ANIMAL WELFARE VIOLATIONS DURING TREATMENT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF VETERINARY HOSPITALS IN BANGLADESH AND INDIA

Abstract

Animal welfare is comparatively new area of research in Bangladesh and welfare concern for animal is increasing day by day. The study was conducted to investigate the animal welfare violations during treatment at different level of hospitals in Bangladesh and India. This study was conducted between January and May, 2017. The recorded data (N=90) were categorized into eight major types of violation like - delay in starting treatment, non-specific treatment, surgery without anesthesia, use of unsterilized needle, rough and painful handling, fearful approach, multiple pricking during injection and use of blunt needle. Categorized groups were analyzed according to different hospitals like Upazilla Veterinary Hospital, Bangladesh (UVH), SAQ-Teaching Veterinary Hospital, Bangladesh (SAQTVH) and Madras Veterinary College & Veterinary College and Research Institute, India (MVC & VCRI). Among all hospitals, violation during treatment more frequently occurred in UVH. Among all violations surgery without anesthesia was only found in UVHs and which is encountered in a significant number of clinical cases (80%). In the view of other major violations like - non-specific treatment was 69% in UVHs, 13% in SAQTVH and 5% in MVC & VCRI; this was also high in UVHs. Use of unsterilized instruments during treatment was also higher in UVHs (65%) than SAQTVH (5%) and MVC & VCRI (1%). But delay in starting treatment varied insignificantly and it was 26-42% across the different levels of hospitals. Although multiple pricking during injection was found 30% cases in UVH but statistical variations with other level of hospitals were unnoticed (p>0.05). The findings of this study will help to take necessary steps to control violation against animal welfare during treatment. A comprehensive study considering all levels of hospitals including field treatment is also recommended to find out the welfare violations during treatment.