THIS year’s Medal of Service recipient Syeada Manbodh, said that caring for animals is part of her daily routine; it is part of who she is and she does so without boundaries when it comes to animals.

She has been caring for sick and abused animals for more than 20 years and is appalled by the number of calls she gets almost on a daily basis about how some people treat their animals.

This animal activist told the Pepperpot Magazine that through social media she is able to find out about a lot of animals in distress across the country as she works with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA).

ABUSED ANIMALS
She noted that via social media concerned persons would usually inform her if there is a sick animal left for dead or abandoned and she reaches out to the authorities in that area, especially with large animals such as cows, horses etc.

Manbodh stated that while some animals are willfully neglected, she gets the most calls to help abused animals simply because some people are very cruel to their animals.
“I get a few calls per day about people being cruel to their animals, it is simple: if you do not want the animal, give it away or take it to an animal shelter but do not ill-treat that animal,” she said.

Manbodh explained that people who are cruel to their animals probably grew up in a very abusive environment, and feel it is okay if they beat the animal but it is not and they should desist from doing so.

She touted that animals, like humans, need love, affection, and to be cared for because at the end of it all we are what we do. This animal lover views cruelty to animals as being ignorant and such persons should be charged, especially since the Animal Welfare Bill was passed in Parliament.

THE LOVE FOR ALL ANIMALS
Manbodh urged all animal lovers to treat their animals with respect and show them love, and to control their population and reduce the instances of strays by having them spayed and neutered.

She related that it makes no sense you have a bunch of dogs and cannot take care of them, so if you know that you cannot maintain many dogs take your dog to get spayed and neutered.

Manbodh said that these days it is easier to talk to people about the welfare of their animals because they are not so hostile like before, and they listen and that is a good sign.
She stated that being an animal lover is not a task for her since she has four dogs she rescued from abuse and countless birds, including parrots, toucans and macaws – which she doesn’t cage but they are on the many trees she has on her property in Queenstown.
Manbodh doesn’t support caging and restraining animals. In fact, she believes that some animals should be left in their own habitat.

Being honoured with a Medal of Service award by President David Granger earlier this year, Manbodh said it was truly a gesture she welcomed, and that she will never cease to love and care for animals which she views as a ‘full-time job’.

LULU AND PUMPKIN
On March 4, 2017, this publication featured two dogs that resided at the Georgetown High Court and were cared for by Manbodh titled “Animal lover and the High Court dogs”.
However, both dogs have since passed away. Lulu passed away last year and her three-legged companion Pumpkin died on September 14, 2018.

The dogs served as the guardians/watchdogs of the Georgetown High Court for more than 10 years and were cared for by Manbodh, who has said she will surely miss them.
In her Facebook post, she said, “Goodbye Pumpkin, sad day today. After 10 years of loving, playing, bathing and feeding Pumpkin, she passed away. I am guessing Pumpkin was approximately 13 years old. Many thanks to all who loved and protected her, especially the High Court staff and our former Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang. When I met Pumpkin someone had chopped her paw off, thanks to our late vet, Dr Peter Davis for saving her life by amputating her leg and Ian Chang for paying for her surgery. She will be missed. Pumpkin is buried in my backyard, along with her partner Lulu.”

Manbodh was much attached to the dogs, whom she fed and cared for like she does for most animals in suffering locally.

Recalling fondly, she said she first heard the story of the dogs and was in awe when she was told told that Pumpkin and her partner, Lulu, had stood guard at the Georgetown High Court when a man dressed in slippers and short pants was about to enter the compound and he was chased by them.

A policewoman who was working as the sentry had stopped the man and told him that he could not enter because he had on shorts and slippers, in accordance with the High Court Rules, also that the dogs would not allow anyone to enter the compound with slippers and shorts.

But the man refused to believe what the sentry said and anyway entered the compound from the South Road entrance.

He had a rude awakening when he was confronted by Pumpkin and Lulu, and in a haste to exit the compound his pile of documents was scattered. He, however, managed to retrieve his papers and left in a hurry.

The policewoman told the then Chief Justice Ian Chang (ag) and others looking on, “I tell he, I tell he, but he did not listen”.

Manbodh said as a testament to how much Pumpkin was loved, more than 220 friends on her Facebook page have since expressed their sadness on the passing of the dog.
Photos saved in a folder in Graphics as Dogs.