Animal welfare in Africa - the good and the lacking

by Guest Author - Sentamu Derrick Noah

Thanks to Nikki Botha for their editing contributions.

Animal welfare is defined as the mental and physical state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies. This definition has an intrinsic imploration towards the acknowledgement of the sentience of animals - that they are living beings who have the ability to suffer and feel pain. Animal welfare hasn't enjoyed as much mainstream attention in Africa as it has in other regions of the world. This could be attributed to a number of reasons but in my opinion, the most basic and important among all being the lack of awareness about global welfare standards. 

As a veterinarian, I first encountered the concept of animal welfare in my fourth year of veterinary school. It was part of a short course included in our studies. It was briefly glossed over before the books were closed and exams continued. The concept did not sink in for many as the most common discussions always revolved around diseases, drugs and the surgeries. We were preoccupied with concepts of animal medicine and surgery as an improvement for animal health. The story always concluded at these points. No further discussions were had and so we all confidently assumed that perfect physical health meant good welfare. We were, and many still are, missing out on a very important discussion point – does drug administration, surgeries and the absence of disease constitute good animal welfare?

The lack of discussion pertaining to animal welfare in my veterinary training had me question the experiences of others working in the animal space. Are they familiar with animal welfare? If so, are they conscious of it in their engagement with animals? Do they understand and embrace the intrinsic value of the concept? For animal welfare campaigns to take root in society, it needs to be broken down into simple, palatable pieces of information which can be understood by everyone. We may have campaigns focused on the improvement of animal welfare, but we need to ask ourselves whether people understand what it really means and entails. Considering this, I will share five different highlights that can be used in normalising the animal welfare concept in African society.

Integration of animal welfare into academic curricula from the ground up

Most African governments are making efforts to ensure that every citizen, at the very least, obtains primary level education. Introducing animal welfare at this level means that even if individuals do not progress to a higher level of education, they carry basic knowledge of the concept. This forms the foundation for other aspects of more informative welfare campaigns. More research needs to be conducted regarding the economics of animal welfare interventions and the benefits that can be accrued to the same. This information is important for strategic campaigning.

Revision of African countries’ legislation

There is a need to revise the legislation of African countries to clearly define the parameters of animal welfare. Tanzania’s legislation is commended for its explicit recognition of all animals as sentient beings and acknowledgement of the five freedoms. Other African countries need to borrow a page from this. However, as these revisions in theory need to be backed and followed by implementation, this calls for campaigners to foster political will. Active government involvement and support is important in advancing the animal welfare cause.

Making use of information, education and communication materials

In the scientific space, popular topics like Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), climate change, zoonosis, etc., are disseminated via the above materials. These continuous reminders are useful in keeping the knowledge and concepts in the forefront. This would work the same for the case of animal welfare.

Draw on societal and cultural opportunities to drive the animal welfare cause

It’s important to note that as much as the animal welfare dialogue in certain parts of Africa is still lacking, there are societies and communities which inherently value and respect the cultural significance of animal sentience. The Ankole, Tutsi and Masaai in Eastern Africa are prime examples of such communities. Another example is the reverence cows enjoy in Indian communities. These are positives which should be recognised. They are starting points to commend the societies as more improvements are communicated.  Identification and empowerment of such communities should be utilised in the creation of local ownership and adoption of welfare campaigns at community levels. This people centered and community based approach to societal issues is often sustainable as it’s likely to be altruistic rather than utilitarian in nature. These communities can be used to illustrate to others what good animal stewardship looks like.

Lobbying for a Sustainable Development Goal clearly focused on animal welfare

Lastly, there is a need for international cooperation for the animal welfare cause. Involvement of the United Nations (UN) in the campaign through a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) would go a long way in advocating for animal welfare. The UN plays a very important role in mobilising its members - African countries included - in pursuing a given cause. An SDG adds an aspect of sustainability in the innovative strategies adopted towards improvement of animal welfare. Along these lines, an International Declaration of Animal Welfare that holds signatories accountable could also be considered.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that efforts in increasing global and societal awareness about animal welfare will go a long way in solving the issues regarding the welfare of all animals.