Early in the month of October , I encountered a donkey in the Atlantic Gardens area on the East Coast of Demerara with wobbly front legs and hoofs projecting sideways in a deformed kind of way and a growth hanging like a pouch under his chest; there was also a scar on his back seemingly from a wound.
The donkey could not stand for long because his legs would give way and he would buckle to the ground. When he does stand the hind legs are extended under his belly as if to share or distribute his weight for the front legs, so his posture changes to a folding or crouching position, then he eventually buckles. How can we help or bring relief to this animal that cannot help himself and seems to be abandoned by its owner? I understand he is fed by an animal lover who travels from the city of Georgetown to ensure he receives some sustenance, since because of his condition he cannot fend for himself, and will not be able to do so until the relevant authorities – the GSPCA and the supporting government agencies, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Home Affairs – come to his rescue.
The purpose of this letter is to appeal to the above relevant authorities to act on behalf and in the best interest of this animal who cannot speak for himself. I should be most grateful if my letter would be published to get the attention of the authorities and hopefully, also the owner of the donkey. Can either authority let us know whether this animal has been rescued and the decision taken?
Yours faithfully,
Maria Rodrigues
Editor’s note
We sent this letter to Mr Oliver Insanally, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for any comment he might have wished to make, and received the following response from Oliver Insanally, Nicholas Waldron, Jennifer Falconer-Majeed, Steve Surujbally, Dominique Ahmad, Shiromanie Isaacs, Robin Sivanand and Laleta Sivanand, who are the members of the committee.
“Thank you for permitting the Executive Committee of the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) to respond to a letter written by Ms Maria Rodrigues who has enquired about the status of a donkey she saw around the area of Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara.
“The donkey, which is the subject of Ms Rodrigues’ concern, is most likely the same one that has featured in several letters in the press due in part to public concern over the state of this animal’s hooves and the growth on its underbelly.
“Ms Rodrigues notes that her sighting of the animal was in early October 2011.
“Since then, the GSPCA has re-located this donkey to the Guyana School of Agriculture where he spends most of the days in a pasture there. The animal’s hooves were terribly overgrown and in need of grooming. These are being tended to and are slowly improving.
“A surgical procedure is needed to remove the growth. However, this procedure will not be performed until the animal is in good enough condition to withstand it – which is anticipated to be fairly soon.
“The Executive Committee trusts that this information sufficiently answers Ms Rodrigues‘ queries.“
