THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE JAMAICA Environment Trust is extremely concerned about the emerging trend of citizens developing animal collections. There have been recent reports in the press about such collections in Santa Cruz and May Pen and there may be others. The situation in Santa Cruz seems to be particularly worrying, as this collection includes one or more lions, prairie dogs, kangaroos, zebras, camels, deer and crocodiles, to name a few of the animals being kept in a small property close to a school. A number of animals which came into the Santa Cruz facility are no longer there it is presumed they died. The animals are being kept in much too small pens with no attention given to their requirements for suitable habitat.
These animals have either come into the island illegally or with the required permits from the Veterinary Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Apart from animal welfare issues, there is a real danger to the natural environment and to public health posed by the indiscriminate importation of exotic animals. These animals may escape into the wild, posing a threat to indigenous animals and plants and/or local crops. Some animals harbour diseases, which can affect humans or other animals. An example of this is monkey pox disease (a relative of smallpox), known to be transmitted to humans by contact with prairie dogs.
The Jamaica Environment Trust calls on the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) to intervene on the animal welfare aspects of this issue. These facilities should be visited immediately and animals being kept in substandard conditions should be confiscated or euthanised.
Further, the Vet Division and NEPA should stop issuing importation permits for exotic animals, until there are suitable facilities on the island for these animals. The responsible institutions should take immediate action against unpermitted collections.
I am, etc.,
DIANA McCAULAY
jet@infochan.com
Chief Executive Officer
Jamaica Environment Trust
Earth House
11 Waterloo Road
Kingston 10
