Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan said on Thursday that Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is reviewing the provisions of the old Dangerous Dogs Act 2000.
Rambachan was responding to questions from the media about reports that two dogs mauled a 4-year-old boy in South Trinidad earlier this week. The animals viciously attacked Ezekiel Renne Cambridge as he was walking by with is grandmother. He remains in hospital in critical condition.
The owner of the dogs had said she would euthanise them. However Vidya Emrith has changed her mind and decided to hand the dogs over to a security firm.
“After everything happened, I made the decision to put the dogs to sleep. I have since decided against it and I feel better now. Arrangements are now being made through an animal rights group to hand them over to a security company where they will be trained and used for security purposes,” Emrith told the Newsday newspaper.
Neighbours are unhappy with that decision and are demanding that the dogs be put to death.
“It is a matter that is of great concern to citizens,” Rambachan said. “To see that little boy and the fate that he suffered and to read the description of it for me, as a parent and citizen of this country, is very painful.”
Rambachan said Ramlogan would review the issue. “I am sure that it is a matter that is not going to go unnoted,” Rambachan said. “In fact, the Attorney General will be looking at it.”
Rambachan noted that “the whole problem of dangerous dogs in this country is a problem which emanated out of the crime situation. However he said despite that people must not feel threatened.
“Citizens must feel safe to walk the streets of Trinidad and Tobago and they must feel that they can do so without being mauled by dangerous dogs. As a responsible government this is something that must and will engage our attention.”
The Dangerous Dogs Act 2000 was passed under the Panday UNC administration. The legislation was never implemented.
Rambachan was responding to questions from the media about reports that two dogs mauled a 4-year-old boy in South Trinidad earlier this week. The animals viciously attacked Ezekiel Renne Cambridge as he was walking by with is grandmother. He remains in hospital in critical condition.
The owner of the dogs had said she would euthanise them. However Vidya Emrith has changed her mind and decided to hand the dogs over to a security firm.
“After everything happened, I made the decision to put the dogs to sleep. I have since decided against it and I feel better now. Arrangements are now being made through an animal rights group to hand them over to a security company where they will be trained and used for security purposes,” Emrith told the Newsday newspaper.
Neighbours are unhappy with that decision and are demanding that the dogs be put to death.
“It is a matter that is of great concern to citizens,” Rambachan said. “To see that little boy and the fate that he suffered and to read the description of it for me, as a parent and citizen of this country, is very painful.”
Rambachan said Ramlogan would review the issue. “I am sure that it is a matter that is not going to go unnoted,” Rambachan said. “In fact, the Attorney General will be looking at it.”
Rambachan noted that “the whole problem of dangerous dogs in this country is a problem which emanated out of the crime situation. However he said despite that people must not feel threatened.
“Citizens must feel safe to walk the streets of Trinidad and Tobago and they must feel that they can do so without being mauled by dangerous dogs. As a responsible government this is something that must and will engage our attention.”
The Dangerous Dogs Act 2000 was passed under the Panday UNC administration. The legislation was never implemented.
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