Days after a man was reportedly involved in an incident where a dog drowned at a St Michael beach, an animal rights advocate is appealing to authorities to strengthen animal protection laws.Monique Archer also wants the law courts to inflict harsher penalties on those found guilty of starving animals, treating them badly and in some cases, even killing them.Archer, who specialises in horse welfare, has identified cruelty to animals as a major concern which should receive immediate attention from Government and other authorities.In an interview with Barbados TODAY, the trustee of the ten-year-old Human Organisation for the Relief of Suffering Equines (HORSE), a registered charity, which rescues and rehabilitates horses, said action must be taken to address the inhumane way animals are treated in Barbados, considering that visitors to the island are now questioning why it is being allowed to happen.“What we have been dealing with in recent years is when the vets and volunteers turn up to rescue animals, people are willing to pull guns or knives on these people. It’s now getting to the stage where almost every time we have to take a police escort with us.
