Chaos broke out in Tuvcille yesterday when a resident released two pit bulls on a group of children and the dogs ended up mauling passers-by and later, two employees of the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA).
The dogs, which were described as “huge and vicious”, were let loose on four children who were playing cricket and reportedly annoying the resident because a ball kept bouncing into her yard. But the children fled the scene, jumping into a drain and climbing over fences, managing clean getaways.
Faye Tinch, Pluvair Belfield and two employees of GSPCA were not that fortunate as the animals pounced on them in two separate attacks, severely wounding Tinch whose flesh was hanging from her leg after the mauling.
Police arrested the female resident of Critchlow Circle, Tucville pending investigations. Up to press time last night she was still in custody.
Residents at Critchlow Circle condemned the attacks yesterday saying the resident’s action was uncalled for. They said the children were pesky, but pointed out that this was no reason for two pit bulls to be set on them.
“It is shameful and madness for a woman to watch from her verandah and look on as her dogs bite people like they are food. I cannot imagine what might have happened if those dogs had caught those children, those tiny little things,” a resident said.
Speaking with Stabroek News after being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital and sent away, Faye Tinch of Critchlow Circle said she was at home when she heard a loud noise. When she looked out, she said, the owner of the dogs was on her verandah and “behaving bad”.
Tinch, who is the aunt of the children at the centre of the incident, said that from her stairs she was able to hear the threatening remarks being thrown at her nephews and nieces. She said one of the children had gone into the woman’s yard to retrieve a ball and this really angered the woman.
She said the children stood on the road mocking the woman in a way and this is what led to her rushing downstairs and releasing the dogs. It was around 11.50 am and two schools in the area were about to break for lunch. According to Tinch, it was a disaster in the making.
The children, sensing what was about to happen, fled the scene, two of them jumping into a nearby drain, while the other two jumped over a fence to escape. Belfield who has a disability had just made a purchase at a shop and was making his way home when he was attacked. He managed to fight off a further attack by jumping into a drain.
Tinch said the dogs were then called back into the yard but the woman left her gate open. A report was made to the GSPCA and two employees were dispatched to the area. When the men arrived Tinch took them to the home and one of them approached the gate to speak with the woman who looked out. She said the GSPCA employee identified himself and his colleague and was in the middle of asking the woman a question when the dogs burst through the gate.
“The dog jumped on the man and the other one jumped on his co-worker. I started to run when one of them jumped on them and started biting my foot. I tried fighting with it but it was too big,” Tinch related.
One of the GSPCA employees was bitten in his face and on his leg while the other received a few bruises. Tinch sustained injuries to her leg and hand. The woman said that she has lost all feeling in the affected hand.
After the second attack, the dogs went back into the yard and the woman locked the gate. She then emerged from her home and went about her business leaving Tinch and the two men lying injured on the road, according to Tinch.
The police were then called in and they arrested the woman. Shortly afterwards, a relative of the woman turned up and took the animals away.
The administrator of the GSPCA office on Orange Walk was not in a position to comment on the matter yesterday as she said that a report had to be made to her superior.
Ganelle Thomas, a relative of Belfield, said she was alerted to the attack shortly after it occurred and decided to pay the woman a visit. Thomas said when she got there the woman was very hostile and refused to have a conversation with her. According to her, the woman showed no concern for the injuries her relative sustained.
Thomas said Belfield had an accident several years ago, which left him with mental problems. She said that he was aware of the attack but did not complain or say anything. When he got home the wound was visible but Belfield had nothing to say.
“I went to her because he cannot speak for himself and she behaved so terrible. She had no respect for anyone and that is what made me angry. I left without saying anything much,” Thomas added.
