The mauling to death of a mother of three by a pack of wild dogs on Tuesday night in North Caicos has triggered widespread, shock, outrage, disbelief and anger, not only on that island but the entire country. The chewed-up body of the Mary Craig, 48, was found along Hollywood Bay Beach in Whitby, North Caicos at about 10 a.m., on Wednesday morning by residents of the community and the police. The woman was said to have gone missing from the night before, and a search in the community turned up her lifeless body on the beach.
One of the dogs said to have been among the pack was captured and later put to death by an angry mob, armed with machetes, sticks and clubs as they searched for the killer dogs. The slaughtered dog was on display in the community for most of the day on Wednesday.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, who are presently investigating an incident, are warning residents on that island to take all necessary precautions to safeguard themselves against being.
The deceased woman’s husband George Craig, 50, was devastated on learning that the body on the beach was that of his wife of 22 years.
“I can’t take that no more, man. Why she had to leave me and the three children like that?” he asked rhetorically, while speaking to PTV. “She is my wife. We have been married for 22 years.”
Craig said that it was within character for her to leave the house on evening strolls on the beach, but this time he was concerned when she did not turn up the usual time. “Yesterday evening round about 6 o’clock, my wife went for an evening walk, like she always did. After I didn’t see her come back, I asked the children ‘what happen? I haven’t seen your mommy in the house. (And) they said ‘mommy hasn’t come back yet’,” Craig said.
Realizing that his wife did not return to the house that night, Craig said that he set out on a midmorning search for her, and what he found was heartache that he would follow him for a long time. “We went on the beach to start looking to see if she was on the beach. We came to find out that some police officers were out there shooting some stray dogs. The officers saw this body there lying down, but they didn’t know exactly whose body it was. And when I went on the beach and approached the police officers and asked him, (is) this my wife? And he said, ‘yeah, George, this is your wife’.
“She was found with no clothes on. Her clothes were missing off of her, and she was bitten all up; it was terrible to see how she looked. It looked very, very bad. I couldn’t believe this was my wife when I saw how the dogs bit up on her arms, legs and he ears. That was very sad,” Craig lamented.
Between Sunday, July 22, and Tuesday, three other people, including a female Pennsylvania tourist, who went on that island hours after coming to the Turks and Caicos Islands, were attacked by the wild pack. All the attacks, The SUN was told, had caused significant injuries. At press time the Tactical Team from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force was in the area to assist in ridding that island of the dangerous animals.
Department of Agriculture personnel from Providenciales and Grand Turk were also deployed on that island, to join locally- based colleagues, including the Director of Agriculture and the Chief Veterinarian. And in respond to the frequent attacks by the dogs, the Department of Agriculture has embarked on a trapping exercise.
The authorities are, in the meantime, asking the general public to stay off the beach area between Pelican to Prospect, especially at nights, until further notice. Persons are also asked to exercise extreme caution when they see pack of dogs travelling, and to call 911 when the dogs begin to act aggressively.
They encourage individuals to carry a stick in the event of a feral dog attack. Group walking is highly recommended, when going somewhere in the community. They are also encouraged to wear brightly coloured clothing when walking on roads and beaches.
Among other precautionary measure to exercise are:
• Try not to appear threatening to dog (do not stare at the dog, do not smile to show your teeth and stand at angle to the dog);
• Do not display fear or weakness. Never turn your back to a dog and run away. A dog`s natural instinct will be to chase and catch you;
• Shield yourself! If the dog does attack, “feed” him your jacket, shirt, purse, bicycle, umbrella or anything that you can put between yourself and the dog;
• Whenever possible seek higher ground if an attack seems imminent (for example, climbing a tree or mounting a fence);
• If attacked, and you fall, curl up in a ball and protect your face, neck, and head; and
• Never approach a barking, snarling, sleeping, eating, or nursing dog.
Susan Malcolm, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Environment and Home Affairs, in a statement said: ”As a precaution, we urge all residents to avoid the known areas where feral dogs are known to frequent. Please limit night walks on the beach and if necessary whenever you go out to do so in a group. Residents are also advised that if you must cross these areas, arm yourselves with sticks or some other implement to effectively fend off the feral dogs.
“The Department also strongly suggests that elderly persons and children avoid these areas or be accompanied by people who could offer protection. Dogs in packs tend to roam at nights; extra precaution is urged especially from dusk until dawn.”
By Vivian Tyson,
Turks and Caicos Sun
