In celebration of World Animal Day, which falls on October 4, and with the aim of improving the welfare of animals and their care, the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Baghdad has dedicated a week to animal welfare. This week will include a number of lectures and courses related to animal welfare and professional ethics.
On the first day, a lecture was delivered on animal welfare laws in ancient Iraq. Dr Adel Jabbar discussed historical periods and the beginning of animal welfare, which the Iraqis founded through Hammurabi’s first legal stele. This stele contained provisions related to animal care and the regulation of interaction with animals. The lecture also addressed modern history, up to the 2013 Animal Health Law, and called for the adoption of an Iraqi Animal Welfare Day.
In the second lecture, A/Prof Dr Aseel Mohammed discussed the ethics of the veterinary profession and dealing with animals, methods of controlling them, and human euthanasia, particularly in relation to experiments conducted by students.
It highlighted the ethics of experiments conducted on animals in scientific Research and the 3R principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) for more responsible waste disposal and reduced environmental impact.”
