The gloomy tale of street dogs in Guyana, South America

January 18, 2009

Dear Editor:

The gloomy tale of street dogs

I refer to an article 01-07-09 GC titled “The stray dog nuisance needs to be focused upon” is not a matter of choice but a matter of circumstances for the multitude of dogs that roam the streets in search of something because they have nothing.

A narrative of street dogs forsaken and abandoned by long ago owners that have migrated. We have been roaming the streets for years mixing and meddling with our other homeless street buddies. We wished to escape a life of not producing puppies but trouble was everywhere and we could not run, so you know the end result. We gave birth to scores of babies over and over thus populating the streets. We are heart-broken looking for our lost or stolen babies. I dread to think they are slain or hit by vehicles left alone to suffer in silence. Or our babies are all grown and they too have given birth over and over only to worry about a horrible street existence while oftentimes run over by vehicles.

We raise our unhappy heads and suffering eyes up to the sky praying for rain to wash our itchy scruffy bodies because society scorns us. It did rain and pour. Oh wow what a beautiful feeling we could become man’s best friend again but we are not holding our breath for we are outcast dogs, voiceless, helpless and always at the mercy of cruel human hands.

How we long to beg for owners, our best friends, but we have no voice and our sad weary crying eyes are shunned. Our scornful life is a daily struggle for basic food and water. But let me tell you that our food and water are not nice and tasty like yours. Our daily intake to satisfy hunger and thirst is contaminated with infectious diseases having to eat from street garbage washed down with dirty water. But we cannot protest our contempt, since we have no voice or a choice.

Permit me human race to jolt your absent-mindedness to notice our troubles. We are dogs with vital organs as we too are living entities like you. We can contract chronic contagious diseases, only difference is, if you are diagnosed with such ailments you will get treated. But we are street dogs and could never dream of such a privilege so we mercifully request your table scraps that could lessen our malnourishment before the gates of doggie heaven open to accept us. Happy days are here again.

We are dogs with a fundamental right to life, just like you, so please do not judge us by our misfortune. It was our masters who committed us to a lifetime sentence on the streets but here are some initiatives to expand and built on. Encourage people to fence their yards to contain and enclose their dogs. Spay and neuter your dogs to minimize population. Vacant plots of lands with barriers and sheds can be utilized as sanctuaries for your dogs. Provide shelter to control and over-see your dogs. To reduce their suffering, do not add to street population.

Sincerely
Zenobia Williams
Animal Advocate