Art and Chicken Transport
Rapid urbanisation has led to an increased demand of food supplies to reach markets. In Lilongwe chickens are being transported in very cruel ways and people pass the bicycle transporters every day, yet no one stops to think about the pain and suffering of several chickens bunched together and tied by their feet, hanging upside down on bicycle handles and bike racks – often transported over long distances through heavy traffic and in scorching heat. In our country it is best to sell meat for consumption as a live animal as the buyer can verify it is healthy, not many people buy frozen meat from supermarkets. FOr us at the LSPCA just being alive does not mean healthy.
Our Humane Education team spent 12 weeks with 90 school children from 3 primary schools in Lilongwe to understand the sentience of chickens through an art project. School children visited the main depot where an industrial chicken farm delivers thousands of chickens every day for distribution to markets. Children had the opportunity to ask questions and understand processes of industrial chicken production. The children then used art to reflect on the 5 Animal Freedoms. These reflections were combined into art drawings and then transferred to bill boards near main chicken transport routes.
On Friday, 3rd of November 2017 the schools have invited the OIE Animal Welfare focal person for Malawi, Dr Julius Chulu, the District Education Managers from Lilongwe, school children, teachers and parents and our Department of Agriculture Extension Service broadcast division to capture the children’s messages to the public in a grand effort to raise awareness of the pain and suffering of animals in our society.
- Contact Name: Lieza Swennen
- Contact Number: +265 (0) 995 752 839
- Contact Email: lieza.swennen@lilongwespca.org
- Location: Lilongwe
- Organised by: Lilongwe Soc. for the Prot. & Care of Animals