Abu Dhabi, Oct 23rd, 2011 (WAM)--The Stray Animal Welfare Conference hosted today by Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter, managed and organised by Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital brings the reputed World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA) from UK on board.
WSPA is affiliated to the United Nations and Council of Europe and includes over 1,000 animal welfare groups in 159 countries. This makes them to the largest animal welfare federation in the world. The conference and workshop is supported by The Center of Waste Management Abu Dhabi and Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi. Held at the Shaheen Conference Center at Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital from October 23 to 27, this conference is attended by over 130 participants of the government, private companies and non-governmental organizations, universities and media. The aim of this conference is to raise awareness about the stray animal welfare in the Abu Dhabi Emirate and to greatly improve the cat and dog trapping methods of the pest control companies and to bring them up to international standards. Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller, Director Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital states that " by now tremendous changes with regard to stray animal welfare have taken place in the Abu Dhabi Emirate." She highlights "the role model function of the government of Abu Dhabi taking the lead by establishing the Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter that illustrates its deep commitment to take stray animal welfare and animal welfare in general up to the highest level."The conference is followed by a four days workshop during which WSPA representative will train the trapping companies during a field training. The final day concludes with the final review of the workshop. The Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter has been established following the decision of Abu Dhabi Executive Council on 15th April 2010 under the management of Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. The decision introduced the TNR (Trap - Neuter - Release) programme with Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital as the only authorised veterinary hospital for neutering stray cats and dogs for Abu Dhabi Emirate in cooperation with The Centre of Waste Management Abu Dhabi. The Centre of Waste Management Abu Dhabi controls the contracts of the trapping companies which release the neutered cats back to their original habitat. This leads to a controlled and healthy cat population in Abu Dhabi emirate. From January to September 2011, 5,035 stray cats and dogs have been neutered compared to 2,285 neutered cats and dogs in the complete year 2010. Moreover, in the first 9 month of 2011, 166 dogs and 64 cats have been adopted already. The positive social and environmental impact of the Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter ranges from the enhancement of animal welfare to wide-reaching accessibility for interested new pet owners and significant reduction in sick animals and uncontrolled overpopulation of cats in Abu Dhabi Emirate.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.
