Africa

RSPCA International initiated its first programmes in Africa in 2008, focusing on the southern African countries of Zambia and Malawi. Many African countries have some form of animal welfare legislation but it is often out of date and more importantly, poorly enforced. It is important that countries which currently do not have legal frameworks addressing animal welfare issues, act to put these in place.
 

Managing stray dogs and rabies 

Many countries in Africa have high populations of stray dogs and in rabies endemic countries with little or no veterinary care provision, this poses a serious health risk to humans and wildlife as well as the dogs. However, the methods to control stray dogs are often cruel and animal welfare organisations have a limited capacity to deal with them.
 

Towards improving farm animal welfare

Traditional, free-range farming, which constitutes the majority of the farming sector in Africa, can provide a good standard of welfare for farm animals. However, there is an urgent need for African countries to develop, implement, and enforce transport and humane slaughter protocols, especially in recognition of the World Organisation for Animal Health's (OIE) global guidelines on these issues.

Managing human-wildlife conflict

Due to increasing human populations, the areas available for wildlife are continually being encroached upon for human settlement and agriculture often resulting in ‘human-wildlife conflict’ with the destruction of crops by wildlife, disease transmission between wildlife/humans/livestock and attacks on humans and livestock. In retaliation ‘problem’ wildlife may be poisoned or trapped in snares causing the animals to suffer. This will continue until land-use policies are developed which provide for the co-existence of humans, livestock and wildlife.

Our work in Africa aims to improve the lives of both animals and people as the welfare of both in poor, rural communities is closely linked. We work very closely with the local community to ensure that the projects provide sustainable, long term benefits and that all members of the community from the chief to the children are involved.