SEVERAL urban cattle farmers have told this publication that they are peeved at the way their animals are being ill-treated by operators in the Stray Catchers Unit attached to the Ministry of Public Security.

One farmer who rears dairy cows told this newspaper, on Friday, that he has six cows, and recently one of his cows was tied and resting under a tree after grazing under his supervision, and it was picked up by several stray-catchers. He said the animal was later impounded at the Sparendaam Police Station and he had to pay $8000 to retrieve it. Moreover, he had to hire a truck to transport the animal home in Georgetown.

The man said his cow came back injured. The animal was pregnant and had endured a severe beating because it refused to jump off the vehicle when the stray-catchers were offloading animals at the police station.

He was very upset that his cow had been treated in that manner, and he even sought a meeting with head of the Stray Catchers Unit at his Brickdam office, where he aired his concerns. He said the members of that unit were advised to operate professionally and treat the animals better.

The cattle farmer said the stray catchers are not picking up horses and donkeys that roam the streets freely, but are taking away only cows found to be grazing.

The 57-year-old said there is nowhere to graze his cows, and he would take them for a walk during the day and then return the animals to his residence, where they are housed in a pen in his yard.

He explained that when the animals are kept overnight in the pound at the various police stations, they are not being fed or given water, and the conditions are very poor.

Other cattle farmers said that they, too, are being targeted by several stray-catchers. They said the stray-catchers are not properly trained; they assault the animals, and the farmers are frustrated at this development.

Head of the Stray Catchers Unit, Ovid Glasgow, told the Chronicle that the ministry is concerned about the safety of animals impounded, and the people manning the programme are trained to handle animals in their care.

He said the catchers pick up all stray animals, including horses and donkeys, but there isn’t a proper holding area for horses, and they would usually break up the pens at the pounds. However, Glasgow said alternative arrangements are being made to compartmentalise the pound, so horses and donkeys could also be in the same pound.

Glasgow said owners of the animals need to be on watch when grazing their animals, because if they are found on major roads, they will be taken away by the Stray Catchers Unit.

He noted that the unit focuses on the safety of all, since sometimes these very animals would cause accidents in which people lose their lives, properties get damaged, and often no one comes forward to claim the cows or horses or donkeys when that happens.

He explained that some animals are not branded, and when they are involved in road accidents, the owners do not claim their carcasses, leaving drivers with damaged vehicles to repair.

On the issue of who is expected to feed the animals once they have been impounded, Glasgow said it is the pound keepers’ responsibility. That is, the police are expected to feed the animals, since the pounds are located at police stations.

The fees applicable for retrieving impounded animals are as follows: large animals, $8000; while smaller animals are $7000 each. The animal owners are responsible for retrieving their animals from police stations.