KINGSTON, Jamaica — A woman who captured two of her neighbour’s Shih Tzu dogs and disposed of them pleaded guilty to cruelty to animals when she appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday.

Footage presented in court showed Colleen Samuels capturing the dogs in a rice bag and driving away. The incident reportedly occurred on September 19 at approximately 3:30 pm.

She later admitted to throwing the dogs away, allegedly referring to the animals as “filthy fleas”.

During the hearing, Senior Parish Court Judge Sanchia Burrell reviewed the footage and described Samuels’ actions as “very callous”.

In her defence, Samuels’ attorney told the court that her client acted because the dogs were infested with fleas and living in poor conditions to which Judge Burrell remarked that her behaviour was out of order.

When asked about the dogs’ whereabouts, the prosecution stated that they were not found and are presumed dead.

Samuels pleaded guilty to the charge. She will return to court on April 17, 2025.

The maximum fine for breaching the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is $1,000.

— Carlysia Ramdeen