Animal Welfare in Nepal

ABSTRACT

The small densely populated country of Nepal rises from just above sea level to more than 8800 m and encompasses many agro-ecological zones. Rich in both nature and culture, livestock are integral to household and national economies. Most Nepalese consider the cow sacred, and slaughter is forbidden. Other nonhuman animals are less esteemed, slaughter is not proscribed, and many are sacrificed during religious festivals. Limited financial and material resources, inadequate feed supplies, poor access to veterinary services, absence of appropriate legislation, and ignoring the needs of livestock as sentient beings can compromise welfare and lead to inhumane treatment. This article reviews the welfare status of various groups (food-producing stock, work animals, street dogs, experimental animals, and elephants in captivity). Several animal welfare charities are represented. Suggestions for improved welfare are discussed, but the prognosis is not encouraging especially in view of the widespread struggle and people’s own struggle for survival.

KEYWORDS:

• Charities
• culture
• legislation
• street dogs
• working equines

Acknowledgments

Grandin Temple and Kamal Raj Acharya are thanked for their comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. The authors would like to thank all the volunteers and organizations working to improve the quality of animal life in Nepal.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Notes

1 In Section 2, Definition (a) “‘Animal’ means castrated or uncastrated goat, sheep, Himalayan goat (chyangra), pig, wild pig, he buffalo, rabbit or the females of buffalo, goat, sheep, Himalayan goat, pig, or rabbit which are fit for meat other than a cow, an ox, a bull, and this word also includes poultry, ducks, pigeon or other species of beasts and birds kept for meat purpose,” Animal Slaughterhouse & Meat Inspection Act 2057 (1999 AD).

2 Section 27 states “Prevention from Cruelty to Animals: Government of Nepal may constitute a committee for the prevention of cruelty to animals by a notification published in the Nepal Gazette and the functions, duties and powers of such committee shall be as specified in such notification”, Animal Health and Livesstock Services Act 2057 (1998 AD).

3 A recent document entitled National and International Legal Instruments Addressing Animal Welfare in Nepal provided a detailed account of historical, current, and hoped-for animal welfare legislation and its relation to international legislation and practices (Tewari, 2016).