Animal catchers scarce as WMC move to establish pound for stray animals
Published:Sunday | October 1, 2023 | 1:49 PMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer -
WESTERN BUREAU
The Westmoreland Municipal Corporation says it is getting closer to finalising a collaborative venture to construct a municipal animal pound to keep stray animals off the streets.
However, it said this could be complicated by a lack of animal catches.
"I am having one simple problem, but I am quite sure I will get over that hump very shortly and that is to get the catchers for the cows," said Bertel Moore, mayor of Savanna-la-Mar.
On July 30, Tajay Ebanks, a police constable died as a result of injuries he sustained when his service motorcycle collided with a cattle on the Little London main road.
Within 72 hours, 22-year-old Christopher Samuels, otherwise called 'Delano' of Dalling Street in Savanna-la-Mar, was killed due to stray cattl in the same area.
Moore, in a recent Gleaner interview, said cattle farmers are required by law to keep their animals within their properties and off the road.
"Once we start I think the farmers out there will find a way to ensure that their cattle are kept in places where they cannot come on the road," Moore noted.
According to Moore, the legal document to establish the pound on lands owned by Pan Caribbean in Frome is being perused by the corporation's attorney.
"As a corporation, we are in a joint venture with Pan Caribbean to ensure that we have a pound for these stray animals," Moore said.
He revealed that, once the lawyer has signed off on the conditions embedded in the agreement, the corporation will advance its plans for the pound to become operational.
"I can assure you that, whatever is in the power of the municipal corporation we will be doing it to clear the streets of Westmoreland from these animals," the Savanna-la-Mar mayor insisted.