The Malawi Police Service (MPS) in collaboration with Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD), the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) and the Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA) have condemned the marked increase of sale of live animals by roadside within city boundaries.
The institutions haves noticed that the tendency exposes animals to cruelty and an increase in rabies cases and other zoonotic diseases.
In the press statement made available to the Maravi Post, the four institutions say the practice is against the “Protection of Animals Act of 1970, Cap 66:01, Section 3 (1) (a) clearly prohibits any person to cruelly beat, kick, ill-treat, overload, override, torture, infuriate, terrify or cause to procure or permit unnecessary suffering to any animal.Section 3 (1) (b) forbids carrying or conveying, or permitting in a manner or position as to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal.
The Act lists animals under Domestic or Captive. Domestic animals include horse, ass, mule, bull, sheep, pig, goat, cat, dog or fowl or any other animal tamed to serve man. Captive animals include any animal not domestic which is in captivity or confinement.
“The general public is therefore being warned to stop with immediate effect the tendency of selling and buying of animals in undesignated places, citing such a tendency is exposing animals to cruelty.
“For Pets (dogs and cats); people within Lilongwe Urban are being advised to buy them in designed places such as Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, (situated in Kanengo, close to Kapani Limited). All Creatures (Area 9 behind Civo Stadium) or at any Registered Veterinary Clinics,” reads the statement.
“For other livestock (Goats, sheep, pigs, poultry, rabbits etc); people are advised to buy and sell at designated markets/places in consultation with the Lilongwe City Council.
“Any person found buying, selling, carrying or mishandling animals in city streets shall be apprehended in accordance with section 9 which empowers the Police to arrest without a warrant any person believed to be guilty of any offence under the Act,” concluded the statement.
