The trouble with stray animals

Jun 01, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

On Thursday, 30th May, 2019 about 11:30 a.m., I was at my home at Lot 54 Aurora Village, Essequibo Coast, when a woman passing informed me that some goats were in the yard of another property, which I own not far away from where I reside eating the plants and flowers.
I left immediately and saw three goats in the yard, one with rope and the other two without, I was able to catch the goat with the rope and the other two ran away. It was not the first time that these animals would go into my yard once the gate is left opened by the children of the tenant who live there, and despite several complaints to the owner, nothing was ever done. So I was forced to take the animal to the pound at the Aurora Police Station about a quarter of a mile from the yard in question.
On arrival at the Police Station with the goat, I was told by the Subordinate Officer-in-Charge, Sgt. Madray, that the station do not have a pound and that since the old Police Station was dismantled so as to enable the construction of the new building, the pound was also broken down, and the building that is currently used, at the Aurora Police Station has no makeshift pound was built and that I must take the animal to the Suddie Police Station to be impounded.
Now for readers who may not know the Essequibo Coast well, I have to let you know that the building that currently houses the Aurora Police Station to the Suddie Police Station is about eight miles away and for a sixty nine (69) years old man to be told by the Subordinate Officer to take an animal to that Station knowing full well cars and minibuses do not transport animals, something has to be wrong with his way of thinking. It must be accepted that the S/O, is not responsible for this Station not having a pound, but the law requires that all strays that are caught must be impounded at a Police Station and the Subordinate Officer-in-Charge is the pound-keeper. There is no way I was going to take this animal back to my yard or to release it on the public road or on other people’s property, so I tied the goat in the compound of the building that houses the Police Station in the presence of Sgt. Madray and left.
The question is catching a stray animal in your yard that had damaged growing trees or plants, where it must be taken. Well I am certain it is not the Post Office or the Health Centre, the school or the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Office.
It is important to note that one making a report to the Aurora Police Station (the makeshift building), be it a crime or misdemeanour, your report would be taken, if necessary arrests would be made and the suspects would be taken to the Suddie Police Station or the Anna Regina Police Station a further twenty (20) miles from Aurora.
I am convinced that the decision I made to leave the goat in the compound of the Aurora Police with Sgt. Madray was correct.
On a related issue on Wednesday, 29th May, during the Ministerial Visit to Region # 2 while at the Ministry of Public Security area, I had a conversation with an individual who is attached to the Stray Catchers Department or Division and the revelations he made, had left much to be desired. I am not sure if the once much touted Unit had ever operated on the Essequibo Coast, but I am sure that if Police Traffic Department in this Region is to publicise the number of accidents that occurred, fatal, serious, damage and minor that were caused mainly by these strays and unbranded animals, you would be unpleasantly surprised.

Archie W. Cordis

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