Rescue Animals, Not Only Humans During Emergencies, FG Tells Nigerians

The Federal Government (FG) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) at a One-Day national stakeholders consultative meeting has advocated the need for animal welfare and safety during emergencies.

The ministry disclosed this in a statement on Monday, signed by Eremah Anthonia, FMARD’s Chief Information Officer.

FMARD revealed that the country in recent times has witnessed an unpleasant situation of flooding across the six geopolitical zones in the country leading to thousands of lives lost alongside properties that do not exclude animals.

The statement said that the National President of the Nigerian Veterinary Association, Oluwatoyin Adetuberu revealed that the meeting was of great importance, noting that when there are disasters, only humans are rescued without taking cognizance of the animals.

She said “The meeting was about rescuing and rehabilitating animals during disasters and emergencies, setting ways to include the animals in the National Emergency Management Agency, and having Veterinaries that are trained in ‘rescue’.

“When there are disasters, only humans are rescued without taking cognizance of the animals, this is wrong,” Adetuberu said.

Also speaking, Musa Inuwa the Director of Veterinary and Pests Control Services/ Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON) said animal welfare is a global discussion and the ministry is putting it as a key priority.

Inuwa said, “The essence of the meeting was to provide a platform for effective engagement and interaction among relevant stakeholders on implementing policies on matters concerning the general care of animals in production, processing, transportation, research, and games during emergency and disaster situations in Nigeria.

“The ministry had stepped up efforts towards introducing global best practices in Nigeria’s Animal welfare strategy in line with guidelines and standards provided by World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).”

He also said the National Animal Welfare Strategy for Nigeria approved by the National Council on Agriculture in 2016 and the inauguration of the National Council on Animal Welfare by the FMARD minister will serve as credible animal welfare ambassadors within their scope of activities.

He called on all FMARD stakeholders to make the health and welfare of animals a top priority, stressing that they constitute a larger portion of the Ministry’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).