Dear Editor,
Pit Bulls are generally feared worldwide. In some countries they are banned for the danger they represent to the average citizen. These mean looking, ferocious, and frequently misunderstood animals often receive inhumane treatment from their cowardly owners!
On June 27/06 while driving on Orange Walk (close to the GSPCA’s office), I noticed a Pit Bull running loose, obviously sick, lost and confused. I quickly stopped and parked my vehicle, took out food, sling and muzzle and called to him. He stopped. When he saw the food he came running toward the bowl. To my horror his face had been half bitten away and the flesh was hanging. His beautiful body was mangy and several parts had deep bite marks. It was clear that he had been the loser in a dog fight and his unhappy cowardly owner had abandoned him by Bourda Market. I quickly slipped the sling around his neck and took him to the GSPCA where he was euthanized.
Right here in Georgetown, some Pit Bulls are trained on treadmills in order to build them up for the next fight. I have seen, with my own eyes, three Pit Bulls, belonging to the same owner, been “trained” by having a lighter flicked repeatedly in front of their faces: the dogs go crazy when they see the flame and are then teased by kids and adults. These same three animals have escaped many times from their yard.
When people see them on the loose grown men run and hide. So far, the owners have been lucky that no children have been attacked while their dogs have been running loose on the streets. It has been long confirmed that when a dog’s worst instincts are repeatedly incited, their behaviour cannot be relied upon. And this is particularly true in the case of the Pit Bull breed.
One person told me she paid $40,000 for a Pit Bull only to find out he was blind. He became so vicious and uncontrollable she had to have him put to sleep. Another Pit Bull with all his teeth missing and his face and body full of bite marks from other dogs was taken away from its owner who was going to “stray” him (meaning he was intentionally turning him loose on our streets). The increasing abandonment of these dogs is a consequence of over-breeding for financial gain. An assistant vet told me that Pit Bulls are on track to become a common breed on the streets of Georgetown. This is because increasing numbers of “coward-owners” see Pit Bulls as easy money but are unprepared for the realities of space, time and money required to care for them. So what do they do? They stray the ones they can’t sell or give them to irresponsible persons!!
Some of the “coward-owners” seem to think Pit Bulls are made of steel, have no feelings and can be yanked, pulled, locked up 24 hours a day and mistreated and remain faithful to their owners. Pit Bulls may be stronger then some other breeds but they still feel pain and that pain turns them from potentially docile and loveable animals into dangerous threats to unsuspecting pedestrians and neighbours in our city.
Please remember animals have no voice and no choice.
Yours faithfully,
Syeada Manbodh
