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Animals protection body says video of cruel donkey slaughter is from Tanzania

By Hilary Kimuyu September 10th, 2019 2 min read

Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA) has clarified that a clip that has been doing rounds on social media of donkeys being inhumanly killed originated from Tanzania.

In a tweet, KSPCA said that the video circulating on social media, filmed in a donkey slaughterhouse, showing unimaginable animal cruelty was filmed in Tanzania several years ago and that the resulting outcry saw the slaughterhouse closed, and a complete ban on donkey slaughter in Tanzania.

KSPCA added that their charitable organization is the only one in Kenya working for the most part with domestic animals.

“KSPCA was instrumental in introducing humane slaughter of livestock in Kenya. After having seen the way animals suffer in abattoirs, we embarked on a humane slaughter program. Our inspectors teach slaughter house staff on proper use of captive bolt pistols and their maintenance,” KSPCA said.

In Kenya, cruel slaughtering of animals is an offence and under Section 8 (1) of the Veterinary Surgeons Act (Cap 336).

The Act states that any person who, whether in any slaughterhouse or abattoir or in any place than a slaughterhouse or abattoir, and whether for human consumption or not, slaughters an animal in such a manner as to cause it more suffering than is necessary; or in the sight of any another animal awaiting slaughter.

Anyone found guilty of this offence is liable to a fine not exceeding Sh2,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both.

DONKEYS SKINS

In May, animal activists urged Kenya to ban the slaughter of donkeys for use in Chinese medicine, a practice which has soared in recent years and decimated African populations of the animal.

Over the past three years, Kenya has become the epicenter of a fast-growing industry in Africa to supply donkey skins to China which are boiled to produce a gelatin called ejiao used in traditional medicine believed to stop aging and boost libido.

Kenya has opened four licensed donkey abattoirs since 2016 – more than any other country on the continent – which slaughter around 1,000 donkeys a day, according to government data.

Several African countries have banned the export of donkey skins and closed Chinese-owned slaughterhouses, meaning thousands are now trucked long distances into Kenya from countries such as Ethiopia and Uganda.