The call was contained in a press statement the executive director of the Uganda Convention for Development, Abby Muweesi, issued last week.

"Today Uganda is burdened by increasing numbers of animals transported for long distances.

This has caused a lot of death by suffocation and injuries to the animals."

The statement was in respect of the World Animal Day which annually falls on October 4.

However, the convention marked the day on May 2.

World Animal Day was started in 1931 at a convention of ecologists in Florence, Italy to highlight the plight of endangered species.

Muweesi urged Ugandans to join the convention to stop the mistreatment of animals.

Many animals and birds, especially cattle, pigs, chicken and goats, were mishandled especially when being transported to slaughter houses across the country, he added.

The activists consider an Act of Parliament passed in 1957 on the prevention of cruelty to animals as not deterrent enough.

Dr. Dgungu, a senior veterinary officer in the agriculture, animal industry and fisheries ministry told The New Vision that they were in the process of reviewing the law to provide for tougher punishments.