Liberian Animal Welfare and Conservation Society (LAWCS) - July Report
Working animals play a key role in the growth and development of the rural population in Kankan region, Republic of Guinea. Cattle, donkeys and horses are used for agricultural related activities and facilitating transport of goods and services for the population. These animals put food on the table for their owners and send many children to school. Unfortunately, these animals are used in horrible, unbearable and inhumane conditions. Sick, wounded, starving and very young animals are beaten and forced to work. Some of the animals even give off and die during working process. Children who should be exposed to kindness, respect, empathy and compassion for animals grow up seeing their elders abusing, beating and forcing the animals. The children are also the main abusers of the animals because they have learned it from their elders and think that is a normal and acceptable practice.
The animals are fed with inappropriate food just to keep them alive and able to work. There is little or no access to veterinary service. Our organization is the only animal protection organization in the region educating the population about animal welfare along with free veterinary care and treatments.
The overall aim of the project is to help improve the health and welfare of 3,000 working animals and educate 3,000 animal owners and children about the welfare of working animals, kindness, respect, care, empathy and compassion for animals. There are four objectives the project hope to achieve:
1. Ensure that the project vet team is provided with capacity building training from a professional practicing vet
2. Provide direct veterinary care and treatment including deworming, wound dressing, grooming, parasite control and prevention, hoof trimming, etc to 3,000 working animals
3. Provide community engagement education programmes in 40 communities and reach 3,000 children and animal owners
4. Establish Community Animal Focal Groups in 40 communities with 10 members each
Summary of activities done in July, 2021
The following activities were done in July, 2021 towards achieving the above objectives of the project:
1. Visited and provided general veterinary care and treatment to 346 working animals (donkeys: 192 and cattle: 154) in 10 communities. These animals were treated from worms, flea, wound, dental, hoof trimming, etc
2. The team also visited and inspired 551 students in 6 schools with various lessons on the welfare of working animals
3. We also responded and rescued 15 working animals (donkeys: 9 and cattle: 6) and they were all released back to the communities.
4. We provided nutritional foods to 142 malnourished animals. We visited farms and homes with malnourished animals and provided them with food.
5. 200 animal owners were trained about the basic welfare needs of working animals including harness
