while she acknowledged that local media may report on these types of cases in the first instance, she said follow-ups are equally important.

“If something falls by the wayside, the public does not see it as being important.”

Chairman of the TT Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA) Sita Kuruvilla said the low number of reports could also be because many call NGOs instead of the police.

“A lot of them think we, or other animal welfare organisations, have legal authority to deal with cases of cruelty and abuse. And we have to tell them, ‘Well, no, you would actually have to report it to the police.’”

She, too, said people are also afraid to make police reports because they do not want to give out their names.

But the association still tries to help.

She said from 2008-2017, they investigated over 200 reports made to them annually, along with a senior police officer.

“The reports showed that 40 per cent involved extended periods of chaining/ kennelling, 30 per cent, poor condition/ starvation, and 17 per cent, deliberate cruelty. In 80 per cent of the cases, the animals were reported to be in poor condition.”

But no charges were laid.

As opposed to the police, NGOs may kindly ask owners to give up the animal, or plead with them to improve treatment and conditions, etc. Sometimes they listen/comply.

“Sometimes what people need is help. And you tell them, ‘Look, we'll try and help you. Let us take the puppies, which you can't manage, and let us help you get your dog spayed. We can try and organise for you to have a low-cost spay treatment, or we can help you by subsidising vet care or something like that…”

She continued, “Because really, there are two kinds of situations. You have situations of neglect and cruelty, and situations where people really can't cope with what they find themselves in.”

Acting CoP: Police need to be better educated

Acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin said people acknowledged the public “may not think the police pay attention to these things.” And it was put to him that many members of the public do not think police would take such reports seriously.

However, he said, “The duty of police officers is all-embracing. And so it’s not just in relation to crime against (humans) but even where those crimes seem to be against animals and even against the law on a whole…So if you see people harming animals, we punish people for that.

We also punish people who have animals they should not have. We deal with those matters.”

He continued, “Therefore, enforcement of animal cruelty laws, we deal with that.”

But he said it’s something “you don’t hear much about,” so he believes there is a need for greater public education on existing laws.

“Both from a community standpoint and a greater outreaching…But it is not something that is alien to us.”

He also said police officers may need to be better educated on animal cruelty laws, themselves.
In 2019, then-commissioner of police Gary Griffith assigned two officers in each division to assist animal welfare organisations.

A press release from the police had said the officers would help “in investigating and enforcing the law where any incident of animal cruelty is reported or discovered.”

Asked if that arrangement is still in place, he said, “Not really.

“It is not something that have put in place to deal directly with and again, we will deal with the situation as it comes.”

He added, “The reality is that as you know, 2024 was a year where we saw a lot of crime and therefore our focus is on that. So when we see these situations, we will deal with them as it comes.”

Sometimes, it “might be a bit difficult,” he said, “especially when we need hands on deck to deal with (other) crime.”

But, “We will seek to support all policemen who need the help, and in the case of rescuing animals that are in danger, we are going to do that…We are going to rescue the animal and carry it to the necessary shelter that is needed.”

Cases of animal abuse

2020 – San Fernando: Three men killed a black dog by strangling it with a cable wire over a tree branch. They claimed the dog was sick and they were “putting it out of its misery.” They were charged, granted $15,000 bail and later fined $400.

2021 - Diego Martin: Two malnourished dogs rescued from a home. They were taken in by the TTSPCA and named Jess and Jeremiah. Sadly, Jeremiah died at the shelter in January after New Year’s Day fireworks.

2022 – Tobago: A dog was shot with a pellet gun, dragged into the road and beaten to death with a shovel. The owner returned home to find the dog’s body in a bag in the neighbour’s yard. The neighbour was charged and granted $10,000 bail.

2024 – Gasparillo: 24 severely neglected tortoises were rescued from a house. They were malnourished, dehydrated and had deformed shells. No charges were laid.

2025 – San Fernando: A 39-year-old man was charged with animal cruelty after beheading a dog on High Street.

2025 – Location unknown: Images/videos circulated online showing a child allegedly stifling a puppy to death as adults looked on.