The Bahamas Humane Society strongly condemns the circumstances that led to the recent death of a working Surrey horse which collapsed and died in the middle of Christie Street, Nassau on November 7 and to the horrific sight, two days later, of a Surrey driver whipping his Surrey horse which was so weak and emaciated it had no strength left to pull the surrey. Having worked for years with the Ministries of Tourism and of Transport to improve the circumstances of the Surrey Horses, providing training for the operators and fund raising to meet the costs of providing food, improved shelter and care for the horses, the Bahamas Humane Society believes that the Surrey Horse operation should stop altogether unless it is wholly revamped.
Such revamping would require the formulation and enforcement of strict regulations so as to ensure that all working Surrey horses are healthy, well fed and well cared for, that all operators are knowledgeable as to the proper care of horses and financially fully able to meet the costs thereof, that carriages are new, well maintained and that all horses and carriages are fully insured, that new Surrey routes away from the congested city centre traffic are implemented, and that any form of abuse or animal neglect is met with immediate prosecution; immediate suspension of a licence to operate and immediate confiscation of the horse pending the prosecution.
As a member of the Cabs Board (which is responsible for the licensing of the Surreys) a Bahamas Humane Society representative has met several times with the Minister of State for Transport in connection with the recent events and the Society is committed to working with all relevant authorities including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Tourism to transform the Surrey horse operation into one of which the Bahamas can be proud.
The Bahamas Humane Society recognises however that such a transformation cannot happen overnight. Accordingly, it is concerned to ensure that all Surrey horse operators and drivers found to be committing offences under the Animal Protection and Control Act, 2010 be prosecuted and their horses taken into its care in the meantime. If necessary, the Bahamas Humane Society is prepared to bring its own private prosecutions and is presently taking legal advice in this regard. The Animal Protection and Control Act, 2010 provides that any person who cruelly beats, ill-treats, overworks and abuses an animal, or who deprives it of the food, drink and shelter it requires, or who commits or omits any act which results in an animal being caused unnecessary suffering, is guilty of an offence which, on first conviction may result in a fine not exceeding $5,000 or up to six months imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment, and for a subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or up to 12 months imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment.
Moreover, the Act provides that anyone being convicted of such an offence may also be disqualified for such period as the court thinks fit from having custody of the animal. The Cabs Act provides among other things that Surreys shall carry no more than two passengers over the age of 14; that the Surrey’s licence to operate may be cancelled if the Surrey horse is not properly shod, or is suffering from illness or injury or is otherwise unfit for use as a Surrey horse; or if in the opinion of the Cabs Board a licensed driver has ceased to be a fit and proper person to hold a licence, or has become incompetent or ill treats his horse, or is a drunkard, or whenever he commits any offence under the Act.
The Cabs Act also prohibits Surrey horses from working between 1pm and 2pm from November 1 to April 30 inclusive, and from 1pm to 3pm from May 1 to October 31 inclusive. During those hours as well as when not in use, the horses are required to be under a shelter, and throughout the day to be supplied with fresh and sufficient drinking water. Anyone who witnesses any breach of the requirements of the Cabs Act or any cruelty to a Surrey horse should write down the licence plate number of the Surrey, the number on the driver’s badge, the time and location, the colour of the horse and any other descriptive markings; take a video and/or photographs if possible and immediately telephone the Bahamas Humane Society at 323-5138 or e-mail Inspector Percy Grant at petinspector@gmail.com.
The Bahamas Humane Society is committed to doing everything within its power to prevent the suffering of all animals and to ensuring every animal enjoys its right to each of the Five Freedoms: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress. The Bahamas Humane Society is a charitable non-profit organisation and depends on financial donations received from the caring public to enable it to carry on its work.
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