Animal Welfare and Rights (Part I)
Published: May 27, 2014
By: Dr.Tean Zaheer (DVM,2ND FVS,UAF,PAKISTAN)
Animal Welfare:
Animal Welfare is the physical and physiological well being of animals. It enlightens the thought that animals must be granted the vitally important right- the right of a quality guaranteed life. Animal welfare is an umbrella term, it is a multi-dimensional term pertaining to proper utilization of animal resources, accompanied with a healthy and a comfortable life of the animal.
Being Humane requires us to be benevolent and kind to the animals. We ought to respect and abide by the rules for Animal Welfare. Animals have been playing a significant supportive role in Man's life. Starting from the silk worms, providing pure quality silk, to an innumerable variety of domesticated animals, playing various economically important purposes, not to talk of their roles being played in maintaining a viable ecosystem.
History of Animal Welfare:
Animal Welfare isn't a new term, rather it's a ramifying concept being revolutionized and thus modified by the advancement in the entire panorama of Human Civilization.
In Islam, mistreating an animal is considered a sin. The Quran and guidance from the ProphetMuhammad (P.B.U.H), as recorded in hadith, give many examples and directives about how Muslims should treat animals. It is forbidden in Islam to treat an animal cruelly, or to kill it except as needed for food. The Prophet Muhammad often chastised his Companions who mistreated animals, and spoke to them about the need for mercy and kindness. Here are several examples of hadith which instruct Muslims about how to treat animals.
- Reward for mercy: It is related from Abu Umama that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever is merciful even to a sparrow, Allah will be merciful to him on the Day of Judgment."
- Animals cannot speak up for themselves: It is related from Sahl ibn Al-Handhaliyya that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once passed by a camel that was so emaciated that its back had almost reached its stomach. He said, "Fear Allah in these beasts who cannot speak." (Abu Dawud)
- Mental cruelty also forbidden: It is related from AbdulRahman bin Abdullah that a group of Companions were once on a journey with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he left them for a while. During his absence, they saw a bird with its two young, and they took the young ones from the nest. The mother bird was circling above in the air, beating its wings in grief, when the Prophet came back. He said, "Who has hurt the feelings of this bird by taking its young? Return them to her." (Muslim)
- Mistreatment is a sin: It is related from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah, once saw a donkey which had been branded on its face and he said, "May Allah curse the one who branded it." (Muslim)
- Give rest to beasts of burden: It is related from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do not use the backs of your animals as chairs. Allah has made them subject to you, so that by them you can reach places that you would not otherwise be able to reach except with great fatigue." (Abu Dawud)
- "Whoever is kind to the creatures of God, is kind to himself." -The Prophet Muhammad (P.BU.H).
History In Sub Continent:
Taking into account the history of animal welfare & rights in the subcontinent, the name and remarkable contributions of Ashoka-TheGreat (322-185 BC) are worth mentioning. After embracing Buddhism in the latter part of his reign, he brought about significant changes in his style of governance, which included providing protection to fauna, and even relinquished the royal hunt. By specially addressing the leading community of that time-Kamboj Emperors he made sure the implementation to a vast territory. He was perhaps the first ruler in history to advocate conservation measures for wildlife. Reference to these can be seen inscribed on the stone edicts.
- Some of these Edicts are illustrated as,
- "No living beings are to be slaughtered or offered in sacrifice" (The Fourteen Rock Edicts, 1) professes Asoka, as emperor of India who "became a Buddhist and a vegetarian and, in accordance with the doctrine of 'ahimsa' (nonviolence), suppressed the royal hunts and ordered the curtailment of the slaughter of animals throughout his empire" (Richard Ryder, Animal Revolution, "The Ancient World").
- "Royal edicts, confirming the decisions of the Council were published throughout his empire, and some of them are still found engraved on columns and on rocks throughout the peninsula." Ashoka "made provision for medical treatment…and had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals" (The Fourteen Rock Edicts, 2). His edicts promoted "kindness to living beings" (The Fourteen Rock Edicts, 11) and"not killing living beings"(Minor Rock Edicts, 2).
Today there are several organizations, societies, cooperations, associations and NGOs on both National and International levels, working diligently for assurance of the proper implementation of Animal welfare & rights. Some of the universally recognized organizations include
PAWS-Pakistan Animal Welfare Society,
ASOP- Animal Safety Organization Pakistan,
Brooke Hospital For Animals,
Vets Care Pakistan,
BRC- Bio resource Research Center,
PFAR- People For Animal Rights,
PARAS -PakistanAnimal Rights Activists Society ,
Apec-Animal Protection&Education Club,
SupereHYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supere-Memorial-Animal-Welfare-Forum-Pakistan/149610751778509"'Memorial Animal Welfare Forum Pakistan,
WWF Pakistan,
International Union for Conservation of NaturHYPERLINK "http://www.iucn.org/pakistan"-(IUCN).
CONCLUSION:
Animals accord a prime importance in the life of Human beings, so being Human and the inhabitant of sub continent, we are religiously and morally obliged to abide by the laws of Animal welfare and rights.
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