Dear Editor,

The front page picture in the Guyana Chronicle (11.01.07 of the horse that ran into a drain in its desperate attempt to escape the unbearable load of its cart and the whip of the cart driver, captures the kind of punishment animals are subjected to daily at the hands of cart drivers whose greed and lack of compassion lead them to these acts of brutality.

The abuse of horses and donkeys that are made to toil pulling over-laden carts is far too commonplace. As if this is not enough, they are sometimes beaten mercilessly for being unable to carry that load.

As a society, we have allowed the everyday nature of these inhumane acts to dull our outrage at them, and our silence leads to their acceptance. The Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) ap-plauds the decision to publish this photograph and highlight this inhumane act and its perpetrator. We call on other media houses and citizens to play a role in the prevention of such abuse by speaking out when there are such occurrences.

Do not support/hire those cart drivers who mistreat their animals. You can report acts of animal abuse and cruelty by calling the GSPCA on telephone number 226-4237, and an inspector will be dispatched to investigate the report and to take necessary action which includes the prosecution of offenders.

We also invite the City Constabulary to work more closely with the GSPCA and public-spirited citizens in curbing these incidents of animal abuse and prosecuting the offenders. Animal cruelty is punishable by law, and it is time those who violate these laws be made to suffer the consequences.

The activities of cart operators need to be regularized and monitored by the relevant authority. Animals should not be forced to pull more than a certain weight. Should anyone reading this letter be able to identify the cart driver in this particular incident, we invite you to submit this information to the GSPCA. All information related to such matters will, of course, be handled confidentially.

Making our country a better place by stopping cruelty to animals rests with you! Help us to achieve this objective.

Yours faithfully,

Oliver Insanally,

Honorary President

Guyana Society for

the Prevention

of Cruelty to Animals