ANIMAL TRAFFICKING: HUNGER, FATIGUE, KILL 20 DONKEYS IN KATSINA

Animal traffickers, who are neck deep into conveying donkeys and dogs from Katsina to other states for unwholesome sale to unsuspecting public, have provoked outrage in Katsina.

More than 20 of the donkeys were found dead and about 15 in a terrible condition was the latest casualties of the heartless men.

They had clamped over 80 donkeys into the trunk of a medium sized lorry that would normally take about half of the ill-fated beasts of burden.

The suspects ran out of luck in Katsina suburb where some people intercepted them and tipped off the head of animal rights activists in Katsina, Abu Dan Malam Karofi.

Daily Sun learnt that there was outrage in the area over the condition of the animals cramped in a broken down vehicle. Karofi, Chairman of Centre for the Protection of Animal Rights, who confirmed the incident, revealed that most of the donkeys died of suffocation, hunger and fatigue.

According to him, the donkeys were kept in the vehicle without food, water and under terrible confinement for three days. 'This is sad, barbaric, unfortunate and cruelty to animals,' he lamented. Karofi warned traffickers, who were gradually driving donkeys and dogs into extinction in the state, that they risked the wrath of the law and the people unless they stoped their ignoble trade and abuse of animals in the state.

He urged people to report the abuse of animals and birds to authorities in the state and discourage the sale of donkeys and dogs to traffickers, who pay no attention to the rights of the animals. Karofi also disclosed that the centre hired vehicle that conveyed the injured and sick donkeys to Katsina veterinary clinic for treatment until they recovered fully.

Also speaking to this correspondent, one of the suspected traffickers, who pleaded anonymity, said they had been in the business for a long time and they never encountered any problem until their vehicle broke down on that trip.

They pleaded for the understanding of the activists and the public, saying they did not set out to be cruel to the donkeys but couldn't do otherwise in an unforeseen circumstance.