Sandra Botha becomes first political leader in South Africa to sign the global petition on Animal Welfare

The new leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Sandra Botha, has become the first political leader in South Africa to sign the global petition requesting the United Nations to acknowledge that animals and their welfare matter. The signing took place at her Parliamentary office on Friday, 22 June 2007.

Already at over the half-a-million mark, the Animals Matter petition aims to collect 10 million signatures world-wide and gain for itself a place in the Guinness Book of Records. To be presented to the UN General Assembly, the petition has been organized by a coalition of world animal welfare organizations led by  The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and includes Compassion in World Farming (CIWF).

The Animals Matter petition was launched by WSPA in London in June last year with the Kenyan Minister of Education, Dr Noah Wekesa, becoming the first signatory.

By signing the petition, you will be adding your voice to an initiative to achieve a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare by the United Nations, encouraging all governments to take the matter of animal well-being to heart.  Sign online at http://www.animalsmatter.org 

Sandra Botha is no new-comer to animals or the animal cause. Having spent most of her married life on a farm in the Free State, this mother of five understands the issues at stake.

In May 2001, she hosted a workshop for animals on behalf of the Democratic Alliance and, on that occasion, said: “Animals do matter. We must speak out not only for the poorest of the poor, but for all that are voiceless.”

At the signing of the Animals Matter petition this year, she said: “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that animals are sentient beings.

“Humans have not always acknowledged this, because their own lives are often too hard to take notice of what animals are suffering. But for others it is through mere callousness that they don't recognize in animals all the awareness and feelings with which they are created.

“I believe that the United Nations is an excellent forum through which to gain recognition for animals as sentient beings.

“The better we care for animals, the better human beings we will be.”

Helen Suzman has added her name to the  Animals Matter petition too...
Helen Suzman was the first woman member of the South African Parliament to visit Nelson Mandela on Robben Island in 1967. She told Animal Voice:  “I support both human and animal rights.”