Abstract:
This is a prospective study undertaken from February 2016 to - April 2016 in Khartoum State
to investigate the attitude of undergraduate veterinary students and practicing veterinarians
toward animal welfare.. Fifty( 4th and 5th year)veterinary medicine students were enrolled in the
study. The students were from three different universities located in Khartoum State that is
Sudan University of Science and Technology (SUST) ,University of Khartoum and Bahry
University. Fifty practicing veterinarians from both government (Abo-hamama Veterinary
Hospital and Elkhadaro Veterinary Hospital ) and private sector(some veterinary pharmacies
in khartoum North).
Two questionnaire were constructed one for each group to collect information on their
knowledge and attitude towards animal welfare by direct interviewing of the respondent.
Most of the students (96%) think that animal welfare is an important issue in the veterinary
field ,(88%) have scientific knowledge of the animal welfare,(66%)think that animal welfare
should be taught to veterinary students,(92%)believe that animal welfare affects animals'
productivity, all the students think that there is a need for more veterinary service centers to
promote animal welfare and they know that euthanasia is among the OIE concerns. Only 12%
of the students think that animal welfare is applied in the Sudan and 36% follow animal welfare
during health care of the animals. It was found that the gender did not affect the students
attitude towards animal welfare.
Most of the veterinarians (82%), have scientific knowledge of animal welfare and 94% think
that animal welfare benefits the society .The majority of the veterinarians take decisions
according to both the owners' interest and the animalwelfare,12%make their decisions only
according to owners' interest and 4% decide according to the animal welfare.94% of the
participants use anesthesia in the control of pain.
It is concluded that the attitude of both the veterinary students and the practicing veterinarians
toward animal welfare is very good and adding animal welfare in the veterinary curriculum is
essential.
Key words : animal welfare , veterinary education , veterinary ethics , five freedoms.
