If you have booked or plan to book a holiday to our neighbouring so called ‘paradise island’ we implore to you please reconsider until the cruelty ceases! The NSPCA recently became privy to the attached images and information of horrendous animal cruelty taking place at the only licensed welfare organisation in Mauritius – the Mauritian Society for Animal Welfare (MSAW).
MSAW is a government funded ‘welfare organisation’ acting as a pound for all the animals that are caught off the streets of Mauritius, most likely in a manner which is inhumane considering their infamous ‘catch and kill’ programme was introduced. The verified images and footage we received depict emaciated dogs eating the rotting remains of other dogs, as well as tearing apart weaker dogs, who were in the process of dying of alleged starvation, and eating them alive in order to try and sustain themselves under MSAW’s possession. The information alleged that the dogs were not being fed or watered and that MSAW did not have a veterinarian working for them. This would mean that those animals to be euthanized by unqualified people which may have resulted in the animals suffering extensively.
MSAW, as far as we are aware, is the only welfare organisation that is funded by the Mauritian government, off of their tax payers money. The Attorney General of Mauritius, Maneesh Gobin, holds Ministerial Governance over law enforcement in Mauritius and MSAW is his very own Animal Welfare Entity. It is clear that animals are being subjected to gross animal cruelty.
Multiple NGOs in Mauritius, the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition (of which the NSPCA is a member) and we are sure many other National Animal Welfare organisations have written to the Mauritian Government pleading to assist in rectifying the situation but have been met with complete silence.
Members of MSAW and the Attorney General, Maneesh Gobin, have been summoned to appear at the Supreme Court in Mauritius on February 17th 2021 to account for allegations of animal cruelty by MSAW.
We are hopeful that MSAW and the Mauritian government will heed the olive branch that we, and many other animal welfare organisations, are trying to extend in the interest of animal welfare in Mauritius. Until then, we reiterate that the public should be mindful of these atrocities when planning their future holiday destinations.
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