World Veterinary Day looks at animal welfare

Discussing the theme in Abuja, where veterinarians gathered, Dr Lora Devis of the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), said animals and animal welfare should be looked after by veterinarians. Davis said that treating other animals and human beings with compassion is necessary because animals also feel pains.“Nigeria has a long way to go […]

Discussing the theme in Abuja, where veterinarians gathered, Dr Lora Devis of the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), said animals and animal welfare should be looked after by veterinarians.
Davis said that treating other animals and human beings with compassion is necessary because animals also feel pains.
“Nigeria has a long way to go in animal welfare issues, but I am glad that there are movements now in that direction,” she said.
She expressed her regret with the way animals are transported from one destination to another in Nigeria, saying they are not properly handled.
A Veterinary Officer, Junaidu Maina, said animal welfare is a big problem in Nigeria “because though we have laws (Animal Diseases Act of 1988), which guide how we load and offload animals, we have not been able to fully implement it.”
He said the situation is degenerating into a major problem because people are disregarding not only the welfare of animals, but even the welfare of the owners of these animals.
He cited cases of cattle rustling and how animals and their owners are butchered by rustlers as a major problem in human and animal’s welfare.
Professor Garba Sharubutu of the Animal Welfare Initiative Nigeria, the organizers of the event, said the initiative was established in 2009 with the sole aim of promoting the welfare of animals.
He said the organisation will establish branches all over the federation in order to carry out advocacies on how to treat animals in the country.