Animal welfare in Trinidad and Tobago is a lot more promising after it passed the Miscellaneous Amendments Bill last week, which carries substantially heavier penalties for animal cruelty than previous laws.
Under the new legislation, convicted animal abusers could face up to five years in prison, as well as fines of up to TT$100,000, or roughly $14,800 USD. These new policies replace outdated punishments, which allowed for maximum fines of up to TT$400, or roughly $60 USD, and two months in prison.
“Our society has demonstrated it has to be ‘mannersed’ in terms of cruelty to animals,” Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi told the Trinidad & Tobago Newsday. “We have to do better.”
Animals are protected under the Summary Offences Act, which defines animal cruelty as beating, starving, overworking, torturing, or otherwise mistreating or abusing any domestic animal, including dogs, cats and livestock.
The updated law comes after the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service announced plans last year to increase its efforts against animal cruelty by establishing a unit dedicated to enforcing anti-cruelty laws and assigning officers to work directly with animal welfare groups, making it easier for organizations to report suspected neglect or abuse.
Animal cruelty is an ongoing problem in the country, where over half the population are pet guardians, according to Nalini Dial, an activist who said she spent years pleading with law enforcement to work with animal advocates before their voices were finally heard.
“There are dogs that are unfed,” Police Commissioner Gary Griffith told the Guardian last year. “There are dogs who are hurt. There would be chains on the necks of dogs that would be choking them. That is basic cruelty we have seen here.”
The recent changes, including the TT Police Service’s elevated commitment to enforcing anti-cruelty laws and the heightened consequences for lawbreakers, represent vast progress for animal rights in Trinidad and Tobago.
This is GREAT NEWS — especially for the Animals — THANK YOU a million times to all who stopped and noticed the horrific abuse to & exploitation of Animals AND are DOING something about it — PLEASE ENFORCE these news laws — if we do not PROTECT our Animals, then who will — again, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Stop this barbaric insane cruelty to dogs, this has been proven to cause diseases in humans!!!!
Thank you, good news & cruelty needs to STOP!
Some people are so disgusting you can’t eat everything you see. Humans can be so evil
This is a change in the right direction! Thanks,,,
That’s some sick people…they need tobe punished!!!!
Way to go Tobago and Trinidad! You guys rock! So glad you are toughening up your laws and handing down stronger sentences against animal abusers! The US could certainly learn from your laws and your efforts to protect animals from abuse and horrible deaths. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Well done to you. I hope that other countries – especially the backward countries follow suit.
USA is a disgrace given what it is supposed to be. They could learn a lot from you.
GREAT NEWS……………………This must happen all over the world. ANIMAL ABUSE, TORTURE AND DEATH MUST STOP NOW!
People that are cruel to animals do need to be jailed
Please protect our animals.
Good for you, Animal welfare in Trinidad and Tobago, for passing such a comprehensive bill aimed at the protection of animals from abuse. Thank you for your bravery and leadership in this matter and I wish the U.S. and other nations would follow your example.
Animals should be protected from cruelty the same as humans. The penalty should be the same for any type of cruelty.
If only the United States and other “leading nations” would follow suit!
THE WORLD NEEDS STRONG ANIMAL PROTECTION LAWS!~~
Harming an animal is the same as harming a child to me. Both are the innocents .
Penalties for animal abuse should be placed at the highest degree as they have no voice. They need us to be their voice.
ALL ANIMAL ABUSER SHOULD RECEIVE SAME PUNISHMENT THEY GAVE THE HELPLESS ANIMALS
Why has this taken so long to GO DOWN ??
Thanks for making this happen NOW
Give them the death penalty.
Renea Sparks
Stop all abuse of animals
PURE AWESOMENESS
This is good news. 🐶🐕🐾💜💜💜
Tougher laws is what we need to appropriately deal with evil against animals.
Animal abusers belong endure exactly what they do to their victims world wide – I guarantee the abuse will end! All the law has passed through is a start yes but they are not severe enough to make the abuse against animals to end!Animals life’s are just as precious as a humans- they feel pain and they have emotions just as humans do – Enough is enough- rid this world of the evil people and the abuse.
Well Done Trinidad & Tobago Law people. If only China was the same then we wouldn’thave this Covid-19. Well Done I Say.
Good. It’s about time there were stricter penalties for animal abuse.
Some sense of normality at last is beginning to creep in to society, to help dissuade people from committing crimes against animals.
Trinidad will now be on the map for decent visitors and holiday makers. No animal lover would feel quite right travelling to a country that abuses animals and does not receive the correct punishment. This new law is a huge boost . Thank you to the people that got this new law through.
Un belle exemple à suivre y compris par ceux qui se prétendent au dessus des autres!!!!
Thank you. You are a good example for other countries to follow.
Including the USA!
Hang them all, it may be all these abusers will understand. As for the ignorant woman punching the dog, give me 10 minutes with her I will personally teach her her lesson!. BTW where is the dog she was abusing? did the authorities step up and remove the poor pup from her? I want a follow up to all of these posts!!
Hang them all, it may be all these abusers will understand. As for the ignorant woman punching the dog, give me 10 minutes with her I will personally teach her her lesson!. BTW where is the dog she was abusing? did the authorities step up and remove the poor pup from her? I want a follow up to all of these posts!!
Good on Trinidad and Tobago and the attorney general. It sounds there is a big clean up needed in the treatment of animals. Higher sentences and bigger fines will be needed.
I wish all countries would take animal abuse seriously like Trinidad and Tobago. Thank you for being so compassionate and humane.
Bravo!
things are improving there … thats a good thing
Excellent. Delighted to hear it.
This is great news, every country need to improve the laws regarding animal abuse.