THE discovery of 15 stolen animals in a bushy area in Calder Hall over the weekend has brought little relief to Tobago livestock farmers, who feel they have been fattening cattle, sheep and goats for someone else to kill. Over 40 animals have gone missing in the past two months.
Several farmers expressed frustration over the larceny and are now calling on the Prime Minister, who also has a livestock farm in Mason Hall, to intervene.
Although stolen animals aren't an unusual occurrence in Tobago, the farmers believe there is a smuggling ring operating.
Head of the Tobago Integrated Livestock Association Grell McPherson believes the animals are being killed and transported to Trinidad to be sold.
McPherson said he formed the association after he noticed more young people showing interest in the industry during the pandemic.
But the association is growing concerned that the increasing number of missing animals would deter young farmers.
"We are starting to feel it's a network of thieves working together. Before, when an animal goes missing, you could have gone by the Scarborough port and found it on a truck heading to Trinidad.
"But animals go missing and farmers do not find them there again, which means it's being killed and transported as meat. They are now killing the animals, cleaning it, moving with the carcass and leaving their insides."
The association believes Tobago meat shops might be unintentionally involved in this scheme.
"Somebody who dealing with meat knows what going on...In Tobago, we tie out the animal and no one interferes with them. I can't do that again."
He claimed police are not treating the matter with the necessary urgency. But he urged affected farmers not to take matters into their own hands.
"Somebody's life is not really worth an animal, whether it's the thief or owner, because they say a thief is a murderer and if you catch them they could end up killing you. Still, it's useless to lose a life over an animal."
He called on Dr Rowley to help Tobago farmers in whatever way he can,
"I'm talking to him as livestock farmer to livestock farmer: join us to stop whoever is doing this. Your animals are at the same risk as ours are. Prices of goat meat have gone up, and what Tobago livestock farmers going through will make it go up more. This is a situation that will get violent."
He also hopes THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine meets with members of the association to discuss ways to save the livestock industry.
Newsday was told five animals were stolen from another livestock farmer in Belle Garden in December, and s pregnant sheep from Signal Hill around the same time. Last week a goat was stolen from Bon Accord Development. On Thursday two rams and a lamb went missing from a farmer in Pembroke.
A Lowlands farmer said three of his animals were stolen from his property in December and another in early January. He has been searching in vain for his animals on the port since t
