Advocacy for animals |14 April 2023
Petition against animal poisoning garners more than 700 signatures
More than 700 signatures – 431 on-line and 341 in person – were garnered yesterday afternoon in a petition to stop the mass killing of stray animals through the use of poison.
The petition was put forward by a group of concerned citizens in the wake of the recent use of poison to address the issue of stray dogs in Seychelles and it is addressed to the government of Seychelles, the Speaker of the National Assembly, all members of the Assembly and all concerned parties.
The spokesperson of the group ‘Advocate for the animals’, Nicole Ste Ange, explained that since they did not get approval to host a pacific march that was supposed to take place on Wednesday afternoon, they decided to still be present at the Post Office area to sensitise the population about the petition.
“A huge majority of people expressed their concerns and worries about what happened and they proposed to have more education and sterilisation campaigns. It was interesting to see how a mother came specifically to drop her children just to sign the petition. Tourists also joined in the campaign and said they heard about this situation. We have a lot of local supporters and we will be in town during the week to have more signatures,” shared Ms Ste Ange.
For the march, a letter was sent to the Commissioner of Police yesterday morning and they changed the time and location and they hope this time they will get the approval.
“We need to raise awareness among dog owners and we are also having lots of international pressure. We hope that the voice of the people will be heard,” stated Ms Ste Ange.
What is in the petition?
The petition first of all condemns the recent acts towards the dogs and it implores the government to halt this practice immediately and explore alternative methods, such as humane capture and relocation or sterilisation programmes, which have been proven effective in other countries.
It also urges the government to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation into the recent mass killing of dogs around the island, holding those responsible accountable for their inhumane and illegal actions.
It calls on the government and the National Assembly of Seychelles to prioritise animal welfare and take meaningful steps to prevent cruelty and protect vulnerable animals. It is time to review and revise the relevant legislations.
“It is widely accepted throughout the world that animals are sentient beings and should have equal rights to us. It is essential to take responsibility for the stray animal issue and provide adequate funding to private supporting bodies taking care of them. SSPCA, Pet Haven and countless volunteers have been collecting strays, neutering them and rehoming them for years. Their success rates have been high, and would be even higher if the government gives them additional support.
Failure to address this issue will have gross repercussions on Seychelles' tourism industry, which is vital for the economy's survival. The tourism industry does not support poisoning, and the recent killings have appalled tourists, many of whom have taken photos of the poisoned dogs nation-wide and publicly deplored these actions on social media.”
“We, the citizens of Seychelles, implore our elected representatives and leaders of the country to:
(1) Stop the barbaric, dangerous and negligent use of poisoning on National soil; (2) Make animal poisoning illegal. This would entail a simple legislative amendment; (3) Increase the period of detainment prior to euthanasia to at least one month. With the aid of local NGOs, this would be a non issue for the government to instill; (4) Introduce an Animal Welfare Act or an Animal Sentience Act. There are examples worldwide we can adopt or borrow from; (5) Employ and empower suitable Dog Control Officers (i.e., individuals who genuinely care for animals and would not seek to harm them willfully); (6) Work alongside private NGOs, including Pet Haven and SSPCA, to curb the stray dog population in a humane manner. They would need larger premises, infrastructure and funding; (7) Work alongside private NGOs to educate the masses on the need for responsible pet ownership, including the need for neutering pets;(8) Work alongside private NGOs to organise monthly pet sterilisation and registration/microchipping drives and (9) Uphold the law and enforce penalties against perpetrators who have violated any of the offences listed under the Act.”
Vidya Gappy
Photos: contributed
