Bring a doggie bag when visiting Sidonganti village<\/p>\n
By Gin Kurniawan<\/p>\n
TUBAN, East Java (JP): Those afraid of dogs should beware.
\nThey should not enter Sidonganti village because there are many
\ndogs in this village, located in Kerek district, Tuban regency,
\nEast Java.<\/p>\n
An enormous number of dogs are found roaming the streets.
\nNearly all residents raise dogs as people may breed other animals
\nlike goats, cows or chicken. Not surprisingly every day in this
\nvillage dogs bark stridently, grating on eardrums and frightening
\npassers-by.<\/p>\n
Sidonganti village, which occupies a chalky hilly terrain has
\nrecently become known as a dog village because of its huge supply
\nof dogs for consumption. In the beginning the name of the village
\nwas only known by dog traders in East Java. Of late traders have
\nbeen coming from other provinces like Central Java and Jakarta.<\/p>\n
It has become a public secret that there are eateries and
\nrestaurants serving dog meat which is haram (forbidden) for
\nMuslims. In Jakarta, some restaurants specializing in food from
\nNorth Sumatra and Manado, North Sulawesi, include dog meat
\ndishes. In East and Central Java, eatery owners serve dog meat as
\nsate jamu (satay with herbal medicine effects). This is connected
\nwith the belief that dog meat can cure certain diseases. Some
\npeople are said to believe that dog meat has aphrodisiacal
\nproperties.<\/p>\n
According to Yassin, 43, a local community figure, dog traders
\nfrom Jakarta have only recently come to the village but their
\nvisits have had a positive impact on the villagers, especially
\nthe dog raisers. There is increasing enthusiasm to breed dogs
\nbecause the animals fetch good prices.<\/p>\n
\"People, not interested in dog raising before, have now
\nstarted to breed the animals as a means to increase income.
\nNearly all inhabitants now keep dogs,\" said Yassin, also a
\nbreeder.<\/p>\n
Information gained from a number of Sidonganti residents
\nreveals that no fewer than 1,000 dogs are sent to Jakarta every
\nmonth. \"The demand is actually higher, but our capacity is
\nlimited,\" said Pardjo, 36, another dog breeder.<\/p>\n
In the village, dogs are priced between Rp 20,000 and Rp
\n35,000. The traders can sell them in Jakarta for three or four
\ntimes as much.<\/p>\n
The raising of dogs at Sidonganti may be connected with the
\nstructure of the village situated in the middle of a jati
\n(teakwood) forest. The houses are sparsely located and the
\nvillagers keep dogs as guards for the house and to protect the
\nrice fields against wild boars. They also use the dogs when
\nhunting.<\/p>\n
The term \"dog village\" does not bring pride to the residents.
\nOn the contrary, most of them feel ashamed because they raise
\ndogs for consumption.<\/p>\n
\"We feel ashamed because dogs are haram according to Islam,\" a
\nnumber of them have said.<\/p>\n
They raise dogs because they are compelled by the situation to
\nsurvive.<\/p>\n
The life of these people, consisting of 350 family heads
\nliving in the 11,700 square meter village is distressing. They
\nmostly live in simple houses with walls of bark planks and
\nbamboo.<\/p>\n
Sidonganti is indeed a backward village; it is categorized as
\na minus area. The village is located about 40 km southeast of
\nTuban. The remote hilly terrain has hindered development of
\nfacilities as well as the infrastructure. The inhabitants are
\ndependent on crop farming which is difficult in the arid land.
\nThe land must be worked to store rain water because it consists
\nmainly of rocky elements.<\/p>\n
The inhabitants must walk several kilometers to fetch clean
\nwater from a water reservoir. The water is collected from a
\nsource below the hill and channeled by pumps through pipes to
\nSidonganti.<\/p>\n
\"We have no animals to raise apart from dogs. We are not
\ncapable of raising other animals. Besides, these animals are easy
\nto keep because they can find their own food in the forest,\" said
\nYassin.<\/p>",
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