A lot of articles and features miss our eyes in the newspapers. Very often it is the important things that we forget to read or take note of. Recently, I began taking much note of Sunday Stabroek’s ‘Pet Corner’ penned each week by Dr Steve Surujbally. Ever since my sister and I were small, we had pets, especially dogs, at almost every step in our lives. We were very attached to many of the dogs we had. We named them funny names. Dogs have always been a more special form of pets to me. I am also sure that they are the most common form of pets of persons in Guyana. And the column in the SN rightly focuses on our canine friends more than other animals each Sunday.
Of course, cats have been around for millions of years, whereas the first demonstrable relationships between man and wolves began some 10-15,000 years ago. My sister and I have shared happy and sad moments with pets, especially dogs while growing up. The sadder points were their (sometimes gruesome) demise, when in a few instances a person or persons would go to the extent of poisoning these helpless animals so that they can carry out their nefarious activities in the dark of night.
I thank the columnist for a touching article on December 20, 2009 about how we should treat our pets during the holiday period. The article evoked deep feelings, especially the quoted words by Senator George Vest in his tribute to dogs.
My sister is crazy about animals. She is a volunteer at an animal shelter in New York and visits as often as needed to feed, bathe and walk pitbulls that are getting a second chance at life. Their owners either gave them up or were charged for being involved in dog-fighting. Some of the pitbulls were even supposed to be euthanized. Some animals there are battered, she related to me, and needed extra TLC (as Dr Surujbally’s column explained).
The shelters are operated through donations and finances from the owners themselves, and also from fundraisers. Because the population at these shelters is on the rise, persons would ‘rent’ a dog or cat for the day, take them out, have a good time with them outside, and return them at the end of the day to the shelter.
My sister says that she is passionate about them because “they need help and a lot of bad things happen to them by their owners.” She says that she loves them because they love you back unconditionally. No matter if you are cruel to them unconscionably, when they wake up they love you again.
A few years ago in these columns, someone (presumably a foreigner), wrote a letter about the overpopulation of dogs in our country. And it is true. Look around your surroundings and you will see dozens of dogs (and cats too) roaming your communities, towns and villages. Many of them become road-kill and perish at the hands of cruel motorists.
I believe the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) should be commended for their (silent and unrecognized) work in the field of taking care of animals, especially cats and dogs that are sick, maimed, disease-ridden, hungry and just without a good home. At least we know that this is a safe haven for our animals.
We seem to have a problem in Guyana whereby persons are ignorant or uneducated about their duties in caring for their pets. Many persons take in pets and they cannot care for them properly or devote quality time with them.
Many children are not told by their parents how to treat animals, and especially during the holidays, many dogs and cats would be traumatized by the sounds of firecrackers and squibs.
Animal cruelty is a big issue in other countries. There are even laws in many countries to deal with offenders who are cruel to cats, dogs and other animals. It is a matter not taken very lightly.
I wish to thank Stabroek News for their efforts each week for making this humane contribution to the lives and welfare of our silent friends who make our lives a little more enjoyable and homes secure as well. Maybe the GSPCA should have extension services to areas such as Essequibo and Berbice, so that persons (or rather pets) can benefit from their services of spaying, neutering, vaccination, anti-heartworm meds, and general care.
They have no voice of their own, so any forum where their rights and welfare are being discussed and sensitization is taking place on their behalf is readily welcome.
We know that we all lead very busy and hectic lives, but the busiest person who gets more things done is an effective planner. It doesn’t take much effort to care for a dog or cat.
So I support the call of the GSPCA to persons to go in and adopt a pet, give them a real home, with real love, attention and care. These animals are perhaps the closest friends any human being would have in the animal kingdom. Cats and dogs have lived side by side humans for a very long time; maybe this is an indication as to how intertwined our lives are and how dependent we are on each other.
Yours faithfully,
Leon J Suseran
