Animals‘ Angels is back in Tanzania. We visit the cattle markets at Pugu and Dodoma as well as several collecting points. While we already had some considerable achievements for the animals (water supply, feed, improved ramps), the loading procedures at the markets are still chaotic, brutal and highly stress- and painful for the animals. Since our first investigation, together with the local organization Taweso, we have been in conversation with the administration of the two markets to get them to take more drastic measures and prevent the cattle from being cudgeled – but unfortunately, not much had changed so far.
So during our current investigation we acted more confrontative: We asked the markets’ administrations and the authorities on-site to load the animals without violence and in the presence of our staff. This means: No bats, no cudgeling and no kicking or twisting tails.
- First success: The market directors and authorities got involved with the idea and gave appropriate instructions at the loading ramp.
- Second success: The vendors and market workers accepted unquestioningly to turn in their bats. For the first time ever the animals were loaded (almost) without maltreatment.
- Third success: Loading works well and is quiet and stress-free.
This is a huge step which makes us hopeful as decades-old behavioral patterns are now being changed. And all that in a country in which ‘farm’ animal welfare is unfortunately mostly unknown in everyday agriculture and administration. And one thing is clear: Our ‘loading experiment’ would not have been successful without our months-long spadework during which we and Taweso have gained the trust of the local authorities and implemented first important improvements.
All in all, we were on-site at Pugu cattle market for two days and made sure that several animal transports were loaded non-violently. With the same strategy we visited Dodoma cattle market for two days as well as some collecting points – everywhere with the same successful result.
An enormous step has been taken. However, now it is all the more important to stay on task. Together with Taweso we now need to make sure that loading procedures without bats and kicking become the norm at the markets in Pugu and Dodoma and at the respective collecting points in East-Tanzania. Additionally, there are problems such as overcrowded animal transports, insufficient care for severely injured animals and missing infrastructure. Animals’ Angels is fully committed to solve these problems and to set an example for the respectful treatment of animals.
