By Carly Ikuma
As Zimbabwe's social and economic situation spirals out of control, a dangerous shortage of basic supplies means a starving population is increasingly turning to illegal poaching of wildlife and the killing of companion animals. The United Nations World Food Programme has urgently appealed for international cooperation to assist the nearly 3.3 million Zimbabweans facing severe lack of even the most basic provisions.
To help address mounting animal welfare needs, HSI has provided emergency funding to the Zimbabwe National Society for the Protection and Care of Animals with assistance from our friends at the National Council of SPCAs in South Africa, who are closely monitoring the situation.
Bernice Robertson Dyer, chairperson of the ZNSPCA, and Glynis Vaughan, ZNSPCA's chief Inspector, sent this report of the tragedy unfolding in Zimbabwe on July 30:
None of us thought it possible that the situation in Zimbabwe could deteriorate further—sadly we were wrong. Thousands of people are leaving the country daily, both legally and illegally. The ongoing exodus is exacerbated by increasing levels of poverty and shortages of basic necessities, including food and fuel. The U.N. predicts that over four million humans will require food aid by the beginning of 2008.
In this situation, the wave of surrendered and abandoned animals obviously cannot be accommodated and rehomed. The shortage of meat means that the already decimated wildlife will come under increasing pressure as a source of food. The first instance of a pet dog being slaughtered, roasted and eaten has already occurred in Mutare.
By tragic necessity, animals at all SPCAs are being euthanised daily in order to focus resources and manpower on dealing with the worsening animal welfare crisis in Zimbabwe.
The ZNSPCA Inspectors are all on stand-by, and we are endeavouring to complete the training and certification of three more mobile Inspectors to increase our coverage.
It is nothing short of a miracle that the Society is still functioning in Zimbabwe, but our small band of brave and dedicated Inspectors remain devoted to safeguarding the welfare of animals throughout this unfolding ordeal.
As always, we commend the NSPCA and its members in South Africa who have steadfastly ensured the survival of our Society for the past decade and remain available to provide additional resources and manpower should we become unable to cope.
In July, President Mugabe's government jailed business owners who failed to comply with his orders to slash their prices by over half. Intended to battle the soaring inflation rate—estimated at more than 5,000 percent—the price crack-down has only worsened a difficult situation.
Food is becoming even more scarce as private abattoirs are shut down by Mugabe's administration for overpricing and livestock producers refuse to sell their cattle to government abattoirs at a financial loss. Chicken producers are also halting operations. The resulting shortages place the country's wildlife at greater risk for poaching.
Carly Ikuma is the Program Assistant for Humane Society International.
