Animal welfare bill in final stage

Colombo, May 14 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka’s long-awaited Animal Welfare Bill, aimed at replacing the country’s 119-year-old animal protection law, has reached the final stage before being presented to Cabinet, animal rights activists said.

Representatives of the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) said the proposed Animal Welfare Act is the result of years of campaigning and advocacy against animal cruelty.

Veterinarian Chamith Nanayakkara and Madushanka Fernando, executive members of the council, recently held discussions with Dr. Dhammika Patabendi to expedite the legislative process.

According to the council, the Environment Minister assured that recommendations from the Ministry of Environment have already been submitted and arrangements are underway to forward the draft bill to the Cabinet through the Ministry of Agriculture in the near future.

The activists said several recommendations made by animal welfare groups during previous committee discussions have been incorporated into the latest draft, according to information obtained through the Right to Information Act from Parliament, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Attorney General’s Department.

They noted that once Cabinet approval is granted, the bill will be gazetted for public review before being presented to Parliament. They also pointed out that citizens would have the right to challenge any problematic provisions before the Supreme Court and that further amendments could still be introduced during the parliamentary committee stage.

Animal welfare activists stressed the urgent need for updated legislation, noting that under the existing law, the maximum fine for killing a dog inhumanely remains only Rs. 100.

They said the outdated legal framework provides inadequate protection for animals subjected to cruelty and called on all groups opposing animal abuse to unite in support of the bill’s swift enactment.