ACTAsia calls for humane treatment of animals after earthquake in China

The terrible earthquake on 12-5-2008 has left the province of Sichuan devastated with more than 60,000 victims. The international community grieves for the people there, and has commended the disaster relief efforts of the Chinese Government.

We share the major concerns of the Chinese Government regarding the safeguarding of public health and the prevention of post-disaster epidemics. However, we are deeply worried about the current solution: a widespread killing of dogs in the affected areas.

- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already stated in 1990 that culling is an ineffective method in the prevention and control of rabies. This culling would be even more unnecessary as rabies is not occurring in the affected areas.

- International experience has shown us that the culling of dogs and cats to prevent the spread of diseases can actually increase the risk of epidemics. Without natural predators, the population of rodents expands, which can cause contamination of water and food.

- Removing and killing pets can have a detrimental effect on traumatised disaster victims who have already lost just about everything. As already seen in other major disasters, there are several victims in this earthquake who only managed to survive with the help of their companion animals.

In the interests of both humans and other animals, we appeal to the Chinese Government to take a humane and scientific approach to effectively control the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases by:

1. immediately changing their current policy of killing dogs.

2. allowing local and international animal protection organisations into the area to save and resettle animals. Animal rescue experts can work together with the disaster relief teams and thereby reduce the burden of the government workers.

We also call upon the public who have shown their great sympathy and support to the human victims to also have consideration for the non-human victims. Not only because they are so important in their role in consoling the lonely and bereaved, or for their economical value. But because they deserve respect and care as sentient beings in their own right.

An appeal has been sent out to the local animal protection groups to approach the ongoing relief operations in a scientific and constructive way. Besides supporting our call to the government to change their policy, the focus should be on providing assistance in resettlement, rescue and immunization of animals.

It is our responsibility – public, government and non-governmental organisations - to join forces in our efforts to help people and animals in the earthquake stricken region wherever we can.

Read our statement in Chinese.