As the world celebrates 2021 Animal Day, Mr Yusuf Adejola, an animal scientist at the Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Ibadan, has described animals as soulmates, helpers and friends, urging human beings to accommodate them.
Adejola, a lecturer at the FCA Department of Animal Production and Technology, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ibadan.
He said that most animals could be of help to humans in many ways.
“They often make valuable contributions to human health and recovery, taking an important role, for example, in therapy and rehabilitation programmes.
“They have a positive effect on physical and mental health; they give us emotional support as well.
“Every little animal within the ecosystem has a vital role in the well-being of the planet.
“If a specie is rendered extinct due to some imbalance, it can have significant cascading effects throughout the rest of the chain,” he said.
He said that climate change posed a fundamental threat to animal species and people’s livelihoods.
He called for urgent reduction of carbon pollution and preparation against consequences of global warming.
The animal scientist urged appropriate training of workers and their familiarisation with the temperament of animals in their farms.
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He advised workers to ensure that animal yards and fences were well designed and properly maintained.
Adejola urged animal handlers to always wear suitable protective clothing (pants, boots) and use appropriate animal-handling facilities and aids such as cradles and crushes.
“Farmers and farm workers can easily be injured by livestock; cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, dogs and other farm animals can be unpredictable and should be treated with caution at all times.
“Attempting to lift or push an animal can cause injuries, and animals may transmit certain diseases.
“Stakeholders should plan ahead for any task, maintain a barrier between the animals and themselves, and get help if they need it,” he said.
He remarked that Animal Day was celebrated to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.
“Celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals,” he said.
Another animal scientist at FCA, Ibadan, Mrs Ademidun Olanrewaju, noted that the 2021 Animal Day had the theme: “Animal Lovers’ Day” meant to teach care, protection, spreading awareness and improving animal welfare standards in the world.
She said animals served as sources of protein to man as well as raw materials for leather production.
“They are sources of employment, they also support the web of activity in a functioning ecosystem,” she said.
Olarenwaju advised farmers to always protect themselves by wearing proper protective clothing depending on the types of animal they are raising in order to avoid injury.
She urged them to ensure that animal pets would suitable and comfortable for their wellbeing.
“There should be limit to non-essential traffic on the farm,” she said. (NAN)
