In collaboration with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) is set to organize the second UAE National Conference on Animal Welfare. The definitive conference reinforces the UAE’s keenness to monitor animal welfare procedures in the country and ensure they conform to the highest international standards.
Set to run on November 11 and 12, 2018 at The H Dubai hotel, the conference will draw local and regional environmental and animal welfare experts from across the region. UAE-based participants will include stakeholders from environmental agencies, local and regional municipalities, police departments, the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer), and academic institutions such as the Higher Colleges of Technology and the UAE University.
Meanwhile, experts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and Jordan are also expected to participate. In addition, local and international organizations such as the World Health Organization, Dubai Equestrian Club, Emirates Animal Welfare Society, and Emirates Dog Owners Society will also be represented at the conference.
Speaking on the conference, His Excellency Saif Al Shara, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector at MOCCAE, and Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Food Diversity Sector, said: “Organizing the second edition of this conference reinforces the UAE’s commitment to continually monitoring animal welfare procedures in the country to ensure they are in line with best international standards. It is our endeavor to build an integrated animal welfare system that provides best-in-class animal care in keeping with our ethical and religious values and socioeconomic interests.”
He added: “The conference aims to discuss challenges facing animal welfare organizations, enhance cooperation among regional animal welfare entities, achieve concurrence on national action priorities, analyze the requirements to develop a national animal welfare policy, and monitor its impact on overall health, environment and economic growth.”
The two-day conference will discuss the challenges faced in handling and preserving animals. In addition to providing an overview of the principles of animal welfare, it will focus on owning companion and dangerous animals, highlight regional animal welfare programs in the Middle East and also touch upon global programs, review the efforts of MOCCAE and local authorities in handling all matters related to owning dangerous animals, as well as discuss the correlation between organic agriculture and animal welfare.
The event will also draw upon successful Emirati experiences in rehabilitating race horses for police work, in addition to highlighting the Livestock Breeders Summit, and Abu Dhabi’s TNR Program.
In a bid to draw up a tentative proposal for a National Animal Welfare Plan, a number of workshops will be held to generate and explore ideas and raise awareness, focusing on aspects such as slaughterhouses, transport, markets and farms, and wildlife and stray animals.