– Says life saved by Guardian Angel Tina
THE Insanally family has by no stretch of the imagination recovered from the sudden death of youngest Insanally child and sibling, Tina, but the unthinkable happened last Saturday afternoon at approximately 17:30 hrs, when the Insanally patriarch was nearly torn to pieces by savage dogs used in lieu of guards by a gentleman who indiscriminately flouts the law.
Public Relations Consultant and Managing Director of Guyenterprise, Victor Compton Insanally, has had a heart ailment for many years.
He also suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, so the severe wounds from this terrible attack could catalyse life-threatening complications for Vic, whom has persevered in a rigorous health regimen to sustain the quality of his life.
When Guyenterprise receptionist, Dawn Harris informed me that Vic had been trying all week to reach me I called him on Saturday night, only to be assaulted with the horrifying news of an attack, mere hours before, that could have precipitated another tragedy in the Insanally family, but for the grace of God.
Vic was in overwhelming pain and I was angry to the point where I wanted to return to my office and do what I know best – seek justice by way of the public forum of newspaper pages, but Vic asked me to wait for a while and I was constrained to honour his request.
However, thank God for strong women and caring wives, Pat Insanally sent me Vic’s statement, along with her suggestions as to the way to avoid attacks by dogs.
According to Vic, he had been taking his normal walk around the very quiet residential neighbourhood of Lamaha Gardens when, having minutes before walked past the Holder, Shivraj and Thompson residences he looked back to encounter the horrifying spectre of about seven dogs, led by a large dark-brown seemingly pit-bull mix, all in attack mode, heading straight towards him, apparently having emerged from under several cars parked at a corner house alongside the pathway, because Vic said that he had not seen them when he passed the house.
Within seconds, before he could react, the dogs had knocked him flat on his back and began biting him from all angles, with the most savage bites inflicted by the pitbull-mix.
Vic received 14 deep bites, primarily on both his legs, particularly his calf, knee and thigh areas, his right hip and finger, which was almost bitten through.
All the while he was screaming in pain and shouting for help, with no response from anyone, even though guards at neighbouring houses and persons from the house where the owners of the dogs live stood looking on.

This composite photo shows the injuries inflicted on the arm and leg of Mr. Vic Insanally by vicious dogs

He said that he was bleeding profusely, which exacerbated the frenzied attack of the dogs, which were inches from his face and groin when they suddenly stopped in a synchronized movement, then backed away.

Vic is absolutely convinced that his beloved, recently-deceased daughter Tina had become his guardian angel and saved his life when he had given up and thought that he was finished, because the sudden halt in the dogs’ attack is otherwise inexplicable.
Whether this is the fanciful imagination of a father longing for a connect with his beloved daughter or not, the collective and sudden stop by the frenziedly and viciously attacking animals is certainly a miracle that saved the life of Vic Insanally.
The gentleman to whom the dogs belong allegedly runs an illegal business that involves dozens of used vehicles strewn carelessly by the roadsides of the impeccable and normally quiet neighbourhood.
Representations have been made by residents to the relevant authorities and several legal notices had been served on the offending gentleman to cease his illegal operations, to no avail.  Instead he brought the vicious dogs to act as guards and trained them to attack, leaving them out in the open to sleep under the vehicles.
Preceding the attack on Vic,  a 14-year-old boy and Attorney-at-Law Juman Yasin had suffered the same fate.  However, luckily for them, passersby rescued them before they could have sustained very serious injuries.
Vic is concerned that the bites may exacerbate his medical problems and precipitate complications in his health due to his diabetic condition.
The Insanallys are animal lovers and son Oliver is the head of the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA).  They are adamant that there are no guilty dogs but culpable owners and that it is the latter who are deserving of punishment for not protecting members of the unsuspecting public from attacks by dogs which had been trained to even kill.
They are hoping to propel a movement that would eventuate in stringent protection mechanisms  to be put in place by authorities, with punitive conditions to be enforced through legislation for injuries caused to members of the public through negligence on the part of dog owners.
Public Relations Consultant/ Managing Director of Guyenterprise, Vic Insanally began his career working for some years with the Rediffusion Group.
He subsequently worked with the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation as a radio announcer and programme producer before moving on to the Caribbean section of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Vic founded Guyenterprise in 1969. His services in the field of advertising and public relations have been recognized and sought after by many local and international companies.
Vic served as Special Advisor to Executive President of Guyana, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, until the time of his death.
For outstanding services to the country he was conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour in 1998.

Pat Insanally’s suggestions for avoidance of dog attacks:

l.  Never walk in short pants

2.  Always walk with a stick or some other repellant

3.  If attacked, pretend to be dead

4.  Do not expect anyone to hear you, see you, nor help you.

The last is obviously Patricia Insanally’s bitterness at the callous attitude of bystanders who stood by unconcernedly while her husband was nearly mauled to death, because all the Insanally family members are civic-minded persons who always lend a helping hand to others and certainly would not have stood by without attempting to help someone in a similar situation.