4 replies to this topic

[Green Thumb]

(Taken from http://www.wspa.org....w/Default.aspx)

The future of animal welfare lies in achieving international recognition that animals matter. WSPA is seeking this in the form of a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW).

A declaration of our duty to respect animals and their welfare needs would have a long-term impact on the welfare of billions of animals and people worldwide.
Agreement on the importance of an issue affects people's attitudes, and attitudes affect actions.


What is it?

A Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare would be an agreement among people and nations that:

• Animals are sentient and can suffer.
  
• Animals’ welfare needs must be respected.
  
• Animal cruelty must end for good.

What will it achieve?

The adoption of a UDAW by the United Nations would:

• Establish animal welfare as an international issue.
  
• Encourage governments to improve and enforce national animal welfare legislation by providing a benchmark.
  
• Recognise that animal welfare is a key factor in humanitarian and environmental policy making.
  
• Encourage industries which use animals to keep welfare at the forefront.
  
• Acknowledge the risks to animals caused by environmental factors such as climate change, habitat loss and pollution.
  
• Create a more compassionate global attitude to animal welfare, including their needs and habitats.

A declaration would also enhance the lives of over 1 billion people who rely on animals for their livelihoods, and the countless others look to animals for companionship.
A UDAW would work for human health – animal welfare contributes to sustainable farming systems and the improvement of human food safety.
"Over 1 billion people in the world rely directly on their animals for survival, and Kenya is no different … People in my country know this. When there is a drought, we will often give water to our animals before we give it to ourselves."
Hon Noah Wekesa, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Kenya


What can I do?

Join WSPA, over 220 animal welfare groups, and supportive governments around the world – including Sweden, New Zealand, Fiji, Cambodia and the Seychelles – in calling for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.

You may sign the petition here.
http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=116&ea.campaign.id=2507

[mariaandrea]

I'll sign. I like the fact they focus on areas of the world where this isn't much of an issue to governments. I don't buy factory farmed meat and while I'm by no means vegetarian, I don't think animals should have to suffer needlessly to feed us. And spaying and neutering pets should be mandatory everywhere.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

The black market animal trade is multi-billion dollar industry. Next to impossible to stop it.
But this is a good start.

[zararina]

We should respect life and all the creatures on earth. ;)
True that it seems impossible to totally abolish violence on animals and illegal trading as there are powerful and influential people behind it that would only give importance on money. But it will be always better to make some actions or efforts to make a difference.

[jasserEnv]

This is something that I talked about with people a decade ago so I am glad to see that progress is being made in getting some attention on the subject. After seeing how poorly animals are treated in much of the Asian and Muslim world where I have traveled, there is a significant amount of effort ahead but this could at least provide a start to changing the way people think. I also think that there are other benefits to humankind from making awareness of animal welfare more prevalent. I have read about how law enforcement looks at information about animal abuse as an indicator of other human abuse within households and can find wives and children who are being abused in the process. People who treat animals poorly are messed up enough that they often treat other people the same way.

I would personally also like to see something more extensive in the form of a living rights declaration so that plants were also included. How we cut down forests, poison water and air without regard for the other life forms on the planet just demonstrates how self absorbed so many of us really are.