TITLE: Situational analysis of farm animal cruelty in large farms, community, government authorities in Kenya. AUTHOR: M. Luvanda. KEYWORDS: animal welfare; farmers; government; Kenya.
Maureen K. Luvanda, PhD.
The full title of this Guidance Memo is: Situational analysis of farm animal cruelty in large farms, general community and in relevant government authorities operating in Kenya.
It is mostly based on applied qualitative methods which include semi-structured interviews and observations of usual everyday activities of farmers at 126 large and small farms, veterinarians, front-line workers such as herdsmen, academic experts, and government officials.
Key points to note include: 1. Various Kenyan laws and policies that prohibit animal cruelty do exist, and offences are punishable. 2. Many farmers in Kenya do not understand the fundamental meaning of animal welfare. They do not have specialized training in animal welfare, and are not aware of existing relevant legislation. 3. African culture, religion, pre-established practices, community involvement, economic strength appear to play a great role in influencing how farmers in Kenya handle their animals.