Imagine being treated like a piece of cargo. Transported for days, even weeks on end simply to meet an often-brutal fate. This is the reality of the cruel live animal transportation.
We are the first organization to expose the illegal and inhumane transportation of livestock that were unseen every single day. No legal processing, no border check-points, no checking up on the bleeding, dying animals, just because they are animals headed to slaughter.
Among various campaigns conducted by Sneha’s Care, ban long distance live animal transportation falls under a major campaign. In the year 2054 B.S., live animal transportation criteria had been prepared and in 2064 B.S.(2007 A.D.), amendments were added. But, the criteria and standard remained in the form of paper only. During the animal transportation, the rules and regulations were not implemented. There was no improvement in the condition of those buffaloes being transported. Hence, as a result, Sneha’s Care exposed the cruelty of animals during the transport in the year 2017.
In a single truck, around 32-40 buffaloes used to be squeezed inside a congested space making their noses and tails tied. To stop them from sitting down, 2 people used to stay with them just to beat them with sticks. While traveling, some used to have broken horns, legs and bleeding from their nose, some used to have bruises over their body by sliding skin with one another in a congested space. Despite the Animal Transportation Act and standards made, it is not taken seriously which is a shameful thing for a nation. This shows that laws have no value in our country.
Sneha’s Care has been fighting and creating awareness about stopping animal cruelty since 2016 by conducting various campaigns. Making the drivers, herders, ranchers and associated bodies, we have been raising awareness to follow the criteria implemented for animal transportation. We also have conducted workshops by making stakeholders, Nepal Police, Nepal Traffic Police, Animal Quarantine, Animal Welfare Council and all the concerned bodies to attend the workshop.
As a result, Animal Quarantine formed a committee where Sneha’s Care is one of the members of the committee. In order to make people follow all the standards and to make sure animals don’t suffer, Sneha’s Care has been working towards this campaign for a long time. More than a decade ago, Nepal established the Animal Transportation Standard, which ensures that animals will be transported with the appropriate care and in fully equipped trucks with enough room for them. Articles 15, 16, and 17 of Animal Transportation Standards, 2064, clearly state the provision regarding the means of transportation for animals. In reality, this standard is not often followed in Nepal because there are no enforcement authorities working to enforce it.
Inhumane conditions are used to transfer numerous animals to our nation’s capital from various places for a variety of purposes. They have no room to sit or move around. Animals are confined to a tight space and are forcefully bound with ropes from head to tail while riding in trucks, keeping them immobile for long periods of time. Although there are laws against it, they are neither enforced nor checked. Ban Live Animal Transportation campaign was started by Sneha’s Care in 2017, with a focus on outlawing the transport of animals from Nepal’s lowlands to the nation’s capital in a cruel way. Since the program’s commencement, we have trained government representatives on how to properly manage the transportation of animals. We have also assisted enforcement agencies by setting up checkpoints and by providing necessary materials. Sneha’s Care wants to make this program available to all provinces nationwide and put a stop to animal cruelty in transportation.
Sneha’s Care aims to expand this program nationwide in all provinces and envisage ending cruelty from animal transportation.
