DUBAI 15 November 2018: The UAE’s is currently in the process of devising the National Animal Welfare Plan that is expected to be implemented in Q1 2019.
The plan will unite efforts exerted by the private and public sector and individuals to raise awareness of the matter and ensure firm implementation of laws,” said Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
The announcement was made at the second UAE National Conference on Animal Welfare, organised by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, in collaboration with Meat and Livestock Australia, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, this week, said Wam.
In addition to providing an overview of the principles of animal welfare, the UAE National Conference on Animal Welfare also focused on owning of dangerous animals.
In a bid to draw up a tentative proposal for a National Animal Welfare Plan, multiple workshops were held at the conference to generate and explore ideas and raise awareness, focusing on aspects such as slaughterhouses, transport, markets and farms, and wildlife and stray animals.
“In 2016, we organised the first edition of the conference to ensure animal welfare is paramount in the UAE and share the UAE’s experience in this area with a regional and international audience. To build on the success of the first edition, we decided to organize the event regularly and make it a platform for sharing best practices and accelerate a collective action, in line with UAE Vision 2021,” the minister added.
The conference discussed challenges facing animal welfare organisations, enhance cooperation among regional animal welfare entities, achieve concurrence on national action priorities, analyse the requirements to develop a national animal welfare policy, and monitor its impact on overall health, environment and economic growth. It also discusses the challenges faced in handling and preserving animals.