FNBI awards AHTCS the leading animal welfare organisation
FNBI awards AHTCS as the leading animal welfare organisation
AHTCS has been awarded as the leading animal welfare organisation by the Federation of Nepal Brick Industries (FNBI) in recognition of its contributions to the improvement of the overall health and welfare of the equids working in the Brick Industries. AHTCS was honored with a Letter of Appreciation during the 15th Annual General Assembly of FNBI.
Since its inception in 2007, the Sustainable Equine Welfare Project has been actively working to make a positive change in the sector of equine welfare in Nepal. The initial years of intervention were primarily focused on the delivery of free vet treatment services to the ailing animals. The gradual progress led to a holistic multilevel stakeholder engagement approach to realize and establish a sustainable change. Community engagement, service provision, local capacity building, advocacy, and coordination with local bodies were identified as the major strategic pillars and acted upon accordingly. Among the target areas, Brick Kilns presented challenging welfare issues and a greater need and scope to reflect upon. AHTCS initiated working intensively with various actors involved in BK operations pertinent to animal welfare. Need-based interventions were designed and implemented targeting various stakeholders and beneficiaries, including equids, equine owners and handlers, animal contractors, BK owners and managers, BK Associations (BKA) and others. Equine owners were educated and trained on good husbandry practices, humane animal handling, appropriate workload and working conditions, and primary health care. Similarly, AHTCS-trained AHPs were connected with the BKs to ensure sustainable vet treatment service provision. Meanwhile, BK owners/managers and BKAs’ engagement ensured the establishment of physical infrastructure (housing, drinking water facilities, plain walking terrain), and an appropriate working environment. The overall expected outcome of the approach was the implementation of basic provisions laid out in the Animal Welfare Directive (AWD). The impact so far suggests an encouraging progress as AWD has been implemented in more than 70% of the targeted BKs. The BKs have improved physical infrastructure and working environment, including comfortable housing, nutrition, drinking facilities, isolation boxes, first aid kit boxes, plain walking terrain, appropriate workload and working hours as well as accessible animal healthcare services.