Dear Editor,

In the United States, the “in thing” now is for people to adopt a pet from an Animal Shelter. Singers, models, actors -high profile people; appear on ads encouraging people to adopt abandoned animals and they themselves have been doing the same. Talk show hosts have some of these pets on their shows too and encourage people to adopt.

Recently, Syeada Manbodh mentioned in a letter that someone is breeding/importing dogs in Guyana-one can imagine the price tag of these dogs. That is just the start, add the cost of feeding these dogs imported food, monthly deworming(regular worms and heartworms-the medication for the latter is not cheap) plus the yearly vaccines etc. Having a pure bred dog is not cheap at all.

Guyana has a serious problem with our animal population. We have too many stray and abandoned animals. Instead of adding to the overpopulation why are people not encouraged to adopt a pet from the GSPCA? Instead of showing off “bred” dogs for Mash as was mentioned in the letter why not have some of the animals at the GSPCA as a means of encouraging people to adopt one of them? While Guyanese can be very cruel with their animals, there are also many kind hearted ones whose heart may be moved at the plight of an abandoned animal. I know that an ordinary common breed dog can be the most loving and loyal of pets-one can never forget the image in the newspapers of a dog whose young owner was killed and the pet sat waiting for its owner. My brother and I saw two new born pups by the riverside –we adopted them-they were so loving -Dino lived until 15 years and went until his body gave up on him literally. Another one named Star was loved by the entire neighbourhood-when he died people came to his funeral.

Please let us start finding homes for the animals that we have here already. Those that can afford pure breed dogs-think about how many common breed ones you can take care of with less expense. All these well known personalities abroad are adopting “mutts” why can’t we too? Maybe the vet in his weekly columns in the newspapers can also put a photograph of one of the animals up for adoption.Please let us give these poor animals a chance to have a loving home.

Yours faithfully,

N Bisnath