Ministry to tighten regulations against donkey abuse

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Wednesday August 16, 2017 16:22

 

Assistant minister, Kgotla Autlwetse yesterday told members of the media that the recent indiscriminate killings of donkeys and abuse in an abattoir in Francistown punched holes and shortcomings in the existing Act.

The killings led government to indefinitely suspend licences in the trade of donkey products. There have also been calls from the Botswana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA).

Botswana’s Cruelty to Animals Act was established in 1936 and has only been reviewed once, in 1966. As such, Autlwetse said the ministry is organising a Donkey Pitso effective August 29 in Maun, Francistown, Serowe, Molepolole and Kang in an effort to sensitise stakeholders and come up with ideas on how to tighten existing laws relating to the treatment of donkeys.

Autlwetse said over the years, donkeys were almost neglected animals. However, the global demand for products of donkeys has escalated rapidly, with a particular interest in products from donkey hides. The donkey hides trade to the lesser extent associated meat trade is related to both animal and human health.

“Lately there is a demand for donkey hides in Botswana for the lucrative export market in Asia, especially China where the hides are boiled to extract a gel for medicinal purposes,” said Autlwetse. 

He said they realised that the donkey population in the country is decreasing at an alarming rate. He indicated that this threatens food security and nutrition of the rural dwellers where donkeys form part of the source of livelihood.

“The welfare of donkeys is compromised and this causes concern hence the urgent need for the development of a Code of Welfare for donkeys and horses,” he added. The population of donkeys in Botswana currently is estimated to be 227,000.

Meanwhile, authorities could not say which areas were most affected by the recent incidents of indiscriminate killings. They said in the absence of specific regulations for donkeys, they expect at least 10% of the population to be slaughtered annually.