A board member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Sune De Klerk has called on Omuthiya residents to report any incidences of dog abuse through their online portal.
The residents can also reach the society directly as they are not aware of any animal welfare organizations operating in the Omuthiya area specifically.
De Klerk in an Interview with Nampa on Friday said they are actively collaborating with local authorities and relevant non-governmental organizations to monitor and report cases of animal cruelty to ensure the well-being of dogs in their communities.
“We recommend dog owners to ensure that dogs have proper identification, such as collars with contact information, and if possible, microchipping. Additionally, it is crucial to vaccinate dogs against diseases like rabies, as consuming meat from rabies-infected animals poses severe health risks to humans”, De Klerk said.
She said the society will continue to lobby for stronger enforcement of existing laws.
“Contrary to common belief, Namibia’s Animals Protection Act, 71 of 1962, does criminalize the abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of animals, including the bludgeoning of dogs for their meat. Moreover, existing regulation explicitly bans the commercial use of dog meat, with violators risking fines and up to six months of imprisonment”, she said.
She said eating dog meat is not unique to Namibia as it happens globally for various cultural, traditional, or economic reasons, however, there is a growing international movement against this practice due to ethical concerns and animal welfare considerations.
Ndayambekwa Simon who sells dog meat when she needs more money said that it has more customers than her other goods.
“Dog meat brings a lot of customers and I buy dogs from people who are selling theirs. We normally buy dogs from nearby villages and sell the meat here so we sustain our families”, said Simon.
Rosalia Nghidengwa said that they eat dogs because it is a traditional thing, they do not throw it away, but they prepare it and eat it.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency