TT Goat and Sheep Society -

‘Wild dogs’ kill sheep in Botanic Gardens play

By Marisa Camejo

All that remained of the weekend’s Nativity play at the Botanic Gardens yesterday were two dead sheep which had apparently choked themselves to death while trying to escape an attack by “wild dogs”.

Activist Anthony Harford, who had tried, and failed, to get the authorities to rescind the decision to allow the paid-concert at the gardens last week, said he came upon the carcasses while walking through the gardens yesterday morning. He promptly went back and got a camera.

Contacted by the Express, concert promoter Courtney Rodney confirmed the deaths of the sheep, saying he too had discovered their remains on the grounds of the Botanical gardens yesterday morning.

Rodney said he saw “bite marks” on the bodies and suggested that “wild dogs from the hills” may have attacked the sheep overnight.

There was also some confusion yesterday about a panicked goat which had also been in the play. The goat had fled in the direction of Chancellor Hill, but was soon captured, according to Rodney. The belief is that the goat was scared by the dogs or the sight of the dead sheep.

Rodney said the animals used in the play had been lent to the Nativity Committee by two farmers from Paramin.

He said that the farmers were responsible for the care and feeding of the animals, and had administered to their needs at least once a day while they were at the gardens.

Rodney said he had been associated with the farmers before, and that they always took good care of their animals.

Asked about the success of the play, which ran for three days, Rodney said that it went “well”, but he had hoped for larger crowds.

The Express was also contacted yesterday by members of the Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA) who called for an investigation into the matter.