Pets affected by foreigners' departures<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Abandoned pets at the animal shelter are among those feeling
\nthe repercussions of anti-American sentiment here as many of the
\nshelter's donors have left the country.<\/p>\n
The Foundation for the Protection and Care of Animals at
\nRagunan, South Jakarta, is being forced to stretch its budget for
\nthe animals because it is feeling the pinch without the
\nassistance of foreign donors.<\/p>\n
\"We are forced to limit the acceptance of abandoned animals,
\nbecause receiving new ones would only burden our expenses even
\nmore,\" a staff member at the animal care center, Aneta
\nWidiyawati, said on Monday.<\/p>\n
There are currently 100 stray dogs and dozens of abandoned
\ncats at the center. The foundation used to accept approximately
\n20 dogs and cats each month, as well as look after a number of
\nanimals temporarily put in its care by their owners.<\/p>\n
The animals are fed rice and minced beef twice a day and there
\nis also the cost of \"extoparasite\" medication which is rather
\ncostly, Aneta explained.<\/p>\n
The foundation used to have 10 regular foreign donors besides
\nan Indonesian donor who provided funds for 15 abandoned dogs a
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Since the foreign donors left last month, the foundation
\nstopped importing the medication and has begun to manually pluck
\nflees from the animals.<\/p>\n
\"Flees are on the increase now because of the weather, and
\nonce an animal gets them, they spread quickly to the others ...
\nwe used to regularly fumigate the area during the flee season,
\nbut we must also cut back on that,\" Aneta added.<\/p>\n
Temporary care is another business run by the foundation to
\nhelp keep the shelter running, where owners pay Rp 25,000 a day
\nto board their pets.<\/p>\n
Agus Widodo visited the center with his family dog, Plato.<\/p>\n
\"We're going to have a wedding reception at home and
\neveryone's busy, that's why I've brought Plato here. He'll be
\nstaying for a week,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
This is the second time Agus has used the foundation's
\nservices.<\/p>\n
\"My dog is spoiled at home, so he got stressed out when we
\nleft him here the first time, but he was given antistress
\nmedication by the foundation's veterinarian,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Even though many foreigners have left the capital because of
\nanti-American sentiment, the center has not seen an increase in
\nthe number of animals temporary put there.<\/p>\n
Half of the animals at the center are adopted while others
\nremain at the shelter and depend on donations for their care.<\/p>\n
However, not many dogs were adopted during the last three
\nmonths, meaning a higher maintenance burden for the animal
\nshelter.<\/p>\n
Some dogs have been at the center for more than seven years,
\nAneta said, while others stayed until they died of old age. Over
\nthe years some were also put to sleep because of illness.<\/p>\n
Sadly, some ill and unwanted animals are taken to a
\nveterinarian school for students to practice.<\/p>\n
\"If they are cured they are brought back here, but if not,
\nthey are put to sleep,\" she said.<\/p>\n
In an effort to bring in more capital to the cash-strapped
\nanimal foundation, stray animals currently at the shelter are now
\nrequired to share a cage. The foundation says there will not be
\nenough enclosures for the upcoming Idul Fitri and Christmas
\nholidays when people usually bring in their pets for temporary
\ncare.<\/p>\n
\"Last year, we had around 180 animals in temporary care during
\nthe holidays,\" Anita said, adding that the foundation has 160
\nenclosures.<\/p>\n
Another business at the foundation is pet burial and
\ncremation.<\/p>\n
However, as the foundation has run out of space for pet
\nburials, the burial service has been temporarily halted.<\/p>\n
Cremations are still organized, according to Anita, saying
\nthat approximately 20 animals are cremated at the foundation each
\nmonth. The service costs between Rp 40,000 and Rp 60,000,
\ndepending on the animal's size.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pets-affected-by-foreigners-departures-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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