Nevis Humane Society

We recently returned from a vacation to St. Kitts.  We were excited to visit, partly because it’s advertised as animal- and earth-friendly.  Like many visitors, we were in awe of the natural beauty, the culture and the warm, friendly people we met.  But one thing marred the great beauty of the island and the memories of our experience: on a Southeast Peninsula beach, we witnessed a baby Vervet monkey on a heavy chain with an iron clamp around its waist being dragged around by a local man.  The man tossed the baby monkey into a strange troop of monkeys and it endured a vicious attack.  When some caring people heard the monkeys screaming, they stepped in to stop the attack.

With the scientific evidence linking cruelty to animals to other crime and cruelty towards human beings, no one can afford to tolerate such practices.  We reported the cruel attack on the baby monkey to local police, and consulted with a local vet as well.  We are hopeful that the culprit can be found and the baby placed with a caring wildlife rehabilitator for recovery.  Anyone who witnessed the event or has seen this chained monkey can help by notifying local authorities, or contact us directly.

We encourage tourists to avoid facilities and vendors who engage in cruel practices and all who witness animal suffering to report it to the local police.  With so much to offer, the community cannot afford to let animal cruelty be the memory that visitors take home.

Scott and Gayle Carda
1-503-312-5357
scottgaylec@msn.com

Dear Nevis Humane Society:  We just returned from a trip to St. Kitts and need some help with an animal situation there.  We were not aware of your organization until now, and the Best Friends Animal Society kindly referred us to you.

Is there anyone who is, or knows of, a very responsible and kind person who would be willing and capable of adopting a baby Green Vervet Monkey on St. Kitts or Nevis?  We just returned from visiting St. Kitts, but we had witnessed a horrible crime of animal cruelty against this baby monkey while there.  A local man had captured the baby and put an iron clamp around its waist and was dragging it around on an iron chain.  Then he chained it up and left it among a different troop of monkeys, who proceeded to attack it.  Of course, if you bring an outsider monkey into another troop, it will be attacked.  The baby monkey could not get away because it was chained, and would surely have been killed.  But a kind local business owner helped us stop the attack.  We are working with veterinarian Dr. Tracy Challenger and the St. Kitts Police to try to find the person who committed this crime and to rescue the monkey. So far no luck.  Also, a big problem is that St. Kitts has no facilities to care for the monkey if they are able to rescue it.  This fact is quite shocking considering that there is the Ross Veterinary University on the island - but Ross has refused to talk with us.  So unless we can find someone who could adopt this baby monkey and care for it responsibly and with kindness, it will likely be released into the wild.  Because the criminal took the baby from its mother and its troop, if it is now released into the wild it will surely die.  However, it will also surely die if it stays with the criminal.

The best home would be someone with experience caring for monkeys or other rescued animals on the island.  If you have any ideas on a good loving home and sanctuary for this baby monkey if we can rescue it, or who would otherwise be willing to help us locally with our rescue effort, please reply back as soon as possible - time is critical to save this beautiful creature.

Gayle and Scott Carda