"A MAYARO LABOURER has been put on a bond to keep the peace for three years after he pleaded guilty to bestiality," a recent Newsday article began.

The man was found guilty of having sexual intercourse with a male pothound (Whitey), after a villager witnessed him in the act: a rope around the dog’s neck was tied to a tree and the pants-less man, kneeling on a mattress, was committing the disturbing crime.

Animals cannot speak for themselves to report such acts. Hidden and silent, animal sexual abuse (ASA) is reported very rarely in local media. However, I think it is much more prevalent in TT than we know.

Some years ago, in Tobago, a man was found penetrating a cow in a pasture. I am unsure what happened to the man, but if I remember correctly, the cow was euthanised. And that was just one (observed) example of perhaps many similar cases.

The satisfying of the rabid appetites of perpetrators, mostly male, leads to the destruction of their vulnerable prey.

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Whitey was euthanised after the violation. In just about any discovered case of bestiality, the unfortunate result (if the animal is still alive after the invasive physical trauma) is euthanasia.

The perpetrator (especially depending on the laws of the region in which the offence occurs) may get off with a mere slap on the wrist. Clearly, Mr Mayaro received a slap on the wrist, considering that the Sexual Offences Act states: “14. (1) A person who commits bestiality is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 15 years. (2) In this section 'bestiality' means sexual intercourse per anum or per vaginam by a male or female person with an animal.”

Why did he not receive the full sentence?

I asked a government veterinarian if she had ever come across animals that were victims of ASA.

Her response: “It’s generally hidden. I have had cases before where dogs would scream horribly and be so terrified when you touch their vulva. I’ve had cases that I suspect...but none that I have ever been able to say ‘yes’ with concrete evidence.

“We have seen some goats who would die and when you do the post mortem, their insides have been ripped and there are signs of vaginal and cervical trauma. But to say we found who the person is…no. It happens right here in Tobago.

"So yes, I have seen it but nothing ever comes of it.”

She went on to say the following, reflecting what (as stated above) research proves to be true: “Those who engage in those sexual activities with animals are prone for development of crimes against humans, whether male or female.”

I asked her why animals are generally euthanised after sexual abuse by humans.

“The reason why we euthanise them is simply that there is considerable trauma that happens, especially for the female animal, because the diameter of their cervix is not one that is intended to accommodate that. The anal sphincter most of the time is ruptured and that is a sphincter that cannot be fixed after, so you end up with