The majority of my audience has an idea of how the animals in our country are being mistreated as well as exploited but do not have an in depth knowledge of how extensive and real this problem is.
2. Establishing and maintain common ground:
I will begin my speech with an experience just outside of the university and will reach out and ask the audience if any of them has had a similar experience. I will then keep referring to these short episodes in order to maintain a common ground.
3. Building and maintaining interest:
We usually tend to ignore these problems on a regular basis because we believe that people have to face so many problems of their own that the safety and well-being of animals does not matter or is of the least priority. I will have to give facts and figures to remind my audience time and again how massive and important this problem is and what areas it is prevalent in. I will talk about humanity and how these issues have gotten out of hand and are extremely inhumane to which my audience is likely to pay more attention. In addition to this, I will make use of images in my presentation which will help me achieve my goal.
4. Audience knowledge and sophistication:
Since not everyone in the room is an animal enthusiast or as educated about animals, I will tell my audience how the feelings of animals and humans are the same and how they do not feel any different than humans do. I will also propose solutions to how these problems can be improved. I believe by relating the feelings of the two, I will be able make my audience interested and they will be able to retain more information that is given to them.
5. Building credibility:
I will share with my audience, how I developed the love for animals and will tell them about the hurdles I faced and why I didn’t end up in a Veterinary School yet managed to accomplish a lot of goals. Also, I will tell them how I have been part of various organizations that have been working towards the betterment of the animals of our country.
6. Audience attitudes:
My audience is likely to be indifferent towards my topic so in order to grasp their attention I will show them how we as the youth of the country need to acknowledge these problems and why it is important for them to get better. I will use real life examples that they can relate with and show how other nations that are prospering take in account the problems and wellbeing of their animals as much as of their people.
7. Using presentational aids to enhance understanding and memory.
I will use colorful and easy slides with headers that will help my audience understand and retain the information that is given to them. I will not make use of complex terms or too many stats that may bore my audience.
Speech Outline:
General Goal: I want to inform
Specific Goal: I want my audience to be aware of the animal exploitation in Pakistan
Thesis Statement: : hundreds of animals like donkeys, horses and dogs are exploited every day in our country through labour force etc. It is because of people not being informed about the kind of exploitation animals in our country endure. It is vital we acknowledge these problems and try and focus on the solutions.
Introduction:
I grew up in an animal enthusiast family. My father raised us alongside a number of animals which included dogs, cats, rabbits, partridges and many more. In fact, there was one instance where my father and I brought home an abandoned donkey to which my mother obviously wasn’t very pleased. She said I quote “it’s either me or the donkey”. So, we eventually had to drop the donkey off to a local sanctuary.
Today I run a business where I provide several services for pets. Apart from this, I have worked with numerous organizations rescuing and spreading awareness about animals such as Animal Care Association Pakistan and HWO animal rescue. Therefore, I would like to talk about animal exploitation in Pakistan as most of us are unaware of the everyday trials of our animal kind.
Animal Exploitation refers to making use of animals for the benefit of humans without taking care of the well-being of these animals. According to the AARDAS (Animal Abuse Database Administration System) the four major causes of animals’ deaths include neglect, shooting, hoarding and fighting, followed by torture and mutation.
The history of animal rights in the British India dates back to 1890 when the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was introduced when a small group from English men formed the society for prevention of cruelty to the animals (Owen 20). This group was formed in response to animals being forced to participate in bull baiting where dogs fought a tether ball. It was later modified and the last time it was edited was on December 15th, 1937. Since then, Pakistan has had no laws concerning animals.
Main Body:
Every day, hundreds of animals are hurt, killed or left to die in the streets.
A) Life at brick kilns is undoubtedly hard for people. According to the Brooke, the number of animals working in brick kilns of Pakistan amount to 115,000 that include Donkeys, Mules and Horses. These animals are usually used for carrying bricks that total to 45,000-50,000 per day (Brooke) and other materials within the kilns and to external locations for use in the construction industry. This is done under extreme conditions which makes the animal suffer serious health issues as well as injuries due to temperatures, lack of shade, difficult terrain and overloading.
B) Not only are these animals worked up under extreme conditions, they are also not looked after. Just outside the vicinity of our campus, I had been seeing a horse on and off that was badly infected, skin and bones. I finally picked up my phone and contacted one of the members of ACF (Ayesha Chandigarh Foundation) who were very supportive. We went looking for that horse only to find out that it was at work with its owner. We discovered that the horse was at work until 3 pm after which the horse was left to go around feed itself. When we approached the owner in order to talk to him to get his horse treated, he said that he was not ready to spend on the horse and was waiting for it to die so he could sell the horse hide for a good sum of money. We however convinced him to sell the horse to us instead and he agreed on Rupees forty-five thousand. That one horse got lucky and is under treatment to date, numbers of animals are left to rot like this, every day.
The country we live in was established by animal lovers as we remember the picture of Quaid-e-Azam playing with his Doberman and West Highland Terrier which is embedded into the minds of those who love animals. Sadly, present day Pakistan is represented by people who either don't value the well-being of animals or are unconcerned with the difficulties they face every day.
A) In the urban areas of Pakistan, dog and rooster fighting is a common sport especially in interior Punjab and KPK. These animals are raised and trained to fight one another and their masters place bets on these fights. Easily lasting an hour, by the end of it the dogs have horrifying injuries: torn ears, ruptured windpipes, gouged out eyes and bitten tongues. If the master of the losing dog stops the fight in between, he will bash his dog with a hockey stick, electrocute it, poison it or just drown it with its legs tied.
B) Another alarming factor is that people who sell animals in the market keep them in unhealthy conditions like that of Empress market, Lahore where various animals as young as a few weeks old cry all day long for the sanctuary of their mothers. The cages are packed with kittens, chicks and puppies so much so that there is no room for proper ventilation. Many of the shops have secret chambers where emaciated baby jackals, partridges, owls and other exotic animals are kept without a morsel of food and water. The Sindh Wildlife Department has raided their shops several times. However, this network of animal shopkeepers is so strong that the minute the inspection team enters Empress Market, everything ‘illegal’ is either gone or hidden.
C) Animal breeding is one major problem in our country. Inbreeding causes painful and life-threatening genetic defects in dogs and cats, including crippling hip dysplasia, blindness, deafness, heart defects, skin problems, and epilepsy. Distorting animals for specific physical features also cause severe health problems. The short, pushed-in noses of bulldogs and pugs, for example, can make exercise and even normal breathing difficult for these animals. Dachshunds’ unnaturally long spinal columns often cause back problems, including disc disease. These breeders do not care about the health of the animal and often when their puppies and kittens are not up to the standard, they are known to inhumanely kill unsold or imperfect puppies using methods such as drowning and even burying them alive.
D) An aspect that keeps this cycle of animal abuse running is the fact that most of us believe that in a country where human rights are nonexistent, talking about animal rights is an unpardonable offence. People who exploit animals continue to do so because there is no penalty or any consequences for their actions.
This leads me to the consequences and solutions that can or have been in place.
A) As mentioned previously with the introduction of the prevention of animal cruelty act in 1890 the first and only legal action towards animal protection was taken in the form of fines and jail time against wide ranging explicit acts. That included anything from the treatment to the way of animal slaughter with various punishments inscribed. As written in section 6 of the act about the unlawful use of unfit animals
B) Penalty for employing anywhere animals unfit for labour “If any person employs in any work or labour any animal which by reason of any disease, infirmity, wound, sore or other cause is unfit to be so employed, or permits any such animal in his possession or under his control to be so employed, he shall be punished with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees.” – Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1890. These hundred rupees adjusted for inflation make about 297,402.53 Pakistani rupees.
C) Step 1: Evaluate the Situation. Animal Exploitation.
Step 2: Report Animal Abuse. If you witness animal abuse or neglect, report it to your local animal control, law enforcement or humane organization.
Step 3: Understanding the Law.
Step 4: Help Prevent Animal Abuse.
D) Part of what I’m doing here is making my audience understand the law and the consequences that do exist but are not enforced. As more and more people are aware of this issue, they will feel the need to report these problems to the authorities and we can help gradually decrease the exploitation of animals.
Conclusion:
I refuse to believe that our country is dominated by people who are unkind to animals. It is just that the heavy majority, which appreciates and loves animals, is silent and has unfortunately become apathetic. We must understand that if we’re not kind to animals, we are a long way from being kind to people. The plight of these animals deserves to be heard, so let’s give them a voice.
Unless we develop a sense of protecting animals and reprimand people who are cruel towards them, the cycle of abuse will never break. Reporting abuse to the authorities might appear to be a futile exercise; however, it is important to bring animal cruelty in the notice of people who are in position to offer help.
References
https://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/22043/the-bloody-world-of-dog-fighting-victory-or-death-there-is-no-mercy/
https://aidanimals.com/animal-cruelty/pet-abandonment/
https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/pet-trade/breeders/
http://pawspakistan.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/the-prevention-of-cruelty-to-animals-act-1890-optimised.pdf