Jersild Wright rescues animals every day. An animal inspector with the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA), Wright has been looking out for the welfare of animals and trying to keep them safe from neglect and abuse for over ten years now.
Wright, a graduate of the Guyana School of Agriculture, had previously worked with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Agri Corps. “At the time I started doing this job, I was doing some consulting work with Channel 9. I saw the vacancy and I applied. The vacancy required that I had some experience, which I had already. But as it relates to animal rescue, working with GSPCA was when I first started doing this,” he said.
Wright noted that he makes a special effort to follow the GSPCA motto and ‘Be a voice for the voiceless’. It can be challenging, he said, but knowing an animal’s life was saved is the best reward.
While Wright hails from Tucber Park, New Amsterdam, he has been residing in Georgetown to be close to work.
Among his responsibilities are purchasing and picking up stocks, investigating animal cruelty reports, and euthanizing large animals, like horses or donkeys when necessary. This last task, he said, was the most disheartening part of his job.
When Wright spoke to Stabroek Weekend just over a week ago, he had completed the difficult task of euthanising a donkey earlier in the day. The animal had been hit by a bus and sustained a broken hip. Its recovery seemed unlikely, which led to it being put down.
There are also good days. One of the best involved a sick dog in 2014. “We got a report about a sick dog on Quamina Street somewhere between Camp and Waterloo [streets],” he related. “When I got there, it was a dog that was half dead, I would say. It was a Rottweiler. I took pictures of it as part of the procedure. I loaded him into the carrier in the vehicle. At that time, it was my supervisor who was driving, I hadn’t started driving yet.
“We took him back to the clinic. Surgery was done on him, we dewormed him, gave him his vaccines and kept him as part of a project. We didn’t expect him to make it but after several months, he was back to normal.
“We named him Ben, and my boss adopted him. We didn’t return him to anyone because based on the report we had received he was a stray dog. Ben lived for some years then died of old age.”
Wright says he has remained at GSPCA because of his love for his job, while noting that there have been other inspectors who left. For several years, Wright did the job on his own because he could not forsake the animals whose welfare might be in jeopardy. There have been many days when he skipped lunch because he was too caught up with trying to save an animal.
Wright explained that sometimes when reports are made, there are no proper directions for getting to where the animals are, and they would have difficulties in finding them. Other times, he has encountered negligent owners, who are reluctant to give up their animals, which is why, in such cases, an animal inspector is accompanied by the police. The police are also needed in the event the animal to be rescued is behind a locked gate; the inspector could be accused of breaking in.
Recently, the GSPCA received a report from La Parfait Harmonie regarding a dog being abused. A recording of the abuse was sent to the officials at the shelter. Wright recounted that when they got there along with the police, the owner of the animal refused to let them in. After some time, however, she handed over the animal. Currently the dog is at GSPCA and will be up for adoption soon.
Often, rescues happen within Georgetown and its environs but every now and again, Wright ends up in remote communities. Tuchen, East Bank Essequibo is the furthest he has been, but he said his favourite place so far is Hague backdam, West Coast Demerara. It was the backdam scenery that did it for him, he said, explaining that once in a while, he is blessed with seeing Guyana’s beauty when he visits somewhere new for work.
Wright explained that animal inspectors are special people who have to have big hearts to want to take care of animals every day. According to him, it is wonderful to be surrounded by such amazing colleagues at his workplace.
The animal inspector explained that because there are so many pet owners who are irresponsible, there is a need for a stray catchers unit. He said there is much to be done to protect animals and keep them off the roadways. If the relevant authorities would listen to those working in the field, they would have a much better approach to keeping animals safe while people traverse the roadways, he added.
Wright said each police station should have a pound to keep animals and take care of them until matters involving them are over.
He advised pet owners to be more compassionate and considerate of their pets’ well-being, as well as the safety of others as it relates to keeping them off the roadways to prevent accidents.
Wright is a pet owner. In 2013, he adopted a dog from the shelter whom he named Dutty, since she likes playing in muddy water.
Outside of work, Wright is a football coach and goalkeeper trainer for the Under 17 girls of the Fruta Conquerors Football Club. He also coaches a second football team.
Among the services offered at GSPCA are clinic and shelter for animals, transportation services for getting animals to and from the clinic, over-the-counter vitamins on sale, and an adoption service. GSPCA also does spay and neuter campaigns. The next one will run from April 25 – 29. For more information, the shelter can be reached at 226-4237.
