PAAWS chairman found hanging

The suspected suicide of Simon Pettet, the chairman of the non-profit animal shelter, PAAWS, left members of the Falmouth community reeling yesterday after his body was found at his home.
The police said that the 60-year old man’s wife made the gruesome discovery at about 5:30 AM yesterday when she went out on the porch of their Turtle Bay home. The widow of the UK national immediately called police.
Neighbours who were in disbelief told OBSERVER media that they were shocked by the alleged circumstances that lead to Pettet’s death. According to the police, the case is believed to be suicide, but investigations are ongoing.
Originally from London, Pettet served in the Royal Marines and was a successful businessman. Twenty years ago, he began spending half of every year in Antigua, living on his yacht, before permanently taking up residence here.
PAAWS’ management board said the deceased joined the PAAWS team in 2014 and recently took up the post as chairman.
“The entire PAAWS team is heartbroken. We are struggling to come to terms with what has happened, and can only hope that Simon is now at peace. Simon was absolutely devoted to the animals in our care and wanted nothing more than to help Antigua’s dogs and cats in need…even those which were seriously ill, injured or traumatised,” the statement said.
A board member described the deceased as, “a rock [who was] always there for his friends in need. He was incredibly generous. Hence, I affectionately gave him the name “Uncle Simon” as he was someone you could always turn to.”
The organisation said that Pettet would go around the neighbourhood every day and feed all the local dogs, even those that had owners with insufficient money for food.
Pettet met his “soulmate,” Barbara Davidson, 10 years ago, and lived a life surrounded by dogs. He loved motorbikes and windsurfing, and in his later years, turned to spirituality, PAAWS said.
Yesterday, a group of Pettet’s friends were already working on ideas to honour his memory. Those ideas included ways to get the entire country involved in giving assistance to PAAWS.