Latest news with #AnimalWelfareLaw
Observer
28-06-2025
- General
- Observer
Call for official stray animal shelters in Oman
MUSCAT: Nada al Balushi, a prominent Omani animal welfare advocate and veterinary sector leader, has called on stakeholders to establish official shelters for stray animals and fully implement Oman's existing animal welfare regulations. Nada was recently honoured as Animal Advocate of the Year at the Fluxx Events Awards 2025 in Hong Kong, recognising her outstanding contributions to animal welfare and community outreach. 'We don't have an official animal shelter in the Sultanate of Oman yet — what we have is the Omani Animal Welfare Association, which is a starting point for bigger strides in future,' Nada said upon her return from Hong Kong. 'We have an Animal Welfare Law in place, but it's crucial for the community to come forward, understand it and actively work together to improve the situation.' Though precise figures are lacking, Oman has a growing population of stray dogs and cats. Animal welfare organisations cite limited awareness and resources as major challenges in addressing the issue. 'In addition to that, we have the Rifq Clinic by Muscat Municipality, which focuses on the care and rehabilitation of stray and abandoned animals. While these are positive steps, we urgently need proper shelters and stronger regulations to ensure lasting change,' added Nada, who holds a PgCert VBM, LVT and CVBL. Nada views the Fluxx Award as a powerful motivator to continue her mission of educating communities, empowering veterinary professionals and fostering compassion for animals. Her citation highlights her active community outreach, promoting responsible pet ownership and mental health awareness among veterinary professionals through workshops, seminars and partnerships with rescue groups. She also serves on the advisory board of Sultan Qaboos University's veterinary technology programme. 'This award celebrates every school workshop, every awareness campaign and every conversation that brings us closer to responsible pet ownership and stronger support for veterinary professionals,' she said. Nada also stressed the need for stricter regulation of privately run zoos in Oman, underscoring concerns about animal treatment, feeding practices and living conditions.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
SAFE: Proposed Welfare Code Betrays Animals And The Law
SAFE is demanding that the Ministry for Primary Industries' proposed Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle be scrapped, calling it a legal shield for cruelty that fails to meet even the most basic obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 1999. The animal rights organisation says the code legitimises inherently harmful practices - including mud farming, feedlots, and painful procedures like castration and tail docking without pain relief - while continuing to allow animals to suffer without access to shelter. "If this code is accepted in its current form, it would effectively become a manual for animal cruelty," says SAFE CEO Debra Ashton. SAFE warns that the code is not an isolated failure, but a symptom of a broken regulatory system that routinely favours industry convenience over animals' needs, experiences, and rights. "We've engaged in good faith for years, but this draft proves the system can't be trusted. It's time to draw a line," says Ashton. The organisation has written to NAWAC Chair Dr Matthew Stone, MPI Director of Animal Health and Welfare Carolyn Guy, Minister for Agriculture Todd McClay, and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard, urging them to abandon the draft and take urgent action to address these systemic failures. "It's a betrayal of our welfare law and the animals it's meant to protect." SAFE's full statement reads: Proposed Code of Welfare Entrenches Cruelty and Undermines Animal Welfare Law The proposed Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle, currently open for public consultation, represents a profound failure of New Zealand's animal welfare system. Rather than lifting standards or upholding the Animal Welfare Act 1999, this code would entrench practices that cause widespread suffering - including painful procedures without pain relief, intensive confinement in mud farms and feedlots, and a diluted shelter standard that puts animals' lives at risk in extreme weather. SAFE rejects the premise that this code provides meaningful guidance for compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. It does not. Instead, it offers legal cover to inherently harmful farming systems and practices that cause serious and avoidable suffering. For that reason, SAFE will not be participating in the consultation process for a code that attempts to sanitise cruelty. When animals are confined on mud farms, concrete, or barren feedlots, they are stripped of their most basic expressions of life - grazing, playing, resting comfortably, ruminating, and relating to one another. These are not abstract ideals, but the everyday needs of sheep and cattle. Codes of welfare are intended to support our animal welfare legislation -- not undermine it. If this code is adopted, it will set a dangerous precedent: where cruelty is legitimised, public expectations are ignored, and the intent of the Animal Welfare Act is effectively nullified. This failure is not isolated. In 2023, the Regulations Review Committee recommended a prompt and substantive review of how secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act is developed - and whether existing instruments, particularly codes of welfare, are consistent with the purpose and intent of the Act. Almost two years have passed without action. It must now be prioritised to ensure that regulation genuinely reflects the law and protects the animals it exists to serve. SAFE is calling for the proposed Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle to be scrapped. The code must be rewritten in full alignment with the Animal Welfare Act -- not shaped to prioritise profit, productivity, or convenience over animals' wellbeing and legal rights. We urge the Government and the public to reject this code and demand a future where animal welfare law is not just symbolic but lived. It's time to build a system that reflects what the Animal Welfare Act already affirms: that animals are not merely commodities to be managed, but sentient beings with needs, feelings, experiences, and intrinsic worth. Notes The Ministry for Primary Industries is accepting public submissions on the Sheep and Beef Cattle Code of Welfare from May 14 - July 15, 2025. In July 2023, following multiple complaints on the integrity of codes of welfare, the Regulations Review Committee recommended a prompt and substantive review of the process for developing secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act.
Local Spain
11-04-2025
- General
- Local Spain
What cat owners need to know about Spain's animal welfare law
Spain's Animal Welfare Law was approved towards the end of 2023, but despite the fact it's been in force for a while now, it's still causing confusion among pet owners as to the exact rules. Because there are so many dog owners in Spain - at least 27 percent of Spanish households have one - most articles have been directed at them, but many of the laws are applicable to cat owners too. It may seem like Spain is a nation of dog lovers, and while it's true that there are more, there are a total of 5.8 million pet cats according to the European Pet Food Federation (FEDIAF). We may not see them out and about as much, because many cats in Spain are house cats, particularly in cities where it's not looked upon favourably for them to be outside, but there are a lot of them. Microchipped Firstly, the law states that it's mandatory for cats to be registered and microchipped. In many regions, it was already mandatory, but since the law came into force, all cats nationwide must be properly identified with a chip. Identification is obligatory in order to locate missing cats, those that have been stolen or abandoned. According to La Gatoteca website dedicated to cat owners in Spain, only 51 percent of domestic cats were identified and microchipped before this. Failure to get it microchipped can land you a fine of between €10,000 and €50,000. Sterilisation Secondly, all cats over six months of age must be surgically sterilised, whether they're male or female. If you get a kitten younger than this, then you will have been given it under the condition that you must take it to be sterilised as soon as it's old enough. Only registered breeders are allowed to leave their cats un sterilised. How long can cats be left alone? Thirdly, cats may not be kept regularly on terraces, balconies, rooftops, storage rooms, basements, or patios, and they may they be left alone for more than three consecutive days. If you're gone longer than this you should either take them to stay with someone else, take them to a pet boarding facility or get a pet sitter to stay with them at your home. But many cat organisations and experts believe that even three days is too long for a cat to be left alone, and advise that it's not on its own for more than 48 hours. Vaccinations There are no direct rules in the Animal Welfare Law for cat vaccinations because each region manages this individually, so it's important to contact your vet to find out which ones your cat needs. La Gatoteca always recommends giving your cat a primary vaccination, with the RCP cat vaccine, also known as FVRCP, which protects cats against feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and feline panleukopenia and a booster vaccination at approximately 21 days of age. After this, they recommend administering boosters throughout the cat's life, depending on each individual case. It's worth noting that although it's not mentioned in the law, most cat shelters or adoption agencies in cities in Spain, won't let you adopt a cat, if you don't have the necessary protection on your home, which can include cat nets installed on your balconies. Fines There are hefty fines for not abiding by the Animal Welfare Law. Minor violations carry a warning or fines ranging from €500 to €10,000. Serious violations carry fines ranging from €10,001 to €50,000; and very serious violations range from €50,001 to €200,000. Therefore, it's important comply with your obligations as a cat owner. In April 2025, a resident of the Madrid municipality of Ciempozuelos was fined €9,000 after being caught trying to abandon a cat in the street. Fake cat news There has been a lot of fake news regarding the law doing the rounds, specifically in regards to cats, so it's important to know what's true and what's not. For example, a video on social media has recently surfaced with a man saying that Spain has made it illegal to feed street cats under the Animal Welfare Law and has been shared and commented on many times. This is not true at all, the law does not prohibit you from feeding street cats and in fact there are several organisations and groups all over Spain that organise volunteers to feed colonies of feral cats.
Gulf Insider
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
Man Gored To Death In Oman As Bull Goes On A Rampage
An Omani man was killed after being gored by a fighting bull in the wilayat of Liwa, in North Batinah governorate, on Friday. The young spectator was gored to death after the bull went on a rampage in the Liwa arena, where a bullfighting event was taking place with hundreds of spectators. Several other spectators were also injured in the incident. Bullfights have been held in small Omani villages for decades and continue today in the wilayats of Barka, Khabourah, Saham, Sohar, and Liwa. A video of the attack went viral on social media, prompting many users on X to call for stricter rules and safety measures to protect both animals and spectators. Despite a 2020 ban on the use of animals for entertainment and sports like bullfighting, these events are still organised on a weekly basis. The law imposes fines on those who use animals for artistic or entertainment performances. Under this regulation, animal owners are in violation if they subject animals to unnatural acts, force them to perform in entertainment shows such as wrestling arenas and circuses, or use cruelty in preparing them for slaughter. Additionally, offenses include neglecting animals, depriving them of adequate nutrition or rest, overworking them, racing them without considering their age and health, displaying or trading sick or injured animals, and lifting or pulling animals unable to walk—causing them pain. Other violations include animal abuse (including sexual abuse), administering growth stimulants or unauthorised feed additives, and inhumane disposal of sick animals. The decision is based on the Animal Welfare Law issued via Royal Decree No. 21/2017. According to Article 13 of this law, violations are punishable by imprisonment for up to one month, a fine not exceeding 500 riyals, or both. Every Friday, hundreds of fans gather in the wilayats of Barka, Khabourah, Musanah, Sohar, and Liwa to watch bullfighting — or more accurately, headbutting — where honour, rather than money, is at stake. Unlike the Spanish tradition, which pits man against beast, the Omani version involves two bulls locking horns in a three-to-four-minute sumo-wrestling-like fight that usually ends without bloodshed. There is no cash prize, as betting is not allowed under Omani Islamic law. However, bulls are seen as investments, and their value increases the more they win. The price of a winning bull can reach up to 50,000 riyals. Most of these bulls are Brahmas imported from India, Pakistan, Portugal, and Spain, varying in colour, breed, and size — some weighing over a ton. Young bulls are reared on a high-carb diet rich in grains, dates, and dried fish. Some owners feed them milk, bananas, and a specially cooked mixture of greens and dates. These prize fighters are also massaged daily. Training begins when the bulls are around six months old, and they are introduced to the bullring between the ages of two and five years. To build stamina, the bulls are trained in the sea, which strengthens their chest muscles and helps prevent fatigue, according to their owners. The wrestling arenas in Barka and Sohar are the only ones that have protective barriers and spectator stands, while the arenas in other wilayats lack such safety measures, according to organizers. Bullfighting-related deaths are extremely rare in Oman, with very few cases recorded in the past 30 years.
Filipino Times
02-03-2025
- Health
- Filipino Times
Abu Dhabi Municipality visits pet shops; ensures animals are in safe environment
Abu Dhabi City Municipality has launched a field awareness campaign calling on pet shop owners and workers to uphold the highest standards of care for animals. Through its Animal Welfare Department, inspectors visited dozens of pet shops across the city, ensuring that animals were being kept in healthy conditions and reminding businesses that pets deserve more than just a place to be sold—they deserve compassion and proper care. During the visits, inspectors checked the health conditions of animals and birds for sale, assessed shop environments, and reinforced the importance of veterinary care. They also reminded pet shop operators of their responsibilities under the UAE's Animal Welfare Law and related regulations. The campaign aims to ensure that each animal has a chance at a healthy and happy life.
