Saint Lucia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Sharmaine Melville-Edwin, has spoken out against animal torture after a social media video of the beheading of a goat.
Two men, one smiling as he holds one of the animal’s back legs, appear in the video.
The incident allegedly occurred in Mon Repos.
Melville-Edwin said she saw the widely circulated video of the goat’s ‘brute force’ decapitation.
She said that was not the humane way.
According to the Chief Veterinary Officer, people must protect the welfare of animals and ensure they immobilise or render the creature unconscious before slaughtering them to minimise pain.
She told St. Lucia Times “that also has positive outcomes for the quality of the meat that you are eating.”
Melville-Edwin warned that it’s an offence to torture an animal or cause it unnecessary suffering before slaughtering it.
“According to the law, that person can be convicted,” she explained.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that animals are indeed humanely slaughtered. We inspect all animals prior to slaughter. We engage our butchers. Butchers are engaged through the Ministry of Health as well, engaged in training activities to help them carry out the process humanely and correctly,” Melville-Edwin stated.
She noted that pre and post-slaughter inspections occur.
“I want to advise persons, if you do not know what your are doing, please, you can contact us for support,” the Chief Veterinary Officer explained, adding that training possibilities exist.
Under the law, torturing animals required for food or aiding and abetting could attract a fine of $3,000 upon summary conviction.
PHOTO: File image of Dr. Sharmaine Melville-Edwin.
So you have this on video. Have the torturers been punished???
As an animal lover and a dog person at heart, I wish for this young woman to please push for a ban on chaining an animal. If you do not have a proper means of securing your yard (perimeter fence or wall)
Do not get a dog, yes they alarm you of an intruder or someone in the vicinity…but just picture yourself having 8 ft of rope in your neck, you pee and poop where you sleep…in the elements in some makeshift shelter your entire life someone just comes to feed you and give you water.
Just picture that.
They are not only to be punish, but deserved the same treatment,as GOD IS alive, will make ⚖️ justice for the four leged and animals beign brutalized by their owners…
In France,the the brand label named,by the Muslim, “Halla, was cutting and tearing the animals alive,to make sacrifices to their gods,then sold the rest on the market, but thank God, the gouvernement have put an end,severe condenmation,and is under surveillance !!!
@Odd , you are quiet correct, animals need to be freed,not only chained, but been neglect,
them people taking dogs to make security, but lack of nurishment, will find always sleeping
Ah yes the irony of the animal cruelty crowd pissed and killing animals while dining on a nice ribeye steak or chicken breast. Lol
@LMAO – how do you know whether the previous commentators eat flesh or not?! However that is not the point. This is about animal cruelty which is a totally different issue. ALL animals slaughtered for human consumption should be treated with respect and slaughtered as humanely as possible by professionally trained and qualified butchers. Animals should be stunned before being slaughtered. Back yard butchers risk contaminating the meat and becoming ill (Karma perhaps?). Lucians are cruel and violent to animals and to people as well – there is a connection! Deliberately run over dogs, chain them, and beat them. Dogs are loyal and faithful animals but yet many humans do not value that trait because they don’t possess it themselves. I have heard of young boys throwing dogs over cliffs, and a four year old boy drowning a beautiful little kitten – where is that coming from? Inherently evil or bad parents? I have seen mistreatment of horses, cows roped up on the roadside, dogs deliberately injured by people and cats starving. What is wrong with y’all? As Ghandi said “you can judge a country by the way it treats it’s animals” and that is so true of St Lucia. No respect for life animal or human. ALL animals value their lives. They do not go to their deaths willingly – just as you and I do not. BTW @LMAO I’m a lifelong vegan and animal welfare carer.
I said on GOD’S behalf, the criminal act done to the animals will awaits them in the future !