A non-governmental organisation, the Society for Animal Rights Protection (SARP) organised a capacity-building workshop aimed at enhancing welfare and humane slaughter of livestock at the abattoir.
The event which was held on Thursday, at the Ibadan Central Abattoir located at Amosun Village in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, was attended by butchers, slaughterhouse workers, meat processors, veterinarians among other stakeholders with the focus on improving animal welfare and standard of operation at the abattoir.
During the workshop, Dr Ibikunle Faramade, President of SARP, emphasised the intrinsic value and sentience of food animals, stating that, “Animals are capable of perceiving and responding to sensations just like humans.”
He drew from scholarly research in animal behavior to underscore the importance of acknowledging animals as sentient beings deserving of humane treatment throughout their lifecycle.
“One of the central themes of the workshop was the concept of the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare.
“Advocating, freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to express normal behaviour, freedom from fear and distress.” Dr Faramade explained.
Participants delved into practical methods to ensure the well-being of livestock, aligning with ethical and religious principles.
In another segment of the workshop, Dr Ibrahim Akande, CEO of Milky Way Projects and Resources Limited, explained Islamic injunctions regarding the slaughter of food animals.
Quoting verses from the Qur’an and referring to prophetic pronouncements, Dr Akande elucidated Islam’s reverence for animals and the importance of humane treatment during slaughter.
Speaking on the Christian perspective on animal welfare, Rev’d.(Dr) Julius Adigun, MD/CEO of Mannavet Ventures, highlighted the biblical mandate for fair treatment of animals.
Drawing parallels between biblical teachings and contemporary practices, Dr Adigun emphasised Christianity’s stance against cruelty to animals and its advocacy for ethical slaughter practices.
“The Bible gave specific instructions on fair treatment of animals, and Christianity condemns any form of cruelty towards them.” Dr Adigun noted.
He urged participants to integrate ethical considerations with religious teachings and industry standards to ensure the humane treatment of livestock.
In his response during the workshop, the Chairman of Ibadan Central Abattoir, Alhaji Nureeni Akano, expressed readiness to implement the insights gained, affirming, “We are fully committed to abide by the lecture and will utilise the theme of discussion to enhance our practices.”
However, he raised concerns about significant losses incurred at the abattoir, particularly due to meat condemnation by veterinarians.
He urged the government to deploy veterinarians to livestock markets to ensure the quality of animals being sold there, stating, “The government should provide veterinarians at the market places where people sell livestock to prevent the purchase of sick animals and mitigate financial losses.”
Touching on the issue of losses, he also emphasised the need for insurance coverage to mitigate financial setbacks, stating, “Insurance for losses is crucial to safeguard our investments in the industry.”
One of the stakeholders present at the workshop, Alhaji Oladele Yusuf, while also addressing the gathering, lamented the sale of meat from self-dead animals by butchers operating at unapproved locations, highlighting the potential danger to the community. He stressed, “Butchers operating outside the Ibadan Central Abattoir selling meat from self-dead animals pose a serious threat to public health and safety.”
Dr Bukola Adedeji, the Project Supervisor of Ibadan Central Abattoir, expressed gratitude to SARP, the resource persons and all the stakeholders present at the workshop.
