This year has been quite eventful for Education for Africa Animal Welfare (EAAW). Our team has worked very hard, we have gained much, learned much, taught much and shared much. This year, we have been proud to have facilitated the vaccination of more than 797 dogs and 121 cats within Tanzania alone.
We have also incorporated a new programs into our key mandates that is the chicken welfare program and vegan advocate program. This year, we have newly and strongly committed to chicken welfare as one of our core activities in collaboration with Open Wing Alliance (OWA) and vegan advocate through various channels and collaboration.
As the year draws to a close, we look back with a lot of gratitude, awe and excitement for what we have been able to achieve so far. It has helped us, as we are more confident and enthusiastic even as we face the future ahead.
We would like to appreciate all the local government, partners, donors, volunteers, community members and all of us who have worked tirelessly to ensure animal welfare interests are met. We would like to affirm that without the generous support we have received, we would not be able to accomplish much that we have.
This report provides an in-depth of what we have been able to do this year. It is our sincere hope that you enjoy reading it, and as a result, get inspired to support and get involved in the animal welfare movement.
Animal welfare means how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention and veterinary treatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling, and humane slaughter. Animal welfare refers to the state of the animal; the treatment that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane treatment.1 Protecting an animal’s welfare means providing for its physical and mental needs.
Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that includes consideration for all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia.
There are numerous perspectives on animal welfare that are influenced by a person’s values and experiences. There are also various means of measuring animal welfare, including (but not limited to) health, productivity, behavior, and physiological responses.
The Education for Africa Animal Welfare – EAAW has defined its commitment to animal welfare through the adoption of the following Animal Welfare Principles that serves as guidance when the Association develops policies and takes action to ensure the welfare of animals:
EAAW Animal Welfare Principles
The EAAW, as a medical authority for the health and welfare of animals, offers the following eight integrated principles for developing and evaluating animal welfare policies, resolutions, and actions.
The responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as companionship, food, fiber, recreation, work, education, exhibition, and research conducted for the benefit of both humans and animals, is consistent with the Veterinarian’s Oath.
Decisions regarding animal care, use, and welfare shall be made by balancing scientific knowledge and professional judgment with consideration of ethical and societal values.
Animals must be provided with water, food, proper handling, health care, and an environment appropriate to their care and use, with thoughtful consideration for their species-typical biology and behavior.
Animals should be cared for in ways that minimize fear, pain, stress, and suffering.
Procedures related to animal housing, management, care, and use should be continuously evaluated, and when indicated, refined or replaced.
Conservation and management of animal populations should be humane, socially responsible, and scientifically prudent.
Animals shall be treated with respect and dignity throughout their lives and, when necessary, provided a humane death.
The veterinary profession shall continually strive to improve animal health and welfare through scientific research, education, collaboration, advocacy, and the development of legislation and regulations.
Education for African Animals Welfare attended the Open Wing Alliance African regional summit that was held in Cape Town, from 16th to 18th September 2019. We continue to support
Our recent incorporation as one of the members of
Open Wing Alliance, a global coalition of organizations working to advance the
welfare of egg-laying hens, has solidified our work, resolve and movement in
the Chicken Welfare movement.
The summit offered a platform for EAAW director, Mr.
Ayubu Nnko, to showcase and present our work in advancing the welfare of
chicken in Tanzania. The platform also gave our team leader the opportunity to
interact with and network with other organizations and non-profits working in
chicken welfare.
The suffering Plight of Egg-Laying Hens
Hidden from consumers, restaurants and retailers, is the hidden suffering of the egg-laying hen, who has borne a very pricey cost of ‘egg’ and ‘chicken’ lovers. Over sixty billion chicken are reared for eggs every year. Around this, millions of egg-laying hens live in tiny, cramped and miserable and unventilated conditions, some going from hatchery to slaughterhouse within six weeks.
Even as demand for egg and egg products continues to
rise in Africa, without proper measures to protect egg-laying hens in this
demand, their suffering will continue to increase dramatically. It is in this
vein that EAAW continues to offer support to the chicken welfare movement.
We have incorporated chicken welfare as one of our
key programs and continue to advocate for cage-free systems in Tanzania and
beyond.
Some of the Key issues we focus on in our chicken
welfare work include:
Overcrowded misery
Living in unhygienic conditions
Lack of proper lighting
Cage Systems that do not adhere to international standards
Lifetime confinement to cages- It is undeniable the severe welfare problems that cages cause chicken. We are challenging the food industry to work with us to improve the welfare of billions of chickens! We continue to confront the confinement of chicken in cages! We advocate for the setting of standards against cage systems!
As we work to the welfare of chickens, EAAW commits
to firm advocacy, outreach and campaign against cage systems for hens!
We
envision a world where Chicken live like this
Figure 1. All chicken deserves to live in a free and healthy environment where they can thrive
No
chicken should have to endure this!
Figure 2 No chicken should have to endure this. EAAW is firmly against caged systems for chicken.
Education for African
Animal Welfare recently attended the 21st Annual International Companion Animal
Welfare Conference, as represented by our director Mr. Ayubu Nnko. The conference
was held at Valletta in Malta.
Figure 1. The conference was organized by Dogs Trust Worldwide. It brought together all stakeholders involved in the dog and animal welfare movement from all across the world. The conference took place from October 8th-10th 2019.
This conference offered
a perfect platform to discuss the welfare of companion animals; and facilitate
the exchange of knowledge, ideas and mutual support for animal welfare.
Organized and Run by Dog’s trust, this conference is one of its kind.
This conference was
very strategic for EAAW, seeing our passionate involvement in the animal
welfare movement, and our work with dogs and cats. Our presence was to
highlight our support for the dogs and cats welfare movement and to learn from
others involved in the movement on best practices going forward.
Why is the welfare of Dogs important?
Dogs and cats have been
termed as man’s closest friend. These two animals are the closest companion
animals to man, more than any other animal. Just like other animals and human beings,
dogs and cats deserve protection, compassion and effective welfare policies.
Having sound welfare
policies and practices for dogs goes a long way in ensuring the health, safety
and betterment of all society.
Figure 2. Delegates from different animal welfare organizations deliberating on the welfare of dogs and cats. It was a general consensus among many that animal welfare is still not given the proper attention and considerations it deserves. All around the world.
Figure 2. Delegates
from different animal welfare organizations deliberating on the welfare of dogs
and cats. It was a general consensus among many that animal welfare is still
not given the proper attention and considerations it deserves. All around the
world.
It was agreed that more
focus should be emphasized on training, knowledge dissemination and awareness
campaigns, as well as a change in policies. Training dogs and cats handlers’,
for instance, would ensure that they understand psychological as well as
physical issues in animal welfare.
Other major issues
deliberated upon in the conference included: breeding control, health and
nutrition as well as setting up education programs in animal welfare.
Education for African
Animal Welfare (EAAW’s) Role
EAAW was well
represented by our director, Mr. Ayubu Nnko, in this conference. He was able to
highlight to different stakeholders the role and the contribution that EAAW has
made in the animal welfare movement over the past year.
He reiterated EAAW’s
mandate in ensuring animal welfare is enhanced in Tanzania, and our commitment
to ensure that this continues to happen.
Mr. Nnko was also able
to secure the commitment and support of other groups working in the Animal
Welfare movement in the region; many of whom promised to work and collaborate
with EAAW to advance the interest of Animal welfare In Africa.
Figure 3. Our director, Mr. Ayubu Nnko, enjoying a light moment during the annual International Companion Animals Welfare Conference in Valletta, Malta. He reiterated the commitment of EAAW in advancing the movement of animal welfare in Africa.
Figure 3. Our
director, Mr. Ayubu Nnko, enjoying a light moment during the annual
International Companion Animals Welfare Conference in Valletta, Malta. He
reiterated the commitment of EAAW in advancing the movement of animal welfare
in Africa.
From September 25th– 28th2019, Education for African Animal Welfare marked the World Rabies day celebrations in Singida, Tanzania.
Free-roaming dogs represent the highest risk of rabies for among all mammals. 80% of most human deaths of rabies are blamed on free-roaming dogs. When we support programs to vaccinate dogs, and train experts in animal handling, we’ll make a difference
Focusing on this year’s theme, Vaccinate to Eliminate, our team, led by our director Mr. Ayubu Nnko, celebrated this day by conducting free rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats in the Iramba area of Singida region. This was a massive vaccination campaign that saw 397 dogs and cats get vaccinated against Rabies.
Many pets brought to the stations for free vaccination
It was an interesting day indeed, and our team also engaged with students in the area, educating them on Rabies, proper animal handling and campaign efforts against the disease.
Telling and detailed explanation on rabies and how to be safe around dogs to school pupils is one of EAAW Agenda
Why we should join hands to fight against Rabies
Rabies is estimated to cause the deaths of over 59,000 human beings in a year, all around the globe. In average, at least 100 people die of Rabies every year. This costs over 8billion USD annually in treatment alone. In recent time, Rabies has been a neglected disease, mainly associated with developing countries.
Acute phases of Rabies infection is very lethal and is characterized by hallucinations, fever and paralysis. Other symptoms may include changes in behavior and neurological changes, such as increased aggression.
Rabies is a fatal disease! In fact, it has a fatality rate of nearly 100%. Among all zoonotic diseases, Rabies causes the most human deaths of all diseases. However, rabies is 100% preventable. Through vaccination, nobody will die of Rabies. It is with this in mind, that EAAW conducted a vaccination campaign.
EEAW team giving free rabies vaccines to dogs and cats in Iramba-Singida area
It is important to remember that this is not a disease that is easily spread between humans; it is a disease of animals. Indeed, many reports have shown that vaccination is the most effective way of controlling the disease. It is also cost efficient to vaccinate the animals, than to treat people after exposure to the disease.
Rabies outreach Campaign in a schools in Iramba Singida
Afterwards, our team conducted an awareness campaign among students in Iramba Singida division. This was an interesting session that was conducted by our director, Mr. Ayubu Nnko.
The aim of the awareness activity was to sensitize children on the following;
The importance of vaccinating pets ( such as dogs and cats).
How to report stray animals to local government authorities.
Practising caution on stray dogs and cats.
Education on Rabies.
School-going children from a local school in Iramba Singida learning about Rabies, and taking part in the World rabies day celebrations.
“Rabies is a bad disease. Rabies kills. We should fight rabies by vaccinating our dogs.”~A primary-school student from Iramba-Singida.
“When we vaccinate our dogs, we are creating a world free of rabies. We owe this to our children, our animals and the future generations. Let us vaccinate to eliminate.”~Ayubu Nnko, EAAW Country Director.
The day ended on a high note, with celebrations, pictures and festivities among the children and the EAAW team. EAAW is grateful to Iramba DVO for their generous support and good will in ensuring that this day went well.
Children from a local school posing for a picture with EAAW director after completion of the day’s activities,
Donkey is one of the most important animals in Tanzanian community. Despite the facts, they are not cared enough compared to their value. Bad myths lead into the suffering of donkeys. This donkey found in Iramba Singida and they needs eyes treatment
In Discussion with Iramba assistant District Director on animals welfare issues in their districts. EAW Works at Iramba Districts closely with livestock and fisheries department on animals care and protection.
Animals has the right to be free to enjoy their nature and to feed themselves, but also they have to be helped to access the quality fodder in safe environment so that they can not be harmed in any way or injured. Love&protect them.
Donkeys feeding along the road, this is dangerous for their health
Donkey is one of the domestic animals that highly survive in dry areas especially in Africa. Donkeys is the hard working animal, while tolerates the harsh condition. We don’t have to take this for granted. Donkeys should be cared and treated like an important animal.
We need to join our hands to shout for the right of this animals. They should be provided with water, food, shelter, vaccination and treatment where needed. Either no any touches applause to this innocent animal.
EAAW is there to shout for the rights of this animals.
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