The Violation of

Animal Rights in Egypt

In Ancient Egypt, animals were valued and loved; they shared the same graves as their

owners. However, today’s Egypt has shown its animals nothing but cruelty and torment. Wild

animals, domestic animals, and working animals, none are exempted when it comes to abuse in

this country. With almost no laws to protect these animals, they have faced every possible form

of abuse one can imagine. In a country that identifies with the word of God to be kind and

merciful, no mercy has been shown upon these poor creatures. If they could, these animals would

ask for death pleading for one final act of mercy. This catastrophe is not only the result of the

absence of laws that protect these animals, but it is also the by-product of ignorance as well as

negligence of un-sympathetic adults, as well as their children. Despite constant efforts, this issue

has had ineffective solutions for way too long. However, there is still hope if awareness spreads

with the motion to protect these animals, as well as the enlistment of strict laws against any

violation of any animal right with consequences of severe punishment.

The first and most nonsensical of the causes is the absence of any laws that stand to

protect animal rights. The Egyptian penal code states that the punishment for slaughtering a

domestic animal or harming it is imprisonment for up to a year or a fine of no more than 200

Egyptian pounds (Egyptian Streets, 2018). Two hundred Egyptian pounds, that is all that any

animal’s life is worth. Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be

judged by the way its animals are treated”. Strays in Egypt have been beaten with rods, thrown

against walls, and even poisoned. So what does this say about the greatness of Egypt? In

addition, the one time the government has tried to solve the matter of having too many strays on

its streets it chose to poison them. The government of the Republic of Egypt has tried to feed its
strays poisoned food in order to rid the streets of them. What a commendable government that is

the Egyptian government. Chapeau!

The second and most mind numbing cause is the negligence of the Egyptian citizens

towards this matter. According to Amina Abaza (S.P.A.R.E), “Many children find their pleasure

by drowning little puppies, burying little kittens alive, or banging their head into a wall (this is a

classical game)” (As cited in Sonia, 2017). These actions cannot be fully blamed on the children;

their parents are equally at fault for not teaching their children that this sort of behavior is

unacceptable and cruel. Children only imitate what they see others do, and there have been

countless posts on the internet of young men and adults stabbing a dog, and throwing another off

a building. It is one thing to turn a blind eye, and great other to take part in it.

To show the great efforts of the Egyptian government in protecting animal’s rights, here

are few incidents to that perfectly portray them: Exhibit A: According to Ahram Online (2015),

A Cairo appeal court reduced the sentences of three males guilty of torturing and slaughtering a

dog. Two of the defendants had their sentences reduced from three years to three months, and the

third man from three years to one month. Exhibit B: The infamous Giza Zoo is the epitome of

corruption. The caged animals are in awful conditions. Lions and chimps are placed in small

cages where they jump and scream. The zoo’s elephant is leashed to a short chain, with no

adequate exercise. The chairman of the zoo takes no responsibility for this, and in a Los Angeles

Times article said that the zoo is “too vast” for him to control. If the Egyptian Government does

not take any action towards any of this who will?

As for the effects of the citizens’ negligence towards these animals, the animals are

tortured, and people only respond with “They’re just animals!” According to Ashraf Ismail
“3071 stray dogs were executed in Giza last June [only,]” (As cited in Daily News Egypt, 2015).

All because the people would rather poison, shoot, stab, drown, and kick at these animals first,

than to help them find better shelter. It is not as though they need other shelters for luxurious

living, no, they only need shelters just so they do not inconvenience these citizens as the walk the

street every morning.

Many organizations work toward protecting animals in Egypt. S.P.A.R.E or the Society

for the Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt is an organization founded by Amina Abaza in

2001. It is the first full Egyptian animal protection society. For years, it has worked on

introducing on laws that protect animals. However, and without any avail none accepted. They

are still working on introducing new legislations dedicated towards the protection of animals.

However, until that is approved there still has not been any successful attempt on enlisting any

animal protection laws in Egypt.

Raising awareness with the motion to protect all animals, as well as enlisting strict laws

against any violation of animal rights with consequences of severe punishment is the optimum

way to ensure the protection of these helpless creatures. Neither of these solutions can work

without the other, they must be carried out simultaneously. Raising awareness alone will not save

these animals, for the ultimate power is within the hands of those who govern this country, and

those in power will not succumb and accept our requests unless the entire nation fights for it. By

raising awareness, not only do we fight for the protection of these helpless souls, we also educate

our nation of the urgency to protect the animals that seek refuge in our land. They are loyal,

loving creatures that wish for nothing but shelter in the freezing days of the winter, and the

searing days of the summer. The animals we love, love to see, and love to ride are all worthy of
our fight for their protection. There is no joy in seeing a loved animal in pain; the sooner we

work to protect such a minority the sooner we learn as a nation that every soul contributes to the

whole.

Though this may have partially depicted the dire state of an animal’s life in Egypt, it has

done very little to show the entire picture of how badly it is going for these creature in this

country. Every living thing deserves rights of living, and it is a shame that to this day there are

none in the Republic of Egypt. It is an even greater shame to see both young and mature adults

put these poor animals through such anguish and misery as though they were toddlers who did

not know better. This by-product of ignorance as well as negligence of a nation must end.

Raising awareness with the motion to protect all animals, as well as enlisting strict laws against

any violation of animal rights with consequences of severe punishment is the optimum way to

ensure the protection of these poor souls.

Egypt, D. N. (2015, September 06). Tortured Alive or Poisoned to Death: The Suffering of Stray

Dogs in Egypt. Retrieved May 6, 2019, from https://egyptianstreets.com/2015/09/06/tortured-

alive-or-poisoned-to-death-the-suffering-of-stray-dogs-in-egypt/

Egyptian Streets. (2018, August 11). Four Dogs Found Tied, Burned Alive on Egyptian Street.

Retrieved May 6, 2019, from https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/08/11/four-dogs-found-tied-

burned-alive-on-egyptian-street/

Global Animal, S. H. (2017, December 30). Egypt: Lack Of Animal Laws, Animal Abuse, And

Pet Cruelty. Retrieved May 6, 2019, from https://www.globalanimal.org/2012/04/30/egypts-

forgotten-animals/

Jail sentences reduced in infamous dog killing case. (2015, March 30). Retrieved May 06, 2019,

from http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/126468/Egypt/Politics-/Jail-sentences-

reduced-in-infamous-dog-killing-cas.aspx

The Laws. (2013, November). Retrieved May 06, 2019, from

https://www.sparelives.org/index.pl/the_laws