The aim of the study was to determine the issues facing poor livestock keepers in the urban and peri urban environs of Nairobi through provision of information on the following areas: Introduction to the city of Nairobi; Institutions representing the needs of poor livestock keepers; Characteristics of livestock keepers; Livestock species and constraints; Knowledge deficiencies and research opportunities of both reactive and predictive nature; Policies associated with livestock keeping and; Environment, public health and animal health. The study was carried out in eight slums of Nairobi.