Animal Protection Index 2020: ranking 50 countries on their animal welfare and legislation

The World Animal Protection (Africa office) has today, 10th March 2020, launched one of a kind Animal Protection Index (API) 2020 which ranks 50 countries according to their animal welfare policy and legislation. The API shows that many countries do not adequately protect animals in their legislations: for instance, it is still legal to subject farm animals to the worst forms of confinement and to exploit animals for entertainment in many countries.  The API is a unique World Animal Protection project and the first index of its kind, which provides a global ranking of animal welfare legislation.

The API was first launched in 2014. The structure of the API was created by World Animal Protection alongside other animal protection NGOs, with consultation from academic experts. For this second edition of the API, the methodology was refined by World Animal Protection. This update in 2020 shows that many countries still lack strong animal welfare legislation. Some countries are still missing the basic legal framework needed to protect animals and a large number of countries still do not formally recognise animal sentience into legislation.

How have African countries performed in the ranking

Tanzania’s leadership is visible in law through the Animal Welfare Act (2008) which includes:

• both vertebrates and invertebrates are recognised as sentient beings
• enshrining the Five Freedoms in law
• promoting the ‘3Rs’ principles – ‘Replacement, Reduction, Refinement’, regarding the use of animals in scientific research.

Kenya introduced the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act which applies to vertebrates, (1962, revised in 2012) which states:

• Rodeos and animal fights are prohibited
• The placement of traps and snares that cause unnecessary suffering to an animal, as well as failing to check on a trapped animal is prohibited
• Recreational hunting, including trophy hunting, is also prohibited.

Having this legislation in place, has meant that both Tanzania and Kenya have scored a ranking of ‘D’, on the API, which puts them in line with other countries such as the USA, Canada and Japan.

South Africa was previously ranked ‘D’ but has now slipped and has been ranked ‘E’ on par with Nigeria.   South Africa does have the Animal Protection Act (1962) which prohibits animal cruelty on all domestic animals or wild animals in captivity. The Performing Animals Act (1935), amended in 2016, also requires establishments training animals for performances or training guard dogs, to be licenced., However, protections for wildlife are limited as South Africa’s lifted the domestic ban on rhinoceros horn trade risks fuelling the international demand for this product.

Nigeria (ranked ‘E’) does not have a dedicated law on animal welfare, although within the Nigeria Criminal Code, animal cruelty is prohibited. For example, animals used for draft purposes cannot be overloaded or overworked, and there is also a national ban on animal fights.

Ethiopia scored a lower ranking of F. The country’s Criminal Code prohibits cruel treatment of animals in public places, and it is an offense to organise events where animals are treated cruelly, including animal fights and captive shootings. Yet the legislation does not recognise animal sentience, there is no duty of care to animal owners, limited rights for farm animals, and circuses and other forms of entertainment using animals are allowed.