CHANDIGARH – International animal welfare organisation, World Animal
Protection has today submitted a detailed report to the government of
Delhi, comprising the learnings and findings from its ‘Better Dairy’
campaign.
The report titled: The White Truth – Better Dairy Campaign
Report has been submitted to the Chief Minister of Delhi, the
Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and the Minister of Animal Husbandry,
along with other corporate stakeholders.
World Animal Protection India started a campaign in 2012
to improve the lives of dairy animals by becoming the voice for these
sentient beings.
Over the next eight years, animal welfare
the organisation studied the root causes of animal suffering and worked
tirelessly to raise consumer awareness on the cruelty faced by dairy animals.
India is home to over 299 million cattle1, 90 million of
whom live in urban and peri-urban areas. Every day, an estimated 50
million dairy animals suffer the worst cruelty as they live in
unacceptable conditions in these urban and peri-urban dairies.
They are often confined to large dark rooms without
windows or natural light, are permanently tethered with barely any
room to move, they lie in their own faeces all day without access to
clean water, good quality feed or any healthcare.
In its report, World Animal Protection is making key
recommendations for corporates, government and other NGO’s and
advocacy organisations to take the work forward and continue to fight
for the welfare of farm animals.
The recommendations to build back better and move
towards a sustainable future for our dairy animals, producers as well
as consumers are as follows:
The ‘National Dairy Code” for better management of
cows and buffaloes should be recommended to the dairy industry in the
country as well all the state governments. The National Code of
Practices for Management of Dairy Animals in India covers all aspects
of the industry – from advice on breeding and husbandry, through to
guidance on how animals should be fed and housed. Basic hygiene,
sanitation and guidance on record keeping are also included.
Awareness about welfare of dairy animals and how it
will lead to a sustainable dairy industry in our country is necessary.
Since the urbanization is increasing at a rapid rate in Cities, there
is minimal chance that dairy animals can perform their natural
behaviour in the cities. Hence, we recommend having a plan where
dairies can be moved outside the city limits for a sustainable future
for our dairy animals, producers as well as consumers.
Gajender K Sharma, Country Director, World Animal
Protection India, said:
“The Better Dairy campaign by World Animal Protection has come a full
circle. In the past eight years, we have worked with various
stakeholders to improve the lives of dairy animals. All of our
learnings and highlights of our work have been captured in this report
released by World Animal Protection.
But the work is far from over. Our food systems
continue to evolve and we must ensure that animals within our food
systems are provided all the welfare needs. It is time for the food
systems to have a sustainable business model.”
Improved animal welfare leads to improved health: more
robust healthier animals, less antibiotic use, and risks of
resistance, less labour, especially for women, and improved milk
quality and production, leading to better livelihoods.
World Animal Protection’s vision is to transform the
global food system to ensure farm animals live a better life.
This can only be done when farm animals have the
means and opportunities to express natural behaviour, room to move and
to socialise with others of their own kind, and to feel pleasure. It
means freedom from the pain, fear and distress found in factory farms.
This transformation is possible. Some factions of
the food industry across the world is responding to the demand for
better welfare for farmed animals. We can all play our part by
choosing plant-based and high welfare options, eating less meat and
demanding a better life for farm animals.
It is time to rethinking how we treat all animals.
We must all urgently work together to transform the global food system
and end cruel factory farming. Let’s do it for animals, for people
and for our planet.
By YS.Rana: Principal Correspondent