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Thursday, March 28, 2024

World Down Syndrome Day

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Killer bees? attack ends in death of family dog

GeneralKiller bees? attack ends in death of family dog


The McDonald family believes that the bees, which they allege came from a hive in the next-door neighbor?s yard, attacked when they became irritated by the loud sound of a weed-whacker, which was being used by a young man who was cutting grass in the McDonald yard.


The bees first attacked the grass cutter, who had to go to the hospital for treatment. Then one of the bees stung Ms. McDonald in the back of her head, while Ms. McDonald?s mother, who had gone outside to see the large swarm of bees, was stung on her forehead.


The only fatality in the attack was that of the family dog, Bruno (half German Shepherd ? half Rottweiler), who was tied in the front yard. The swarm of bees attacked him, practically covering his entire body.


Family friends tried to save Bruno by spraying him with water to chase the bees off, but this did not help, as some of the bees began to attack them.


Bruno eventually escaped the bees after he broke free of his leash, and was taken to a veterinarian around noon yesterday. The veterinarian told the McDonald family that Bruno had to be hospitalized for overnight observation.


Sadly, the family was informed around 8:30 a.m. this morning that Bruno had passed away due to severe poisoning from the many bee stings he had received the day before. The vet told the family that he would take care of the dog?s remains.


McDonald claims that the bees had lived in her neighbor?s yard for about six months, and she had asked her neighbor to call the Department of Agriculture about the problem.


The neighbor, Charles Tucker, told Amandala tonight that he had contacted the Department, which told him to call the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA). He said that BAHA then referred him to a private firm in the Neal?s Pen Road area. However, when he contacted the company, which does not normally exterminate bees, it said it would assist him, at no cost, if he would buy four cans of Baygon aerosol.


Tucker said that he had bought the cans of Baygon and had called back the company several times, but no one from the company came to help him exterminate the bees.


He decided to take care of the matter himself, but when he tried to spray the bees, from inside his house, the bees attacked and he had to abort the plan. Now, he said, the cans of Baygon are still stored inside his home.


Tucker told us that he was unable to cut his yard while the bees were living there, since the bees would attempt to attack each time he tried to do so.


Wednesday was the first time the bees caused anyone harm. When the bees had calmed down after this Wednesday?s attack, Ms. McDonald?s mother paid a friend to remove the hive from the neighbor?s yard, but a few bees still remained inside it. Realizing this, she then called the Department of Agriculture, and shortly after her call, trained personnel were on the scene and the bees were finally killed.

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