WAD Celebration in Hawassa, Ethiopia
WAD 2012 was celebrated on October 6 at Hawassa, the regional capital of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SPNN) of Ethiopia.
The main message of the event was, “Development is a cumulative effect of animals as well”, focusing on the role of animals in the development of the country.
This year’s celebration was mainly focused on equine welfare problems which include inadequate food supply for working equines, inadequate health services, excessive work load with limited rest, injuries to cart pulling equines due to faulty shoeing, abandoning aged equines and those suffering from incurable diseases, improper outfits during work which predispose to injuries and others.
Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and three international charity organizations such as the Brooke-Ethiopia, The Donkey Sanctuary and Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) are working together to alleviate these problems in Ethiopia.
WAD 2012 was organized by these three animal welfare organizations in collaboration with MoA and others. Equine welfare and health problems were highlighted by different activities during the celebration.
The major event was marching through Hawassa city wearing T-shirts and caps prepared for the occasion, displaying posters, banners and placards, and chanting welfare songs.
Participants included invited guests from the parliament, FAO Ethiopia and other organizations, animal kindness club members from schools, boy/girl scouts and representatives from other regions who came to attend the workshop prepared by the MoA and the three charity organizations on animal welfare awareness creation and the draft animal welfare directive.
It was a very good opportunity that WAD 2012 coincided with the workshop and fruitful discussion about the need for animal welfare regulation in Ethiopia.
The march was cheered by onlookers and passers by all along the way. It ended at Hawassa University, College of Agriculture playground. It was followed by a brief gathering and the presentation of important messages on equine welfare, reciting poems, entertaining and refreshing guests and giving prizes for poem and art competition winners. Guest of honour for the occasion was Ato Desta Gebre, Deputy Head of the Regional Bureau of Agriculture, SNNP.
Public awareness about WAD and equine welfare was created by broadcasting radio programs on the regional radio station. The event was also covered by the regional TV. Finally, all the above activities made WAD 2012 a special day for animals as other animal welfare problems also were remembered although this year WAD event was primarily focused on equines.
Tekelye Bekele, World Animal Day Ambassador, Ethiopia.
- Organised by: SAW-Ethiopia