By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THIEVES broke into the Bahamas Humane Society on Sunday night, ransacked the place and left more than $20,000 in damage at the animal shelter.

BHS General Manager Percy Grant said no animals or people were hurt during the break-in, but said the shelter is financially set back as their surveillance system was stolen which will cost about $15,000 to replace.

Then there is the estimated damage of $8,500 for the doors and filing cabinets which were damaged during the incident.

On its Facebook page, BHS said while it does not keep large amounts of cash on its premises, at least $500 was taken during the break-in.

Yesterday, Mr Grant said he got a call Sunday night about the incident.

“(The) assistant shelter manager got the call around 10.30 quarter to 11 to come down to the shelter,” he said. “The police were here. They did their fingerprinting. They did their stuff. We have to just go and do our formal report. The police are aware.”

Asked if anyone had a description of the suspects, Mr Grant said: “Nobody and they stole the camera so we have no idea.”

He said the incident has left staff at the shelter distressed.

“Everybody is a bit down because it seems a bit, pretty violated…disappointing really because we deal with all levels of society and for something like this to happen it is really sad, but we know the issues out there. The social problems that we have in the country now and we’re hoping it gets better.”

BHS now needs help from the public for assistance.

“We’re trying to recoup and trying to get all of our stuff back in order,” Mr Grant said. “We are asking the general public to support us.”

He said BHS is hosting a raffle which costs $5 a ticket. The first prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from SuperValue.

“Because of COVID, we don’t have a station post but people can come here (at the shelter)…they can call and (we) can deliver, but we don’t have a stand where you can go and purchase (a raffle ticket).”

On its Facebook page, BHS stressed how this situation has compounded an already precarious situation.

“Our shelter is in huge financial distress and yet we continue to help our community,” BHS said. “This has absolutely devastated us. We have more animals than ever and our operating costs are quickly approaching $2 million per year.

“The BHS continues to support Bahamian families with a pet food bank and a low cost clinic. We continue to work hard to keep pets with their families in these trying times.

“We pride ourselves on being a no kill shelter and we work so hard to save every animal that comes into our care.

“Our shelter is really struggling and this has broken our hearts. Times are so difficult and we are the oldest charity in the Bahamas and simply cannot afford this damage.”

Donations to the shelter can be made via PayPal or Venmo. Contact BHS at 242-323-5138 for more information.

Anyone with information on the break-in is asked to call police at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477).