Stakeholders unite for animal rights

By TRN Online, Lalitpur, May 27: A national-level interaction on animal welfare was held recently in Lalitpur, with firm commitments from lawmakers, local authorities, and animal rights advocates to expedite the enactment of Nepal's first dedicated Animal Welfare Act.

The event was organised by Sneha's Care in collaboration with the Nepal Farmers Advisory Council and brought together key stakeholders, including legal experts and animal welfare activists.

Addressing the gathering, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari highlighted the issue's importance and announced that the Animal Welfare Act would be tabled and enforced within the next two months.

"Today's interaction has been an eye-opener," he said. "I am fully committed to ensuring that the government takes decisive steps toward the protection and dignity of animals' rights."

Sneha Shrestha, founder and chairperson of Sneha's Care, said, "The Animal Welfare Act is a long-awaited and crucial piece of legislation for our movement." "It is essential that the law not only be passed but remain dynamic and evolve with time."

Former government secretary and council chair, Dr. Yogendra Karki, said Nepal lags far behind international standards. "While India enacted its animal welfare law in 1960 and formed a national welfare board by 1962, Nepal has yet to formally protect animals through federal legislation," he said. 

Senior advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha stressed that the proposed law must be introduced as a standalone act, not merely integrated into other legal frameworks. He also cited past Supreme Court rulings that underline the urgency and necessity of such legislation.

Members of parliament from the Agriculture Committee, Bijula Rayamajhi and Ranjita Shrestha, expressed support, pledging to prioritise the issue in upcoming committee sessions. "All beings have the right to life," said Rayamajhi. "We must reflect this in our laws." Shrestha added, "Animals can't speak for themselves. We must speak for them."

Lalitpur mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan shared his municipality's pioneering steps in animal welfare, including launching Nepal's first veterinary ambulance. He committed to introducing a local animal welfare act immediately following the passage of the federal law.