-keeping the country’s roadways ruminant free
THE Stray Catcher Unit of the Ministry of Home Affairs has been making progress in keeping the country’s roadways ruminant free, according to Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Clement Rohee. He reportedly told the Governmnet Information Agency (GINA) that the stray catchers’ have been concentrating on the East Coast, East Bank, West Coast and West Bank Demerara.  
“There has been very good feedbacks except for a few incidents…(one of which) was a case where a few women were watching over some cows and the stray catchers turned up and took away the cattle,” Minister Rohee said. 
Minister Rohee said that as long as cattle are being attended to, the stray catcher cannot apprehend the animals because the animals are not considered as strays.
Regarding that incident, Minister Rohee said the pound fees were repaid to the owners.
He also noted that if a stray animal is caught without a brand and is impounded “the law says that animal will then be sold by the Government”.    
Since the inception of the campaign on March 29, which started at Diamond Housing scheme on the East Bank Demerara, scores of animals have been caught and impounded by stray catchers.    
The Home Affairs Ministry has rehabilitated or built new pounds where necessary over the past two years at the cost of $13.2M.
The Pounds Amendment Bill, which was passed in the National Assembly in April 2010, stipulates a fee of $5000 to be paid to a stray catcher or any other person for every animal he/she takes to the pound. These include horses, ponies, cows, sheep and goats.