The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, CAFOD, offers goats, pigs and chickens as gifts for people overseas.

This petition is asking CAFOD to show respect and compassion for God's creatures and concern for the planet by ending the gifting of animals.

Our objections to this practice are, in brief:

It takes away resources which are needed for feeding the family.

It is based on the exploitation and enslavement of God's creatures.

Experts such as The World Land Trust are opposed to animal gifting programmes, calling them "environmentally unsound and economically disastrous".

At a time when the UN is calling for a transition away from animal agriculture, CAFOD is promoting it.

Milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children, and 75% of the world's population and 90% of Asian and African populations are lactose-intolerant.

Animal gifting is not necessary. CAFOD can help feed hungry people without using animals.

See articles on animal gifting for further information: https://www.all-creatures.org/articles/heifer.html