OUR ANIMALS NEED US AS MUCH AS WE NEED THEM
Just like humans, animals are sentient beings. They have emotions, feelings and are aware of their environment. They need to be taken care of and provided for so that they can stay in good health. They deserve to be given food, shelter and veterinary care. It is through this kind of commitment to animals that humans beings can co-exist in a reduced-conflict environment with animals.
By caring for animals, we are preventing the human population from contracting diseases from animals and ensuring our food security.
WE TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT ANIMALS...
ANIMALS IN DISASTERS
Animal disaster risk reduction and management refers to the cyclic process of mitigating, preparing, responding and recovering from animal emergencies.
Animal emergencies are an issue
We define animal emergencies are divided into two categories :
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Animal disease emergencies - Animals are the emergency
Animal disease emergencies are caused by transboundary diseases, or zoonotic diseases that lead to a public health emergency. Animal disease emergencies can have similar characteristics to other other natural disasters, as they can spread very rapidly and have serious socio-economic consequences.
The control of these diseases requires advance planning and action - otherwise they end up being widespread and their eradication becomes difficult and costly.
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Animal disaster emergencies - Animals are in the emergency
On the other end we have animals in disasters that need protection in order to safeguard them against death, disease and to prevent the loss of production and animal genetic diversity. Animals in disasters may also suffer physiological stress while animal owners may lose their livelihoods.
To address animal disaster emergencies, there needs to be a collaborative effort between emergency management officials and the animal-care community. By sharing resources and expertise, we can improve disaster preparedness and response in communities.
ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY
Animals in the community are essential for both companionship and livelihood. These animals live closely with people and rely on them for their welfare needs. Through these close interactions, zoonotic diseases can spread easily from the animals to humans.
The fight to end rabies
Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that afflicts both humans and animals. Domestic dogs are primarily responsible for the transmission of rabies to humans.
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The rabies control program
Free-roaming and intermingling dogs that aren’t vaccinated contribute significantly to the spread of rabies to other animals and humans. These dogs often come into conflict with local communities and end up spreading rabies through bites and scratches. Packing and roaming dogs are also a public health hazard due to littering the environment with their excreta, bite injuries and traffic accidents amongst others.
In Africa, several governments have resorted to culling dogs during rabies outbreaks despite it being rendered an ineffective rabies-control solution. Culling is simply inhumane, gruesome and crude especially since many government departments lack the proper training and equipment.
We will be heavily advocating for dog population management (DPM) as a more effective rabies-control strategy.
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What is dog population management (DPM)?
Wherever people are, dogs are usually there living alongside them. In Africa alone, there are an estimated 100 million dogs. The vast majority of these dogs are free-roaming within urban and rural areas. Some may have owners and households where they belong, but lack proper enclosures to reside in, even primary healthcare needs such as deworming and vaccinations are often neglected In many countries in Africa there are no structures set in place to regulate responsible dog ownership, education, access to health care or provision of dog population services
Dog population management (DPM) refers to the process of controlling dog populations by improving the health and well-being of free-roaming dogs and reducing the problems they present within the communities they live in. This strategy would be a Full Cycle Humane dog population program that would include a combination veterinary healthcare, mass dog vaccination, responsible dog ownership, identification and registration, holding facilities, education, euthanasia, controlling dogs access to resources and legislation depending on the country's needs.
ANIMALS IN THE WILD
Our wildlife are in danger
Our wildlife today is facing more danger than ever before with many factors threatening their survival and driving countless species to extinction. Some of these threats include; wildlife trade, zoonotic diseases, consumption as food, sport hunting, cruel entertainment for profit, human-wildlife conflict, destruction of wildlife habitats as a result of human activity, climate change and climate emergencies.
We’ll be working heavily to counter these threats as part of our vision to see wildlife live and thrive in their natural habitats.