Member of Parliament Renews Call For Animal Pound In Westmoreland

Member of Parliament, Westmoreland Western, Morland Wilson, has renewed his call for the establishment of an animal pound for the parish.

“We are facing a crisis with stray animals, particularly cows. We have strays from as far as Western Hanover, which pose a serious threat to road users and significantly contribute to traffic accidents. It is crucial that we address this issue through community awareness and responsible animal control measures,” Mr. Wilson said, as he spoke in the recent Constituency Debate, in the House of Representatives.

“I renew my call to the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation and the Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar to move with urgency in establishing an animal pound for the parish,” he said.

Mr. Wilson argued that Westmoreland has been waiting for a dedicated animal pound for many years, and that the delay not only jeopardises the safety of road users but also reflects the dereliction of duty on the path of the Municipality to address this ongoing problem.

“I urge the Mayor to prioritise this request, as the safety of road users and the well-being of our communities depend on it,” he said.

Mr. Wilson also called on the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to work closer with farmers in the parish.

“I’m also calling on RADA to actively start identifying owners of these animals, to include them in training, livestock rearing and care and also to tag their animals for safety and security. The tagging of animals will go a far way in reducing praedial larceny and also helps the police in identifying animals when there is a theft,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Wilson pointed out that road traffic accidents continue to be a significant challenge in Westmoreland Western, placing massive burden on the health services.

“The Savanna-la-Mar General Public Hospital is facing overwhelming numbers of emergency cases, particularly motorcycle accidents. The situation not only strains our medical resources, but also highlights the urgent need to improve safety measures for our motorcycle users,” he said.