petsPlease think carefully before buying a pet here that has a life expectancy beyond your anticipated departure date from Indonesia.

There are a number of issues which arise that you may not want to think about during your stay, but which will have to be dealt with when it comes time to leave;

• What will you do with your pet when it is time to leave?
• Can you take it with you to your new destination?
• What quarantine requirements will there be?
• Are you prepared to pay the cost?
• If you leave your pet behind, can you guarantee that the new carer will take full responsibility for it?
• A lot of people think it’s ok to leave their pet with their staff because they seemed to get on so well BUT they won’t be able to afford to feed or take care of it properly.

Rabies
Please be aware that there is rabies in Indonesia, although Java now claims to be rabies free. If an animal bites a person, that person should be taken to the doctor for a rabies injection.

Cultural Issues
Many Muslims consider dogs to be unclean, and many are afraid of them, so please discuss this issue with your staff before bringing a dog into your home.

Wildlife markets
Domestic animals are crowded into cages alongside protected jungle cats, monkeys, and birds, all living in deplorable conditions. Many have reached the market after a cruel and dangerous journey at the hands of animal smugglers. For every one animal in the market, statistics say that nine have already died, either during capture or transport. Killing of mothers to take babies is a common technique practiced by animal traders. If you buy an animal, even if the animal ‘looks so sad’ the reality is, you are supporting a trade which inflicts suffering and death on thousands of animals each year.

The puppies you see on “puppy street” (you’ll recognise it when you see it!), are bred purely for profit – you can help to reduce this trade by electing not to purchase from these vendors.

If you really want to get a pet…. Consider looking at JAAN (Jakarta Animal Aid Network) http://www.jakartaanimalaid.com/ or the animal shelter at Pondok Pengayom Satwa (near Ragunan Zoo). A wide variety of dogs and cats are available including pedigree animals, puppies/kittens, and older dogs and cats which have many good, loving years in them but for unfortunate reasons have been turned over to the shelter. All animals at the shelter have been vet-checked, fully vaccinated and sterilized. The shelter is also always in need of kind volunteers to spend time socializing dogs and cats, and also donations of pet food. If you can help, see the contact details listed below.

With all this in mind, a pet is a valuable addition to any family, teaching responsibility and fostering fun and love. The vets here are very accommodating and will gladly do house calls for a small fee. Basic pet supplies are available in most supermarkets and more specialised diets are available from the pet shops and vets listed below..