By Michel Outridge
AN unidentified man was mauled by three pit bulls yesterday afternoon in an abandoned lot on Forshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.

Up to press time, the victim, called “Rawle” (only name given), was receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital and listed in a critical condition.
He is scheduled to undergo surgery.

The man, who residents say is a vagrant, and who frequents the lot to pick fruits, was attacked by the animals from the yard next door.

‘MISSING SCALP’: The man, being assisted by the dog’s owner yesterday in the abandoned plot of land. (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo)

The dogs are reportedly owned by the proprietors of Satro’s General Store. But when approached yesterday they declined to comment on the incident.

The pit bulls ripped open a zinc fence from the yard where they are kept and attacked the man, ripping off his scalp and savaging parts of his body.

His screams for help attracted neighbours who rushed to his rescue after they contacted the owners on the telephone.

The injured man was conveyed to the GPH by neighbours who expressed disgust at the incident.

They all spoke of the need for the owners of the dogs to be more responsible and contain their animals, a pack of about eight, with pups.

A female resident yesterday told the Guyana Chronicle that usually vagrants would frequent the empty lot where there are several fruit trees.

She added that the pit bulls on several occasions manage to get out of their yard and roam about on the streets, until their owners are summoned to lock them up.

A black plastic bag with a quantity green mangoes was found under a tree in the yard, and nearby was a pool of blood.

Investigators were yesterday conducting investigations when the Guyana Chronicle visited the scene.

A COPS Security Service (Guyana) security guard who was on duty next door recalled the mauling to death of her colleague, Charles Roopchand, 54, of 2 ‘C’ Lusignan Public Road, East Coast Demerara, while walking to work.

He was attacked and killed by nine dogs, including pit bulls, at Ogle Airstrip Road on April 16, after the animals got out of the yard where they are housed.