Dear Editor,
With the floods of May 31, 2015 still fresh on our minds, I would like to share with your readers two stories. The first story relates to how the inhumane treatment of dogs can be modified through effective conversation. During the floods a friend of mine, looking out her window, saw two resident foreigners chasing their two pit-bulls off their dry steps, forcing them into the flooded yard. They then blocked the stairs, obliging the two dogs to stand in more than six inches of water with nowhere to go. My friend (whose yard was also flooded) shouted out from across the street telling these “cruel foreigners” it was wrong to leave their dogs in the flooded yard. The foreigners’ responded in their mother language, giving my friend the impression they were cussing her out, before they marched inside, leaving the animals in the flooded yard. My friend, a keen animal lover, called me, in an agitated state, and asked if I could help the dogs. I told her yes and headed to her home. On the way I stopped and picked up a Chinese-speaking friend, just in case. I decided to talk with the dog owners alone first, explaining I was an animal activist and a member of the animal society and that I would like them to immediately move their animals from the flooded yard onto dry ground. I was amazed how quickly they understood and cooperated, moving the two dogs into their partly dry garage.
Unfortunately, the second incident did not have such a happy ending. Just after 4pm Monday June 1, I got a call from the supervisor of the Guyana Zoo, Miss Adonika Spelling. She told me she had just received a call regarding a horse that had been suffering for many days in front of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. I called Veterinarian Dr Nardeo Bassoodeo and explained the situation; he was on house calls and said he would be available just after 5 pm. I met Doc and his assistant, Dorian, and we drove to the location. Editor, what that horse went through was horrible, nauseating and maddening.
The Security Guard, Oudit, attached to the Convention Centre, said that around 3.30 am on May 30th he heard several horses racing pass his security hut. He heard the metal grill, a few feet from his hut, ring with a snap-bang sound. He did not hear any further sounds and assumed the horses just ran over the grill and were gone. After daylight he found a horse in the trench in front of the Convention Centre. Later in the day (Saturday afternoon) he got some men to pull the poor horse out of the trench and they laid him on the parapet, noticing one leg looked broken (apparently from tripping in the metal grill). Oudit then went home; when he returned to work later in the evening he saw the horse back in the trench. On Sunday morning (May 31), under heavy rain, the horse was still in the trench. Word finally reached the owner who came from Sophia. With help from friends he got the horse out of the trench (the second time). The owner took one look at the horse and, realizing he had a broken leg (bone sticking out), he just walked away, never looking back at his suffering horse. To make matters worse, no one thought to tie the horse to a tree and trying to get up, but unable to stand, he fell back into the trench. On Monday afternoon (June 1) the horse was pulled out once again (the third time). Someone at the Centre made a call to the GSPCA who referred them to the Zoo but it was too late in the day for the Zoo to assist.
When the good doctor, vet tech and I got to the Convention Centre and heard the full story it was hard to keep the tears from rolling. We could not believe the pain and suffering this horse had to endure; broken leg, heavy rain, immersed in a nasty trench from which it was pulled not once but three times. The horse was euthanized just after 5.30 pm on Monday, June 1. The three of us hugged each other thankful that the horse was finally free of pain and suffering. The next morning I called the city council to dispose of the body.
Owners, in the first instance, are responsible for the welfare of their animals. All animals should be tagged so that ownership can be quickly determined and those responsible prosecuted under the law.
Yours faithfully,
Syeada Manbodh
