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Recent Activities of SAVE Nepal
Bringing the Field of Animal Law to Nepal
Lewis and Clark Law School, Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) Alumni Team Up to Bring Animal Law to Nepalese Law Schools
In this blog, Julie Palais (’23, MSL, USA) and Varnika Singh (’23, LLM, India) share their deep passion and collaboration to advance animal protection in Nepal.
SAVE Nepal wants to make Nepal a healthier and safer place for people and animals and the environment.
Environmental degradation, human-animal conflict resulting from increased demand for natural resources, and expansion of human settlements into wild areas are impacting all aspects of life in Nepal.
We want to work in partnership with the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the public, to increase protections for people, animals, and the environment.
We want to enhance protections for animals and the environment, by drafting new laws and amending existing ones and to provide training to the next generation of lawyers in the field of animal law.
What is the Purpose of SAVE Nepal?
Save Animals and Valuing the Environment (SAVE) Nepal
The purpose of SAVE Nepal is to raise awareness about the interrelated issues of animal welfare, environmental degradation, climate change, sustainable development, human health, and public safety.
Our Approach
We will encourage collaboration between the government, non-governmental organizations, and the public, to address issues involved in protecting the environment, preserving biodiversity, and safeguarding human and animal health and well-being.
Human Animal Relationships
We will take a One-Health-One Welfare Approach
We will take a One-Health-One Welfare Approach
We will take a One-Health-One Welfare Approach
Our efforts overlap with, and are complimentary to, both the "One-Health" and "One Welfare” approaches to local, national and global collaboration among experts in all sectors of society. These collaborations help to assure that humans and animals coexist in ways that maximize human and animal health and protect the environment. The "One-Welfare" concept, goes a step further, and includes a focus on both animal welfare and human well-being, and the connection with the physical and social environments in which people and animals live and co-exist.
We believe that current and past research should be used to inform public policy related to animal welfare, environmental protection, and human health and well-being. New legislation is also needed to assure basic protections for people, animals and the environment. We support activities aimed at training the next generation of lawyers in Nepal, who can advance protections for both animals and the environment. Having laws in place that take into account animal welfare and environmental protection and conservation, will help to save Nepal from species extinction, loss of wild animal habitats, air and water pollution, and threats to biodiversity and public safety from human-wildlife conflict.
Finally, we strongly encourage the government and its citizens to consider new ways of thinking about domestic animals, especially companion dogs and unwanted cattle. Many previously owned animals are commonly seen abandoned on roads and in open spaces throughout the country. Most of these animals have been abandoned by prior owners who don't take responsibility for the welfare of their animals. Educating citizens about responsible animal ownership is necessary as a way to improve human-animal co-existence and promote both animal welfare and public health and safety.
Issues of Interest to SAVE Nepal
We will take a One-Health-One Welfare Approach
We will take a One-Health-One Welfare Approach
Free-roaming street dogs, working animals, tourism involving animals, treatment of farmed animals and captive wildlife in zoos, and wildlife farming, are just some of the issues that are of concern to us, and for which there are few, if any, protections for the animals involved. Thinking ahead to the future, we also want to assure that Nepal proceeds carefully in its plans for food security and sustainable approaches to farmed animals. Given what is known about how detrimental intensively farmed animals are to the environment (both in terms of water and air pollution), not to mention the animal welfare issues, we want to make sure that Nepal proceeds carefully in any future plans to industrialize its approaches to raising farmed animals (including both livestock and aquaculture).
Regarding the issue of free-roaming dogs, that are numerous throughout Nepal, we have many ideas and plans to address this problem. Given that the World Health Organization (OIE/WOAH) aims to reduce deaths from dog-mediated rabies by the year 2030, now is the time to increase all efforts to try and achieve this goal. It is estimated that Nepal has had up to 32 human deaths and 500 animal deaths from dog-mediated rabies in recent years but these numbers are probably underestimates. Despite this, rabies is still not considered a priority disease in Nepal or listed as a "notifiable" disease in humans. We believe that this needs to change.
Human Behavior Change for Animals
We will take a One-Health-One Welfare Approach
Human Behavior Change for Animals
Human Behaviour Change for Animals (HBCA) can help you understand human behaviour and apply the principles of behavior change to your work. HBCA was established after recognising that insight about how and why people behave the way they do could provide solutions to challenging issues that affect animals. After all, people interact with animals every day – by owning pets or farming animals, or through the choices they make about the food they eat or the clothes they wear. HBCA combines animal sector expertise with behaviour change theory and practice to offer a unique specialism in animal health, welfare, protection and conservation. They provide solutions that are innovative, creative and affordable. HBCA is a social enterprise company in the United Kingdom with a small core team that draws on wide-ranging expertise from academics and practitioners working in several sectors. Check out their website and the resources they provide, which includes a link to a YouTube channel with a lot of recorded lectures. To get involved or to contact them look at their website for more information.
Himalayan Glaciers Are Critical for Water Resources in Nepal
Nepal is a country that is particularly dependent on glaciers for its water resources. The glaciers of the Himalayan region are the primary source water for millions of people throughout the country. According to Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa "Computer simulations have shown that there will initially be an increase in the water flow of the rivers that drain the Everest region, but as the available ice begins to diminish, the water flow in the dry season will decline. Accelerated melting will also expand glacial lakes, increasing the risk of them bursting..." [1] and creating massive glacial lake outburst floods [2] such as occurred several years ago in Uttarakhand, India. [3]
[1] https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/climactic-change/
[2] https://www.icimod.org/mountain/glacial-lake-outburst-flood/
[3] https://www.icimod.org/devastating-floods-in-uttarakhand/
Air and Water Pollution and Impacts of Global Climate Change
Air pollution from open burning, industrial power plants, cars, buses and motorbikes add soot to the atmosphere. When this black carbon soot falls on the snow, it produces a dark surface, that absorbs solar radiation and causes the snow and ice to melt more quickly than if it would if the snow and ice were clean. This is just one example of how the activities of humans are impacting the environment in Nepal and why it is important for the government to put environmental laws and regulatory controls into place to assure that the best techologies are used for power generation in industries and in motor vehicles. Such "best practices" will help to keep the air clean and help control the melting of glacial ice. The introduction of electric vehicles in Kathmandu is a welcome advance and should be continued throughout the country.