ALB Animal Shelter, a registered advocacy group to protect animals, has demanded amendments to the Animal Welfare Act of 2019 and a new law to protect animals.
The group held a demonstration at Rabindra Shorobor in Dhanmondi yesterday.
The group demands an Animal Welfare Department under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
“Until now, fieldworkers have been the only ones caring for stray animals. The government does not help them in any measures,” said Dipanwita Hridi, Chairman of the ALB Animal Shelter.
She said the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock only takes care of the farm animals. There are many animals outside of their scope that are important for biodiversity and the ecosystem.
“The current law prohibits us from starting any legal involvement in a situation. The power is completely in livestock officials’ hands,” she added.
She said animals are being mistreated everywhere, including carriage horses, elephants used for extortion, the pet market in Kataban, and zoo animals of Mirpur.
“We have limited resources and we want the government to work with us,” said Hridi.
The group also demanded the vaccination of stray animals, monitoring and licensing of pet breeding and selling, adding animal rights to textbooks and more.
ALB Animal Shelter started working in 2013. The group is preparing a draft law in consultation with lawyers to provide to lawmakers.