Stray cats make City Hall home<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While the Jakarta administration claims to regularly clear the
\ncity streets of stray cats and dogs, some have apparently found
\nrefuge in its offices.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post observed at least 10 cats at City Hall taking
\na nap or dining on scraps from the trash bin (see photo).<\/p>\n
\"I don't know where they (the cats) came from nor when they
\narrived. What I do know is that some of the officials are
\ninclined to feed them,\" said Yoyon, a janitor.<\/p>\n
Stray cats and dogs are ubiquitous in residential areas,
\nmarkets, even slum areas, while not many residents have pet dogs
\nand cats.<\/p>\n
\"The number of stray animals, especially cats, has been
\ngrowing significantly so that they're a nuisance. They often make
\nnoise at night when they fight among themselves,\" said Kelik, a
\nresident of Tanjung Barat, Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Compared to cats, there are less dogs in the city. While
\nsome people in the city are partial to eating their meat, the
\nmajor reason for the moderate dog population is that the dog is
\nconsidered unclean under Islam.<\/p>\n
To reduce the incidence of rabies -- an acute virus disease
\ntransmitted to humans through the bite of dogs, cats or monkeys
\n-- head of the Jakarta Animal Husbandry, Fishery and Marine
\nAffairs Agency Edy Setiarto said the agency had been conducting
\nroutine catches.<\/p>\n
As of May this year, the agency had captured 464 cats and
\ndogs. Most were caught in North Jakarta with 154 cats and 30
\ndogs, followed by Central Jakarta with 108 cats and 15 dogs,
\nSouth Jakarta (76 dogs, 15 cats), North Jakarta (38 dogs and 22
\ncats) and West Jakarta with five dogs.<\/p>\n
\"Catches are also made upon the residents' request. Residents,
\nwho feel that strays in their neighborhood are becoming a
\nnuisance, could ask for the agency's help,\" said Edy.<\/p>\n
The agency's office is on Jl. Gunung Sahari Raya No. 11,
\nCentral Jakarta and can be reached by phoning 600-7251.<\/p>\n
The compound is in Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Edy said the agency was also assigned to monitor the influx of
\ncats, dogs and monkeys to anticipate the possibility of animals
\ncarrying diseases into the capital.<\/p>\n
The regulation that requires pet owners to obtain a health
\ncertificate for their animals has largely been ignored, with
\nincoming animals from abroad the only ones on record.<\/p>\n
From January to May, the agency reported 174 dogs and 101 cats
\nentered the city from other countries.<\/p>",
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