Latest update May 25th, 2026 12:35 AM
Stray catching programme reducing fatal accidents – Ministry of Home Affairs
Despite several criticisms on the way it is being carried out, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Stray Catching Programme is bearing significant fruit with a significant reduction of fatal road accidents caused by roaming animals.
The Ministry of Home Affairs says that its Stray Catching Programme has reduced fatal road accidents.
In a statement issued last week, the Ministry declared that the programme has achieved a considerable degree of success since its implementation.
“In 2011, there were two fatal, five serious, nine damage and three minor accidents involving strays. In 2012, there was one report of a fatal accident, no report of any serious damage or minor accident involving strays. For the year 2013, there was no report of any fatal serious, damage or minor accident involving strays.”
However, for the current year, there was a report of a fatal accident involving a stray.
According to the Ministry, the programme, which was implemented since March, 2011, is intended to improve traffic safety on the main roads of Guyana by removing and impounding animals found straying.
It is expected that cattle owners will contribute to the safety on our roads by ensuring proper supervision of their animals during their grazing periods.
The Ministry said that claims that the programme is not very functional can be considered as unjustifiable.
The cost of redeeming strays from a pound has been increased over the years from 50 cents for every horse, mare, gelding, pony, mule, bull, cow, ox, heifer or steer, 35 cents for every ass, and 25 cents for every calf, sheep or goat, to $8,000 for every horse, mare gelding, colt, filly, pony, mule, bull, cow, ox, heifer, steer, buffalo, or ass, and $7,000 for every calf, sheep, goat, kid or pig.
The Ministry assured that there is no lack of workers for the programme.
It added that the most prevalent challenge that the Stray Catching Unit has faced is attempts to release strays when caught.
However, some cattle owners have been crying foul over the treatment of their animals in the pound.
Several owners have produced evidence of their animals dying while in the care of the state. This newspaper had also produced evidence of such.
Stray catchers are currently being paid $5,000 per animal. Once an animal is caught it is supposed to be kept at the nearest pound, most of which are housed at police stations for a specific period.
During that period, the owner can come forward, claim the animal and pay a cost of $5,000 in order to get it back. However if that period (two weeks) expires, the animal becomes the property of the state, and can be disposed of through public auction.
But given the high value for cows, owners have been coming forward to reclaim them – not so for the unbranded horses and jackasses, which are being kept as guests of the state for an indefinite period.
As a result, these unwanted animals have been locked up in police pounds for more than two weeks, in most cases, without water and proper food.
Recently the stray catchers have not been concentrating their efforts on jackasses and horses, which in many cases are responsible for many of the accidents involving stray animals.
This newspaper was reliably informed that while the owners of animals would normally go and feed them, the Station Sergeants are responsible for the upkeep of unclaimed animals in the police pounds.
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