By Dorcas Elusogbon
Ile-Ife (Osun), May 20,2023(NAN)
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), on Saturday, collaborated with University Federation Welfare Club(UFWC) to launched Animal Welfare Club at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Prof, Iyabode Dudusola, an Associate Professor, who doubles as the Head of Department (HOD), Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, called on generality to ensure they value their pets.
The topic treated titled: “Understanding Animal Welfare: The What, When, Why and How”.
Dudusola, was represented by Prof. Adeolu Odedire, an Associate Professor of Animal Science,Obafemi Awolowo University.
She called on all and sundry to associate, value and respect their animals generally, saying that people need to understand that animals cannot communicate the way we understand, but assure that animals do communicate.
According to her, animals communicate to show men their feelings and because they have feelings, we need to understand that they also have the moment of joy and pains.
Dudusola stressed that our pets behaves in a more responsible than we expect, if we treat them well.
“Most of the animals we’ve been having, the turnout we’ve been experiencing is the direct result of the way we’ve been treating them.
“We should concern about their environment and mental state of mind and state of their well being.
“Once we give them a minimum comfort expected, they would behave well more than expected.” She ascertained.
Dr Soji Abiola, a Lecturer at Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, said that
most of the things rearer sweat on, is just because people lack of understanding of feelings of those pet.
Abiola explained that giving pet a little more consideration in whatever they do would made them respond better than what the’ve been experiencing again.
“We should not just think that they are just animal, for they have their feelings and they have their thinking, needs to handle them with care.
‘We need to cater for them in terms of feeding them, good housing and giving them sound health, they can interact with us, they can be one of our best friend especially our pet”. He stated.
According to him, it people handle their animal with care, they will surely cooperate with them, urged people to take conversant with the health of their animals.
Lecturer asked people to vaccinate their animals as at when due, consult their veterinarian so that they’ll be able to look holistically about their welfare.
Abiola charged people to feed their animal very well and ensure they are always healthy, so that their animals would not just die suddenly and the money spent on them would be wasted like that.
Also, Dr Oluwaseyi Ayoola, Animal Welfare Enthusiastics, who doubles as Lecturer at Bowen University, Iwo, charged Researchers to handle their animal with care.
Ayoola said that animals used in research, development and consumption should be well managed and of good standard.
He lamented on lack of law guiding the use and welfare of animal in Nigeria, saying that they are coming up with developing it.
“One of the advocacy about today is that researchers and Scientists should take ethical clearance and ethical approval for every of their research that has to do with animals.
“Researchers should take animals as a main part of their designs, urged Researchers to inculcate these three aspect like: replacement, refinement or reduction.
“The environment, human and the interaction are the bedrock of what comes for us, saying that Ebola outbreak, Lassa fever outbreak and CoVID-19 pandemic testified that we need to take care of our animals”. He explained.
The animals welfare enthusiastic Called on rearers, consumers and researchers to ensure their animals must be well take good care of them by value them, handle them effectively well.
“The way we handle our pet will determine the quality of nutrients to get from them when slaughter.
“Researcher will not just handle our animals without cruelty, they have to be well cater for.” Lecturer maintained.
Dr Olanike Oyebamiji, a Staff Adviser Welfare of Animal Club, who doubles as Lecturer at the Department of Animal Science, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), said that Animal Welfare Club is a University Wide Club.
Oyebamiji said that the club would allow their students to know what animal welfare is all about and needs to know the way to treat animals.
She added that the club is a good stewardship of how they use animals either for food, research or anyway as their pet.
The staff adviser said the importance of the inauguration is to sensitise people around OAU community on how to handle their animals.
Oyebamiji called everybody to be knowledgeable about animal welfare issues, for It is necessary for them to get educated on and treat them well.
Those that graced the occasion are: Students of Moremi High School; OAU International School; A&B Model College, Coppers, Club Members, Animal Science from University of Osun State and Veterinary Medicine Students from University of Ibadan.
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