Dear Editor,
I write to bring to the Nation’s attention – the disturbing trend of animal abuse emerging from Berbice – Home Ear Cropping.
This has been brought to my attention by Veterinary Surgeon & Animal Scientist – Dr Grayson Halley, Msc. DVM, Dip. Animal Sc. of Ace Veterinary Clinic and Pet Store in New Amsterdam, Berbice. This is what he says:
“It’s a very disturbing trend that we are seeing and it’s something that we’re concerned about at ACE clinic. Home ear cropping is a painful practice that is done without anesthesia, antibiotics or post-operative medication. It’s often done with scissors, razor blades or other sharp objects. It’s very excruciating for these dogs to endure this type of procedure that is not done under any anesthesia or sterile procedure or pain control or anything. Ear cropping is often done to make pit bull-type dogs look tougher or to prevent their ears from being ripped off in a fight. The procedure is legal when done by a veterinarian, but illegal when done at home. For someone to be performing this in a backyard or in a backroom of a house and holding the dog down without anaesthesia is animal cruelty and if anyone is caught performing home ear cropping, they’ll face charges. And if they can tie the cropping to animal fighting, the punishment could be even worse.”
Personally I think that this is a horrifying trend of animal cruelty that should not be allowed to continue! God made these animals’ ears the way they are for a reason. Who are we to say that the Great Creator’s handiwork is not good enough as it is and needs altering to suit our perceptions!
I would like to call on all Animal Lovers and concerned citizens in Berbice to join our Animal Welfare Activists of Guyana Facebook Public Groups:
AWAG – ROSEHALL
AWAG – CORRIVERTON
AWAG – BERBICE (New Amsterdam)
These groups can be found by looking in the GROUPS SECTION of our Georgetown page, and have been set up to give support and a voice to animal lovers of Berbice concerning animal issues there, and are the start of coming together to bring about positive changes in animal welfare in Berbice.
Yours faithfully,
Shanti Mathews
Project Leader
Animal Welfare Activists of
Guyana – Georgetown Branch
