New animal welfare regulations published in Official Gazette

AMMAN — It is now prohibited to work with animals whose health or age would impair their function, or if working conditions or the equipment used threatened the safety or growth of the animal, or exceeded its natural capabilities, according to the instructions issued by the Minister of Agriculture Khalid Hneifat.

The Animal Welfare System issued instructions for animal welfare in the Official Gazette on Thursday regarding animal housing, feeding, transportation, treatment, work, experiments, shelter and more.

The Official Gazette stated that the imprisonment of an animal or restricting its movement is considered a violation of animal welfare standards, and any breeding of animals in facilities not expressly licensed by the Agriculture Law, in addition to killing, wounding or beating any animal with the intent to harm, are considered to be violations of animal welfare standards.

The minister also emphasised the need to provide medical care to any sick animal and for a specialised veterinarian to determine necessary medical procedures.

According to the Gazette, a committee of inspectors will be formed in order to regularly inspect facilities.

Jordanians praised the government’s efforts towards animal welfare on social media.

Twitter user Mayyada tweeted in Arabic: “It is a great step to issue these instructions, especially regarding overworking sick animals and the environment and conditions they work in. Many animal owners do not care about this, and I hope this is actually applied so it can be a deterrent for this behaviour”.

Mahmoud Sallam, a veterinarian in Amman, told The Jordan Times that most owners of pack animals, such as donkeys, horses and camels, “abuse and overwork” them.

“It is heartbreaking to see the animals suffer without any healthcare, proper food or water, especially during extreme weather conditions. The owners are not aware of how harmful it is to leave animals without proper care,” Sallam said.

He further highlighted the importance of the government’s decision, and expressed his hope that the “appropriate penalties” will be given to those who continue to violate animal welfare standards and animal rights.

“It is our duty to take care of those creatures, as they have feelings like we do, and they get tired, sick and overworked. When the animal receives proper care and treatment, it will be even more productive and will live longer, so it is beneficial for both the owner and the animal,” Sallam added.

Clarissa, a German national living in Amman, expressed her sadness over the treatment of animals in Jordan on her Instagram.

“It is such a beautiful country with many beautiful places to visit. However, it is sad to see the amount of animals that are exhausted and overworked, especially in touristic places like Petra,” she wrote on her Instagram story.

Sharing the news of the Official Gazette, Clarissa praised the efforts of the Jordanian government. “I am very glad to see these measures taken, and I hope this actually helps the animals,” she posted.