1. Animal welfare in Nepal
Kshitiz Shrestha1, Kevin Stafford1, Krishna Prasad Acharya2
1Massey University, New Zealand; 2Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
Introduction - Nepal in brief
WSPA and local partners like ‘KAT’, ‘Animal Nepal’, local and international institutions like Tufts University are supporting the de- sexing and anti-rabies vaccination of the animals.
Charity organizations – They setup a camp for the 1st time at the gateway to Everest and helped villagers neutering and vaccinating the dogs.
‘Nepal National Rabies Control Programme’ has been developed and also the “Blueprint” 9has been implemented for the prevention and control of rabies (World Health Organization, 2012).
Domesticated elephants are chained and used for human entertainment purposes.
Cattle, poultry etc. housed and transported in confined space.
Non-scientific way of slaughtering
The 2015 earthquake constituted a rather unique animal welfare emergency (Nepal Earthquake Disaster Operations Team, 2015).
Five freedoms (freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition, from discomfort, from pain, injury and disease, from fear and distress and to express most normal patterns of behavior) (FAWC 1992) - poor state of existence.
Population: 31 million
Capital: Kathmandu
Life Expectancy: 68 years (men), 70 years (women).
GNI per capita: US $730
Human Development Index: Nepal ranks among the poorest — 157 out of 187 countries.
Literacy Percent: 45
Greatest altitude variation
from the lowlands near
sea level to Mount Everest.
Industry: Tourism, carpets,
Textiles, leather, jute, grains.
Agriculture: Rice, corn,
wheat, sugarcane.
Exports: Carpets, clothing,
leather goods, jute goods,
grain animals.
Earthquakes in 2015 – killed
more than 9,000 people.
Present scenario of dogs
Stray dogs - population more than 22,000 in capital city. Sick, starving with abscesses often hit by vehicle; dogs live amongst people anywhere everywhere.
The city municipal corporations have no scientific means of managing stray dogs; moreover, they are brutally killed by stones or sticks or poisoned.
Stray dogs contribute to an environmental and public health crisis.
They pollute rivers and are a major source of rabies.
Comprehensive, workable and humane solution to the problem is required.
Animal situation
Livestock - one of the highest livestock densities in the world.
A vital sector - Animals means everything to rural farmers to support their family. Most peoples livelihood is based on two buffaloes, two oxen, a cow, and six goats. 87 % of the country’s 27 million people keep some form of livestock at home. 
Despite its importance, it is a sector in decline.
Animal husbandry practice - vulnerable
Most villages without government services
Core problem - low productivity of animals.
Lack of proper animal husbandry practices. 
Land crunch
Widespread poor road
conditions limit access
to rural areas.
Less access to
medical attention.
Rely on local fodder
products to feed their animals.
Bullocks, cattle, horses, mules still used for transportation purposes , backbone of brick kiln factories - used as draft animals
Future work
Raising living standard of people. Promote adoption culture,
Build comprehensive animal care and adoption center
Vaccinate, treat injuries and diseases. Much needed adoption and education programs.
Implement ABC spay/neuter program
Require endorsements from every sectors : educators, veterinary and public health officials, tourism executives, media.
Teaching animal welfare issues from school level.
Focus on: Rescue > Education > Adoption > Environmental improvement
Conclusion: Surveillance, Alliances between veterinarians, public and government to create awareness in support of OIE welfare standard ensuring that change is feasible to win the battle against barbaric practice.
OIE welfare and Nepal
Nepal is trying its best to implement OIE welfare standards.
No legal protection act for working animals, pets and stray animals.
Nevertheless, Nepalese are active in the standard setting process. Global Alliance for Rabies Control, Humane Society International, RIA Foundation etc. contribute to earthquake rescue programs and dog population management which is in support of ‘Disaster management and risk reduction’ program of OIE.
References
Farm Animal Welfare Council (1992) FAWC updates the five freedoms. Veterinary Record 131, 357.
Nepal Earthquake Disaster Operations Team, "After-Action Report of Humane Society International's Emergency Response to the April 2015 Earthquake in Nepal" (2015). Global Disaster Response Reports. Paper 1.
World Health Organization, Strategic framework for elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs in the South-East Asia Region.