Wed | Jan 28, 2026

Empress braves Melissa with ‘Police’ after shelter says ‘No Pets Allowed’

Published:Wednesday | October 29, 2025 | 12:11 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
An elderly woman was seen sheltering beneath the eave of a business place along East Street in Kingston during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. ‘Empress’, as she introduced herself, said she was barred from entering a shelter with her dog. Instead of
Gladstone Taylor/Multimedia Photo Editor
An elderly woman was seen sheltering beneath the eave of a business place along East Street in Kingston during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. ‘Empress’, as she introduced herself, said she was barred from entering a shelter with her dog. Instead of accepting shelter for herself, she chose to remain with the dog on the streets despite the storm.

They say a dog is man’s best friend but, if 76-year-old ‘Empress’ had her way, she would not only change that saying to a human’s best friend, but would also ask that humans be kinder to her four-legged companion.

The wind and rain associated with Hurricane Melissa yesterday was too much for the senior who took refuge, sheltering at the doorstep of a closed establishment on East Street.

When The Gleaner sought to find out why she was outside, with a dog in a trolley clad in a dress, Empress said she was turned away from a shelter she visited Tuesday because of her furry friend, who she calls ‘Police’.

She told The Gleaner that she was told, ‘No Pets Allowed’.

“I have a dog. They don’t want my dog at the shelter, so I am staying with my dog,” Empress said.

She was adamant that not even the category 5 hurricane could separate her from ‘Police’, who she has cared for over the last six months.

“You see the Hindus, you can tell about a society by the way they treat their animals. So, if yuh have a pet in your home and you not looking after them properly, if you don’t care for them, it’s better you don’t have them,” Empress said.

She told The Gleaner that the authorities should change their no-pet policy.

“Well, of course; at least they could say, this lady has a pet and that lady has a pet so they can all share the same space. Nothing is wrong with that. If I have a pet and I am in a space and somebody has a pet, as long as the pet is not dangerous to attack me or vicious to attack my pet then I don’t have a problem with that,” Empress said.

She said she intends to find her place of abode in the “hills” once the rain holds.

Police was injured by a car which ran over her leg, opening up a wound. Empress said she took her to a vet on Monday and has been administering a treatment. She dressed the animal in a dress to prevent it from licking the medication from the wound.

“I make sure I keep her dry and put [up] the tarpaulin because my belongings are also in there. I was trying to find food for her,” Empress told The Gleaner.

She said she noticed that most Jamaicans don’t like dogs and would run her friendly pet.

“Majority of them don’t like animals… . I have seen so many dogs noseless, foot broken up, chopped up; I have seen so many wicked things [done to dogs],” Empress said.

She is a mother herself and said she is passionate about dogs.

“With me, I like dogs just as much as I like people or even more. Why? Dogs are more reliable, they have a whole lot of love in them. When you get to know them, they have so much love in them, you cannot believe it. This dog, when I say, ‘Lift up your foot’, she does and looks at me. When I dress her foot, she licks me all over and shows me that she appreciates what I do for her,” Empress told The Gleaner.

She said most people do not know what gratitude is.

“You do something for them and they forget yuh. If yuh not careful, they make up a scandal about yuh,” Empress said.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com