POLICE probing the killing of 51-year-old Joan Carter by two male pit bull dogs on Tuesday in the yard she shared with her sister and brother-in- law are treading cautiously at present with respect to charging the homeowner, Leslie Thomside.The Guyana Chronicle yesterday confirmed that the man was being guarded by police at a city hospital where he was admitted with high blood pressure since Tuesday afternoon.
It is understood that since the incident he has been complaining of feeling unwell and constant headaches and requested to be taken to the hospital. Doctors there recommended that he be admitted since it was unsafe to send him home in his condition.
While there is a charge under the laws of Guyana for owners who have dogs which harm persons due to poor supervision, that law is usually applied when the dog(s) breach fences or attack persons while in the company of their owner(s).
On Tuesday Carter was killed by the two pit bull dogs which lived in the same yard where she had her living quarters but the animals roamed freely unless they were locked in their kennel.
From all appearances, while the woman was never fond of dealing with the dogs, she would usually be around them when her brother-in-law was at home. However, on Tuesday when she was killed she was at home alone with the dogs and is believed to have attempted to lash one of them with a broom while she was sweeping the yard.
It was largely believed by persons in the area who witnessed what transpired that it was the raising of the broom on the dog that caused both of them to attack her.
Yesterday Crime Chief Leslie James told the Guyana Chronicle that the matter is still under investigation. He said that there are a number of things that need to be considered in rearing dogs as vicious as the ones which attacked the woman on Tuesday.
James stated that the police with the assistance of the owner of the animals were looking to have them removed from the home as a precautionary measure to avoid the dogs hurting anyone else.

(By Leroy Smith )