Tobago Correspondent
Six weeks after a brutal attack by pitbulls while on vacation in Buccoo, a 65-year-old Trinidadian man is still seeking justice.
Roy George, a Diego Martin joiner, told Guardian Media that the incident, which took place on June 22, has left him with lasting scars, physical pain and in financial hardship.
However, despite the trauma of being mauled by seven dogs in the attack, George said the indifferent attitude of the owners has hurt more.
George was strolling through a dirt track in the scenic village when a pack of dogs from an unfenced property charged at him. He suffered wounds to his legs, arms, face and neck before the owners were able to call off the animals.
George was warded at the Scarborough General Hospital for three days and later discharged.
George said his arm was severely damaged as he fended off the dogs as they tried to bite his neck. He said full functionality has not returned and he needs assistance to conduct basic tasks such as opening a water bottle.
Despite the severity of his injuries, George claimed the owners have showed little remorse for the incident.
“They never keep in contact,” he said.
He claimed one of his friends called one of the owners, who allegedly responded in a dismissive manner.
“Her reply was, ‘I thought he gone back Trinidad? What I have to do with that?’”
He said before he returned home in mid-July, he was told by the owners that they could not compensate him for his injuries.
“I am showing her my hand. I said I cannot do anything in a hurry now. I already take money from people to do work and I cannot do nothing because I buy material and they don’t want material, they want back their money,” he said.
“She say, ‘Here what is happening, mister. You feel like I have money? I doh have no money.’”
He claimed the woman’s husband said he would never receive a cent from the incident.
“That was the last contact.”
He said he was advised to hire a lawyer to seek his interest but he cannot afford one.
George said he gave a statement to Shirvan Police Station and is awaiting the findings of the investigation.
Guardian Media visited Battery Street, Buccoo, where the incident was said to have occurred and noticed a number of pothounds, some tied, some roaming the unfenced property. Neighbours claim the owners had removed the pitbulls from the location since the incident.
According to the Dangerous Dogs Act, pitbulls must be kept in a secure enclosure on the owner’s property. The animals must also be registered and licensed. Owners can be held criminally and civilly liable for breaches if regulations are not adhered to.
A villager, who wished to be identified only as Smoky, said the incident could negatively affect the vibrant tourism in the community. As he spoke to Guardian Media, tourists riding horses from the Healing with Horses programme passed through the village.
He said the dirt track where George was attacked leads directly to Magic Park, which is managed by the foundation. He urged the authorities to act swiftly to ensure there is no repeat and Buccoo remains a peaceful and safe community.
“On a daily basis, we have a lot of tourists passing through here and taking the route (to Magic Park). Since that incident happen, people afraid to make that journey around because they have heard there are dogs up there biting up people,” he claimed.
A number of dogs in Buccoo have been poisoned since the incident, including two from the Healing with Horses Foundation. Veronika Danza La Fortune, cofounder of the foundation, urged villagers not to resort to poisoning animals.
“I can understand people are offended and angry about a dog biting somebody, but poisoning is not a solution. Education is a solution,” she said.
She urged better treatment of animals to ensure their well-being as well as the safety of the public.
