Residents of Four Roads in Diego Martin opposite Victoria Keys and Victoria Gardens are calling for immediate intervention of the relevant state authorities into what they claim is an illegal veterinary crematorium in the area.
The residents claimed the carcasses of animals are incinerated causing a strong foul stench.
Resident Paul Scott, who along with a group of other residents protested on Sunday, demanded the owners of Sunnyview Vetcare Services cease all incineration activity.
“We have spoken to them many times where we told them that this burning of animals are affecting us night and day. Some of us have health issues such as asthma and sinuses and it’s affecting us very badly. Even that horrible smell makes it difficult for us to breathe and to enjoy the comfort of our homes, inside and outside in our yards,” Scott said.
He added that they made numerous attempts to get a resolution from several state agencies including the Environmental Management Authority, the Diego Martin Regional Corporation and the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI).
“We noticed that there were no incineration going on for about three days and then officials from one of the agencies came to do an air quality test, obvious they didn’t find anything right. But we need the agencies to make unannounced visits and test the quality of air and see the smoke and smell what we have to, unfortunately, endure since the start of the year, because the incineration is a recent addition to their services because they have been around since 2016,” Scott alleged.
The establishment’s director Kelley Camacho sent a detailed statement sent to Guardian Media on April 21 through her attorney Shari Fitzpatrick.
Camacho explained that due to the lack of available legal options for pet cremation in Trinidad, they conducted their research and eventually purchased a small state of the art unit from the USA.
“We chose to purchase a top-of-the-line crematory unit for small animals. This unit is allowed in residentially zoned areas in the US as it is considered smokeless and engages numerous processes to ensure that the emissions produced are less than that of a diesel engine vehicle and less harmful than burning fossil fuels. This unit was substantially more expensive than other units. However, we considered it a worthwhile investment to ensure that no nuisance was created to any members of the neighbouring communities and also to minimize the environmental impact,” Camacho said.
She added that the unit was purchased in 2015 and started the process to get all the necessary permits and also reached out to neighbours in September 2016 to inform them of the intention to open the pet crematorium.
Camacho disclosed that they asked the residents for their comments and also offered to answer their questions/concerns regarding the unit, which some did.
“Many neighbours, however, ignored our invitation and refused to partake in any civil discussions with us. Instead, they immediately began making a barrage of false complaints to the EMA and other organizations, claiming that they were seeing and smelling smoke emanating from the unit. This was in 2016, long before we had an operational unit- when it was not even hooked up. Twice the EMA came out to investigate only to find the unit was still in its packaging and not even wired yet. We trust that the EMA will have a record of these complaints,” Camacho further explained.
She added that the neighbours also complained to the Town and Country Planning Division and Regional Corporation who came to investigate between 2017 and 2018 “when the unit was not yet operational.”
The company added it has no knowledge of any complaint being made to CARIRI, saying it developed its own air quality strategy with CARIRI months before becoming operational and conducts monthly air quality testing dates with CARIRI officials at its own expense in order to comply with EMA guidelines.
Camacho, the director of Sunnyview, alleged that the pet crematorium and its staff have been harassed by some residents.
“We have been subjected to harassment and bullying by several residents. We have attempted to speak with and reason with these residents on several occasions. However, our attempts are usually met with obscenities and insults, including accusations of being “ungodly.”
Camacho said that by January 8 2021, they had obtained all the necessary approvals and permits required for operating the pet cremation unit, which was communicated by way of letter to all residents nearby.
The crematorium only began operating on March 22, 2021 and since that time has been running on average three days per week for approximately five to six hours at a time during the hours of 10 am to 4 pm. Camacho said the unit is designed specifically to not produce smoke when properly operated and does not.
She admitted in the early stages of operating the unit, they experienced smoke on three occasions, and have since conducted training seminars with the team and local technicians who have experience with cremation to ensure the kinks were ironed out.
She added the residents are well aware that Sunnyview has complied with all regulatory bodies.