This archive report was first published on 10 September 2019.
September 10, 2019, marked a significant day for animal welfare in Tanzania, as a video of inhuman donkey slaughter sparked widespread outrage and led to the closure of a Tanzanian slaughterhouse and a complete ban on donkey slaughter in the country.
According to the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA), the video circulating on social media was filmed in Tanzania several years ago. The organization clarified this in a tweet, stating that the video was not from Kenya as previously thought.
"There is a video circulating on social media, filmed in a donkey slaughterhouse, showing unimaginable animal cruelty. The video in was filmed in Tanzania several years ago, and the resulting outcry saw the slaughterhouse closed, and a complete ban on donkey slaughter in Tanzania," KSPCA tweeted.
KSPCA, the only charitable organization in Kenya working for the most part with domestic animals, has been instrumental in introducing humane slaughter of livestock in Kenya. The organization's inspectors teach slaughterhouse staff on proper use of captive bolt pistols and their maintenance.
In Kenya, cruel slaughtering of animals is an offence under Section 8 (1) of the Veterinary Surgeons Act (Cap 336). The Act states that any person who slaughters an animal in such a manner as to cause it more suffering than is necessary is liable to a fine not exceeding Sh2,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both.
Kenya has become the epicenter of a fast-growing industry in Africa to supply donkey skins to China, which are boiled to produce a gelatin called ejiao used in traditional medicine believed to stop aging and boost libido. The country has opened four licensed donkey abattoirs since 2016, which slaughter around 1,000 donkeys a day, according to government data.
