Quackeries causing breeders, lovers of dog great loss – SAVAN President

 

President Small Animal Veterinary Association of Nigeria (SAVAN), Dr Kunle Abiade, says quackery has caused the breeders and lovers of dog great loss of revenue, especially in Ikorodu.

Abiade has therefore appealed to breeders to stop patronising quack veterinary doctors who parade themselves as authentic because it endangers the lives of pets and even the citizenry.

He said this during a one day seminar organised by the Ikorodu Dog Breeders and Lovers Association (IDBLA) tagged ‘Canine Illiteracy’, at Ikorodu club Hall, Lagos.

“Ikorodu has the highest number of quack veterinary doctors, and we are ready to take our profession back. Those people who go about parading themselves as doctors should be warned, we will use security agencies to fish them out.

“However, breeders should ensure that they know the identity of the veterinary doctors before inviting them to administer any medication to the pets, to avoid disaster”, he cautioned.

Abiade advised breeders to also maintain integrity and see the business for what it is – a real business, and not just a hobby.

He said that the seminar is important to the association in order to enlighten and educate members on the importance of engaging in such business.

“There are several different professional techniques in managing pets, hence the need to patronise professional veterinary doctors only”, he added.

“I will advise dog breeders, that there is a need to create time for the dog because breeding is a business, and you must have a financial plan and business plan as well as professional help. Do not compromise on their nutrition, operate a standard Kennel because the health of the canine is the key, and stop abusing the use of antibiotics on them.

“You need to have integrity since it sells the products, and quality should be your watch word”, he added.

Mr Gbenga Showemimo, the IDBLA president expressed satisfaction with the seminar and hoped that the association would help them get rid off quack veterinary doctors around Ikorodu, to enable them carry on their businesses successfully without loss of revenue since many that set up the business got loans from micro banks.

“With this seminar we have acquired more knowledge and I believe it is an eye opener to us, especially those that administer drugs on pets without consulting veterinary doctors or who end up patronising quacks, leading to all manner of complications, for themselves and their pets.

“I believe our members have been educated, and enlighten and now know the requirements to starting out as breeders, and also identifying methods in the management of pets”, he said.

According to him, members now understand that there is a difference between someone who jumps into the profession and someone who received professional training.

“I am sure that henceforth, nobody will go to quack veterinary doctors.

“From today our association will inform members about the registered veterinary doctors to work with”, he said.

A lover of pets and a businessman, Mr Isaac Faleye, shared his experience on how he lost 8 dogs in one week after he invited a veterinary doctor to treat the dogs without knowing he was a quack veterinary doctor.

Speaking on how he met the veterinary doctor, he narrated that it was in a platform that both of them met and he invited him to come and check out his dogs to see if it was necessary to administer any treatments on them.

“The dogs were doing well previously but since I am not a breeder but just a lover of dogs, that was how I ended up losing them”, he said.

“Eventually nothing happened to the so-called ‘doctor , and I am still in shock. My son who is always with them is downcast and has refused to eat anything. He had watched the dogs die but could not do anything to help them”.

Another speaker , Dr Olufemi Arosso, President of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, Lagos State chapter, who was represented by Dr Adigun Sunday, said the body of Small Animal Veterinary Association of Nigeria (SAVAN) has observed that breeders do not feed the pets with healthy food .

He pointed out that feeding of pets with bones is not good or hygienic for their health and also that breeders should consider the dog’s height, length and breadth before constructing a cage.

He suggested perimeter fencing, instead.

 

 

By Ifeoma Ikem