Charity to get CI$900 for burned dog

| 23/08/2019 | 20 Comments
Cayman News Service
Dora

(CNS): A North Side man has been ordered by a court to pay over $900 in compensation to the Cayman Islands Humane Society following his conviction for causing unnecessary suffering and failing to exercise proper care and supervision of a dog that was very badly burned on his property. James Challenger and his son Andrei Challenger were both given a conditional discharge for their admissions in a case, where they claimed to have tried to help the dog that had walked into a fire, which was set to burn off mosquitoes.

Challenger has been given six months to pay the money to the local animal charity, which became involved in the case after they were alerted to the horrendous injuries the dog sustained.

When the men had appeared for sentencing, prosecutor Darlene Oko said the crown could not say for certain how the dog was burned, but she urged the court to record a conviction to send a message to the community about animal cruelty. The magistrate agreed and recorded the conviction, as she said it “was clearly a serious incident”.

But aside from the compensation payment, no other sanctions were recorded against the father and son after the magistrate declined to order that they should be barred from owning pets.

The facts on which the two men had made admissions were agreed by both sides and the crown had failed to establish that the men had deliberately burned Dora, a stray dog they had been feeding, who was pregnant at the time. Andrei Challenger said he lit the fire to run off mosquitoes and that the dog had walked through it. He and his father had then tried to treat the first and second degree burns the dog suffered on her stomach with cornstarch.

But the Challengers did not take the dog to a vet until the next day, when the vet who took care of Dora said she was in significant pain and needed emergency surgery and post-burn care to save her life. She was eventually nursed back to health by Island Vets and the Humane Society, and later adopted by a new family.

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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (20)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    https://www.change.org/p/the-cayman-islands-government-department-of-agriculture-animal-abuse-must-stop-investigate-prosecute-cases-be-held-accountable

    Everyone needs to sign this petition created by Cayman Animal Watchdog- it’s the least we can do to help these poor animals!! Obviously we can’t rely on the Justice System!!

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  2. Be the Voice for the Voiceless!! says:

    The only happy ending here is that Dora is in a loving home now. Can’t say I’m surprised by this weak verdict!! Absolute crap! As a community, we have to be the voice for the voiceless- Cayman Animal Watchdog – sign the petition going around!
    It’s the least we can do for these neglected animals that are all over this island!!!

    https://www.change.org/p/the-cayman-islands-government-department-of-agriculture-animal-abuse-must-stop-investigate-prosecute-cases-be-held-accountable

  3. Bertie : B says:

    ALL animals run from fire , they do not walk in for a sniff , cmon man .

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Here in the Cayman Islands animal cruelty is a misdemeanor at best !!!!

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Torturing animals in other countries is marked as a sign of deviant behavior which can escalate into serious human crimes. Yet here, its a slap on the wrist. Cayman needs to open its eyes to the scary stuff being perpetrated by our citizens.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Why so expensive? I thought charitable organizations did work pro bono?

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    • BeaumontZodecloun says:

      Expensive? Really? Had any experience with treatment of burn victims? It is ongoing throughout the healing of the victim. Did you read the part about “emergency surgery” and lifesaving “post burn care”?

      Charitable organisations survive mostly on donations and payment for services rendered. What we should really be asking is why these guys skated with only paying the medical expenses. Also, what were they doing with the dog — a “stray” — and finally, what has become of Dora? Please don’t tell me these two guys still have her.

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      • Anonymous says:

        3:58 pm- they don’t still have Dora!! She was taken and treated at the vet and eventually adopted by kind humans, thankfully not given back to these as$H@le$!!

    • Anonymous says:

      The had to pay the vet, Troll.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Dog “walked” into a fire??? Are you kidding me? Any evidence that they tried to treat the dog with cornstarch?

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Absolute joke, just about sums up Cayman. Animal cruelty acceptable.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Why do we have an Animals Law, if it means nothing?!?

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  10. Anonymous says:

    What a load of crap. These people should be in prison. Absolute arseholes

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  11. Anonymous says:

    caymankind.
    welcome to wonderland.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Here in Virginia animal cruelty is a felony offense!

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