His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, announced today the issuance of Ministerial Resolution No. 476 of 2018 concerning the executive regulation of Federal Law No. 16 of 2007 on animal care and its amending Federal Law No. 18 of 2016.
The announcement was made at the second UAE National Conference on Animal Welfare, organized by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in collaboration with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Running on November 11 and 12, the conference reinforces the UAE’s keenness to monitor animal welfare procedures in the country and ensure they conform to the highest international standards.
In his keynote speech, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “The UAE’s commitment towards ensuring animal welfare stems from cultural and environmental factors and is in line with our Islamic teachings. I am pleased to share that we are currently in the process of devising the National Animal Welfare Plan that is expected to be implemented in Q1 2019. The plan will unite efforts exerted by the private and public sector and individuals to raise awareness of the matter and ensure firm implementation of laws.”
In a bid to draw up a tentative proposal for a National Animal Welfare Plan, multiple workshops are held at the conference to generate and explore ideas and raise awareness, focusing on aspects such as slaughterhouses, transport, markets and farms, and wildlife and stray animals.
His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi added: “In 2016, we organized the first edition of the conference to ensure animal welfare is paramount in the UAE and share the UAE’s experience in this area with a regional and international audience. To build on the success of the first edition, we decided to organize the event regularly and make it a platform for sharing best practices and accelerate a collective action, in line with UAE Vision 2021.”
The conference sees today the participation of experts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, and Jordan. In addition, local and international organizations such as the World Health Organization, Dubai Equestrian Club, Emirates Animal Welfare Society, and Emirates Dog Owners Society are also represented at the conference. UAE-based participants include stakeholders from environmental agencies, local and regional municipalities, police departments, the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer), and academic institutions such as the Higher Colleges of Technology and the UAE University.
The conference aims to discuss challenges facing animal welfare organizations, enhance cooperation among regional animal welfare entities, achieve concurrence on national action priorities, analyze the requirements to develop a national animal welfare policy, and monitor its impact on overall health, environment and economic growth.
The conference discusses the challenges faced in handling and preserving animals. In addition to providing an overview of the principles of animal welfare, it focuses on owning companion and dangerous animals, highlight regional animal welfare programs in the Middle East and also touches upon global programs, review the efforts of MOCCAE and local authorities in handling all matters related to owning dangerous animals, as well as discuss the correlation between organic agriculture and animal welfare.