Statutory regulations of dead animal carcass disposal in Nigeria: A case study of Enugu State

The present study examined the statutory regulations governing the disposal of dead animal carcasses in Nigeria. A detailed literature review of the criminal code (Cap 77 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990), Animal Diseases (control) Act [Cap 18 LFN1990 and a structured interview of 120 livestock farmers in Enugu State of Nigeria was carried out. The Criminal Code and Animal Diseases (control) Act have numerous provisions that offer protection to live animals from being deliberately infested with disease and in the case of death strictly specifies the manner in which such dead animal carcass shall be disposed. Results obtained from the structured interview shows that 87% of farmers interviewed dispose dead young/immature animal carcasses by burning their carcass, whereas 13% resort to burying. The carcasses of matured dead animals are offered to the unsuspecting consumer as meat. Enforcement of the relevant provision of the statutes mentioned above is practically not in place. No prosecution of any offender of the provisions of these statues is known. It is concluded that whereas there are enabling statutory provisions that clearly stipulates the manner in which dead animal carcass shall be disposed in Nigeria, what is obtainable in practice is totally in contrast with the provisions of the statutes. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]