Animal welfare in Egypt

Animal welfare in Egypt is an underrated issue. There are a few organizations that support the rights and wellbeing of animals, some of which are S.P.A.R.E and the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA).^[1]

Issues

There are a lot of problems concerning animal rights in Egypt; people are not properly educated about it and there are no strict laws against animal cruelty, such cases like drowning puppies, burying kittens alive or banging the animals' heads to the wall go unnoticed.^[2]

Working donkeys

There are donkeys that are mistreated in the streets of Egypt where they are overworked and abused with whips or sticks and are malnourished.^[3] An study has shown that the population of donkeys in Egypt have fluctuated over the span of 30 years from 1966 to 1996. In 1966 the population was 1,162; in 1976 it was 1,568; in 1986 it was 1,879 and in 1996 it was 1,690.^[4]

The Effect of Political turmoil on animals in Egypt

After the January 25 revolution, tourism in Egypt came to a halt and because that was the only source of income for those who worked at tourist attractions, they were unable to care for their animals and as a result, they were suffering. Egyptian Society of Animal Friends (ESAF)^[5] was able to feed 700 horses, veterinary care was provided, nosebands and fly masks were distributed. In four days, 526 animals were fed and ultimately 1,857 horses and donkeys and 94 camels were tended to using the aid of the Humane Society International (HSI).^[6]

Stray animal culling

Stray animals like cats and dogs are all around the streets of Egypt. A dedicated animal lover reached out to PETA Asia Pacific in February 2015 and they started a petition called "Urge Egypt to Stop Cruel Cull of Dogs!" where the messages would be sent straight to the governor of Cairo, the governor of Giza and the Minister of Agriculture.^[7] S.P.A.R.E has encouraged people via their Facebook page in July 2014 to adopt stray "balady" dogs to save them from being culled.^[8] Another ongoing petition has been launched by Occupy For Animals on Change.org in January 2013 to stop the poisoning and shooting of street animals. In March 2015, the Veterinary Directorate of Minya and Suez ruled a mass cull of all the stray dogs. According to El Watan News, they have put down 133 dogs in Minya.^[9]

The Ahram Street dog

In February 2015, a dog in Qaliubeya's governorate; Shubra El-Khayma was brutally slaughtered by three men after the dog bit one of them. They were threatening the owner to press charges against him and came to the deal of killing the dog as an act of redeeming honor and dropping the charges in return. The story went viral after a graphic video of the slaughter on Facebook was posted; sending animal rights activists in rage.^[10] The three men; two of whom are butchers were arrested days after the incident.^[11] The owner, along with the three defendants was sentenced to three years in prison^[12] but a Cairo appeal court reduced the sentence.^[13]

Activism

• S.P.A.R.E was founded in 2001 by Amina Abaza. In November 2013, Abaza fought for the rights of animals by proposing a law to prevent animal cruelty. The legislation passed and Article 45 was introduced in the Egyptian Constitution as: “The State shall protect its seas, shores, lakes, waterways and natural protectorates. Trespassing, polluting or misusing any of them is prohibited. Every citizen is guaranteed the right of enjoying them. The State shall protect and develop the green space in the urban areas; preserve plant, animal and fish resources and protect those under the threat of extinction or danger; guarantee humane treatment of animals, all according to the law.”^[14][15] A new legislation is being proposed after a previous one was refused that would stipulate compassion and mercy.^[16]
• The Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA) was founded in 2007 as a non-profit organization.^[1][17]
• The Egyptian Society of Animal Friends (ESAF) was founded in over 30 years ago^[18] but the Facebook page says it was founded in March 2002.^[5] It started in a flat in Maadi where rescue cats were kept by a group of animal lovers, and rescue dogs were kept at the Egyptian Veterinary Hospital in Abbaseya.^[5]
• The Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization (EMRO) was formed in 2004 as a non-governmental organization (NGO) that is dedicated to rescuing Mau cats, the descendants of the Ancient Egyptian sacred cat.^[19]
• The Animal Care in Egypt organization (ACE) was founded by Kim Taylor and her aunt Julie Wartenberg when they saw working donkeys and horses being mistreated and working past the point of exhaustion in Luxor. They were able to set the organization up in Egypt and the UK.^[20]
• The Rural Wellness Initiative (launched in 2013) is a registered charity organization that provides free vet care in a mobile clinic and education in animal care.^[21] It is hosted by Al Sorat Farm that sometimes houses animals in specific cases but does not actively rescue them.^[22]
• The Donkey Sanctuary is operating from Giza in three mobile clinics^[23]—one of whom is the Rural Wellness Initiative clinic—and is collaborating with the Society for the Protection and Welfare of Donkeys and Mules in Egypt (SPWDME).^[24]
• The Animal Welfare of Luxor (AWOL) is a UK registered charity on the West bank of Luxor that aims to improve the lives of Egyptian animals by educating children in proper animal healthcare and treatment.^[25]
• The Sharm Action For Animals (S.A.F.A) was founded in 2011 to help and rescue stray animals on the streets of Sharm El-Sheikh.^[25][26]

See also

• Society for Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt

References