A controversial case of equine euthanasia following cross-border transport between two Caribbean nations has ignited fierce debate across the region over veterinary protocols, biosecurity rules, and animal welfare priorities. The incident, which unfolded on May 29 after two horses arrived in Grenada from Saint Lucia, has drawn conflicting perspectives from veterinary experts, government officials, and animal welfare advocates since it came to light. The two horses, owned by Rohan Smith of Bonanza Stables, were put down after Grenadian authorities confirmed they tested positive for Babesia spp., the tick-borne parasite responsible for Equine Piroplasmosis, a disease that impacts equine species but cannot spread to humans. Early unconfirmed reports claimed both animals were pregnant at the time of transport, but Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Sustainable Development has refuted this claim, stating pre-export clinical inspections found no evidence of pregnancy in either horse.
In the wake of the incident, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has disputed Saint Lucia’s claims of procedural compliance, noting that Saint Lucian veterinary authorities held no official records of an export permit being issued for the horses. Mitchell added that the unauthorized movement of the animals violates animal health laws in both countries. The decision to euthanize the horses has also faced sharp public criticism from veterinary professionals on both sides of the border. Dr. Kenrith Carter, a practicing veterinarian, has publicly questioned whether all alternatives to euthanasia — including targeted quarantine, medical treatment, and cross-border expert consultation — were fully explored before the final verdict was reached. Dr. George Joseph, former Chief Veterinary Officer of Saint Lucia, has echoed these concerns, arguing that euthanasia was an unnecessary overstep. He pointed out that while the parasite poses risks to other equines, it cannot jump to human hosts, and established treatment protocols are widely used in regions where the disease is endemic.
Defending the euthanasia order, Grenada’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Kimond Stuart Cummings argued that the decision was rooted in protecting the country’s overall animal health ecosystem and preventing a potentially devastating biosecurity breach. For its part, the government of Saint Lucia has staunchly defended the actions of its veterinary team, maintaining that all required domestic procedures were followed at every step of the process. In a press briefing earlier this week, Saint Lucia’s Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir laid out the government’s account of events, noting that authorities acted fully in line with existing national regulations when the owner notified officials of his plan to move the horses back to Grenada. “There is no domestic law that prohibits a person from moving their own animals off the island,” Jawahir explained. “Our regulatory authority centers on controlling what enters our borders, not what leaves, in this case. We followed all required steps, notified Grenada of the test results, and made the owner fully aware of the risks.”
In a detailed timeline released by the ministry last Friday, Saint Lucia’s current Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Sharmine Melville-Edwin broke down the step-by-step sequence of events leading up to the unauthorized transport. On May 22, seven days before the horses arrived in Grenada, Saint Lucian veterinary officers completed a full inspection of the two animals to meet Grenada’s official import requirements. During that check, the horses were treated for both internal and external parasites, blood samples were collected for laboratory analysis, and initial clinical exams found no signs of infectious or contagious disease. On May 26, four days before transport, lab results confirmed the presence of Babesia spp. in both animals, and the owner was notified immediately of the positive result.
Following the positive test, Melville-Edwin confirmed that Saint Lucia’s top veterinary official directly contacted his Grenadian counterpart to ask if the horses could be allowed entry for quarantine and treatment. In response, Grenada’s veterinary team advised that the animals would not be permitted to enter the country, and recommended that the horses complete treatment and retesting in Saint Lucia before any future export application. Both nations also explicitly notified the owner that Grenada had never issued an official import permit for the animals, and that they would be turned away on arrival. Despite multiple explicit warnings, Saint Lucian authorities later discovered the owner had arranged transport of the horses to the port of Vieux Fort for export. By the time officials contacted the local transporter contracted to move the animals, the horses had already been loaded onto the departing vessel.
Jawahir emphasized that Saint Lucian authorities had no legal standing to intercept and detain the horses once they were loaded. “We fully informed Grenada of our findings, asked if they would accept the animals, got a clear answer of no, and passed that answer directly to the owner,” she said. “He made the independent choice to proceed with transport anyway.” After the horses arrived in Grenada, authorities followed through on their threat and ordered immediate euthanasia. Jawahir noted that the case is now moving into a law enforcement phase, confirming that the owner has been charged by Grenadian police, and further comment will be limited as the legal process moves forward.
In closing, the Saint Lucian Ministry of Agriculture took the opportunity to remind the public of existing animal transport regulations. The ministry confirmed that Equine Piroplasmosis affects only equine species including horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras, and poses zero risk to human health. It also reiterated that all imports of live animals, animal products, and animal by-products into Saint Lucia require a valid import permit under the national Animal (Diseases and Importation) Act, and encouraged anyone planning cross-border animal movement to consult the Veterinary and Livestock Services Division in advance to avoid similar incidents.
