Dear Editor,
For quite some time special breed dogs have been assigned roles as sentries, protectors and defenders of property and owners, and in many instances are even held in greater regard than citizens. Many of these special breeds have built up quite a formidable reputation, engendering a ghastly fear that leaves onlookers transfixed. And many victims who have been attacked were mauled to death, including children.
I was made to understand that these types of dogs and their upkeep are very costly, with a single injection costing at times over $20,000 ‒ indeed a rather lucrative business.
Dogs on guard is the ‘go’ now, and I have no issue if that is a person’s preferred mode of protection once these ferocious animals are kept well confined and secured within their premises safely away from the public. Fences and gates should be well reinforced and not compromised, as there have been numerous complaints of some scaling both fence and gate without difficulty.
While some species of dogs are by nature ferocious having a killing instinct, others I am told, can be so trained to be so, and I have seen some utterly stupid things done by these tenacious people. To begin with, owners lack any real training or knowledge about these dogs, in spite of the injuries and loss of lives they have caused. It is now a common practice for foolish persons, I must say, to walk around with their prized possession unleashed driving citizens cold scared, then to hear their proud but silly utterance, “Don’t frighten she ain’t gon do yuh nothing”.
Sometimes you see their dogs sitting outside their gates and they are sitting on their veranda looking satisfied. I say they should enact a law forthwith prohibiting this foolishness; no one should be allowed to walk around parading these ferocious dogs unleashed and unmuzzled. I have heard about other stupid things like allowing these dogs to fight to their death with heavy stakes to be won. Stabroek News cartoonist P Harris once depicted a not too wise chap in foolish delight modelling his prize medal on the sea wall where families were having fun. In the midst of that crowd was his fearsome killing machine, unmuzzled, with bulging muscles, broad as a door and no leash on. This clown with a ton of gold around his neck, a mouth full of gold and rings on all fingers with an idiotic smile was admiring his prize, and everyone around was tense, as he scared the daylights out of them. This is a matter that has definitely gotten out of hand and needs urgent attention; citizens are in danger.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe
