To work towards humane treatment of all animals in communities, attitude change is deemed as a critical pillar for the success of ANAW’s mission. Supported by findings from research information collected over time, ANAW has endeavored to promote a value based education program that inculcates young minds into compassionate individuals on the welfare of animals. This approach led to the establishment of the program called ‘Promoting Animal Welfare in Schools-PAWS’ run through the Animal Welfare Clubs in Kenya.
The animal welfare clubs were introduced in Kenya in 2013 through a partnership between the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) - UK and Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW). The program has since expanded to 42 schools spanning over 5 counties i.e. Machakos, Makueni, Kajiado, Nairobi and Kiambu Counties. So far a total of 5850 children have been impacted with knowledge on animals and animal welfare. This is expected to translate to attitude change in approximately 5850 households within the different counties, ultimately resulting to humane treatment of animals in these communities.
The program entails recruiting primary schools into the animal welfare clubs targeting 50 children from Grades 4-7 (mostly children aged between ages 7-13). In these clubs, basic principles on animal welfare are taught to the pupils for a one-year period. It employs an informal teaching methodology through such activities as discussions, games and puzzles which encourage critical thinking, close observation, problem solving and empathy development. Such children are then able to make decisions on their own regarding negative perceptions and myths about animals from an informed perspective.
PAWS is backed by the fundamentals of humane education. Animal welfare is one of the components of Humane Education. Humane Education is a form of education that encourages the understanding for the need of empathy, compassion and respect towards people, animals and the environment and understanding the interrelationship among the three. It is impossible to separate the three hence the need for harmony.
Unintentional cruelty is often passed from one generation to another and this makes humane education vital in our society. A child growing up in a home where animals are ill-treated will likely treat animals ill in future because he or she does not know otherwise. Teaching animal welfare education in schools is one of the best interventions we can offer.
The one-year curriculum used in Animal Welfare Clubs intends to equip children with basic knowledge in animal welfare such as the five welfare needs commonly known as the Five Animal Freedoms.
Anti-rabies vaccination clinics provide regular vaccinations to pets and have thus contributed both to the health of the pets and to the public at large. In areas where ANAW has provided routine rabies vaccination of dogs, reported cases of rabies from both dogs and humans has reduced considerably, there almost being zero cases reported in certain regions. This is such as Nakuru, Nairobi, Kajiado and Taita-Taveta Counties where vaccination campaigns have been undertaken successfully.
Spay Neuter initiatives ensure a 100% birth control measure compared to other prevailing interventions. These spay neuter campaigns reduce dog and cat populations leading to decreased incidences of reported cases of bites in addition to other detrimental human-animal encounters. The spay neuter clinics have led to a decrease in number of stray dogs and cats in communities where campaigns have been undertaken. Such areas include Nairobi and Naivasha Counties owing to successful campaigns, among other factors.
The anti-rabies vaccinations and spay neuter clinics, coupled with community sensitization, work in synergy to decrease animal suffering, educate local populations on the benefits of rabies vaccination and pet sterilization; and to eventually eliminate all incidences of dog, cat and human rabies attacks within the areas where rabies is being addressed.
The National and County governments have been steadfast to partner with ANAW in its ongoing efforts of humane treatment of animals throughout the years in earmarked counties.
There has been a recorded surge in wildlife & environmental crime in several African countries that threatens the survival of key wildlife species. This has been exacerbated by the fact that poor case management and corruption hinders the successful prosecution of wildlife & environmental-related crime.
For the case of Kenya, The Kenya Judiciary Training Institute (JTI), in collaboration with the Office of the Public Prosecution (DPP) and Africa Network for Animal Welfare established a National Judicial Dialogue platform to identify key gaps, exchange experiences, share lessons and implement resolutions through cooperation and collaboration among relevant state law enforcement agencies.
The inter-agencies comprise of the following; The Judiciary; Office of the Directorate for Public Prosecution (DPP); Asset Recovery Centre (ARC); Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS); The Attorney General (AG); Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) & Customs; Immigration Department; National Police Service (NPS); Kenya Airports Authority (KAA); National Intelligence Service (NIS); Kenya Ports Authority (KPA); Kenya Forest Service (KFS); National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA); Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC); Financial Reporting Centre (FRC); and Kenya Maritime Authority.
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So far a total of seven National Judicial Dialogues and four Trial Advocacy Training sessions between December 2013 and June 2018 have been organized. Some of the key outcomes of the dialogues and training include drafting the amendments to the Wildlife Act, 2013, passing of stiffer wildlife-crimes related penalties, establishing an inter- agency collaboration framework to share and access intelligence information.
Bush meat hunting in Kenya is the single most threatening, illegal activity to wildlife conservation and management in the country. Kenya Wildlife Service and other authorities have declared that the demand for bush meat to supply commercial consumption is insatiable.
ANAW raises awareness about the devastating effects of bush meat hunting in critical wildlife dispersal areas near and outside of wildlife protected areas including community conserved areas. This is achieved through rescuing animals trapped with wire snares and injured by the same in various known hotspots for bush meat hunting in Naivasha and Nakuru environs, Machakos and Taita Taveta areas. ANAW and local stakeholders rescue giraffes, zebras, eland, impala and hartebeests among other wildlife trapped by wire snares while also mopping up substantial volumes of live and dead wire traps in the surveyed regions.
In addition, ANAW’s Biosafety project seeks to contribute to improving policy and legislative environment for sustainable agricultural practices in Kenya and elsewhere in the region. As a member of the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition, ANAW supports coalition activities to promote environmental health and the wellbeing of animals.
This program area is largely informed by the various forms of reported human-animal conflict. Generally, as a result of; the presence of environmental degradation, encroachment and increased land fragmentation has resulted in an incremental trend in cases of human-animal conflict globally. In Africa, and based on several underlying factors; whether social, economic, technological and/or environmental nature, such cases often result in destruction of property or loss of biodiversity through habitat destruction or destabilization of the ecosystems’ equilibriums.
In some cases, loss of human life has been observed through violent/active involvement of animals or via passive/indirect routes such as zoonotic disease spread. ANAW works with governments and like-minded stakeholders to carry out interventions that contribute to maintaining a balance between various human practices and animal survival (biodiversity conservation). Our focus on communities is generally geared towards innovative use of technology to provide solutions to causes of conflict and placement of affordable mitigation measures.
Our Work at Kasigau Ranch
ANAW advocates for the preservation of critical wildlife migration corridors between protected areas passing through community-owned land. In 2015, ANAW entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Kasigau Ranch Ltd to support the ranch develop a Range Management Plan for integrating landscape conservation and livestock production to protect critical elephants, lions and large herbivore migration corridor through the 52,000-acre ranch located between Tsavo West and East National Parks. Since then, ANAW has contributed towards recruitment and remuneration for 14 local Ranch Guardians to provide security and community liaison between the ranch and the local land owners.
As a result, illegal bush meat hunting has reduced, fewer elephants are being poached for ivory and community goodwill has increased through incorporating responsibility activities such as the dik-dik sports festival.
