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Bogor - To increase public awareness on the importance of food safety and animal welfare, a series of activities were held in celebration of the 6^th Anniversary of the Center for Indonesian Veterinary Analytical Studies (CIVAS) in 2011. The activities include giving public awareness on food safety and an interactive discussion on animal welfare.

Public Awareness on Food Safety

The overarching theme for the public awareness program was “Food Safety for the Welfare of the Nation”. The program was held to increase public knowledge on good animal selection, sacrificial meat management, and good meat selection and processing in preparation of Eid al-Adha 1432H. On Monday, October 31, 2011, Erianto Nugroho, DVM from CIVAS and Arif, DVM from the Agriculture Service Office of Bogor City gave a radio talk on Pro1 RRI Bogor 93.75 FM from 8 AM to 9 AM.

On November 3, 2011, CIVAS also gave public awareness to representatives of Mosque/Musholla Management Boards and village officials in Kemang subdistrict, Bogor District at the Kemang Subdistrict Office Hall in Bogor District. The topic was “Halalan and Thoyiban Ways of Handling and Slaughtering Sacrificial Animals”. Speakers at the meeting were Andri Jatikusumah, DVM, M.Sc. from CIVAS, Hardy Hendriwan, DVM, Head of the Animal Disease Prevention and Eradication Section from the Livestock and Fisheries Service Office of Bogor District, and H. Romli Eko Wahyudi, BVM, MSi from the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Assessment Body of the Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI) in Bogor District. The meeting was attended by 36 participants. Posters on “Sacrificial Animal Selection” and “Sacrificial Animal Slaughter and Meat Handling” were given to participants to put up in mosques and village offices.

On November 6, 2011, Sunandar, DVM and Riana Arief, DVM from CIVAS conducted antemortem and postmortem inspection on sacrificial animals at Nurul Yaqin Mosque in RT 02/RW 05, Atang Sanjaya Administrative Village, Kemang Subdistrict, Bogor District. CIVAS also donated sterile gloves and disposable aprons to improve the hygiene and sanitation of people handling the meat.

Public awareness on how to good meat selection and processing practices was given on Friday, November 4, 2011 to 24 household wives in Atang Sanjaya Administrative Village, Kemang Subdistrict, Bogor District. On Tuesday, November 8, 2011, public awareness was again given to 37 household wives from RT 02/RW 05 Atang Sanjaya Administrative Village, Kemang Subdistrict, Bogor District per request from the neighborhood. The material was delivered by Nofita Nurbiyanti, BVM, and Riana Arief, DVM in both occasions and participants were given leaflets on “Good Meat Handling and Processing Practices” from CIVAS and “Care for ASUH: Safe, Healthy, Wholesome and Halal Animal Products” from the Livestock and Fisheries Service Office of Bogor District.

And finally, leaflets on “Good Meat Handling and Processing Practices” were disseminated to people visiting 3 main markets in Bogor city, i.e. Bogor Market, Anyar Market and Warung Jambu Market. Leaflet dissemination was targeted to household wives because they are the people who buy and process meat for the family. Through this series of activities, hopefully the public will have better knowledge on how to handle and process meat for the health of their families and nation.

Interactive Discussion on Animal Welfare

The theme for the interactive discussion was “Animal Welfare from a Public Perspective: Culture, Social and Religion”. The discussion was held on December 17, 2011, at Bukit Gumati Batutulis, Bogor. The aim of the event was to increase stakeholder understanding and awareness on animal welfare in Indonesia.

This event was held in response to the treatment of animals in Indonesia which are against universal animal welfare norms and standards. Incidences of violence, torture and exploitation of animals are still happening to work animals, production animals, pet animals and wild animals, including those used for shows. Recently, the public was taken aback by a video on animal brutality in a slaughterhouse in Indonesia, which led to a ban on cattle export to Indonesia from the Australian government. This incident also raised public concern. Disregarding this case will allow similar behaviors to develop in the society.

It is time that the Indonesian government and public stop practices of animal cruelty, torture and exploitation. The country needs to adopt universal animal welfare standards and implement it democratically and transparently based on scientific evidence and ethics with respect to livestock production systems, animal use, and relevant aspects such as related to the environment, region, geography, economy, culture, social and religion. Therefore, CIVAS held an interactive discussion on animal welfare to contribute thoughts and ideas in introducing and disseminating the concept of animal welfare for a dignified nation with high moral standards.

Before the discussion, a survey on public perception on animal welfare knowledge and daily practices was conducted in November 2011. A total of 19 respondents whose daily activities are related to animals, i.e. public figures, prominent cattle, sheep and poultry farmers, animal traders, poultry collectors and slaughterers, workers in slaughterhouses, pet owners/hobbyists, pet shop workers, and technical officers from the Agriculture Service Office of Bogor City and the Livestock and Fisheries Service Office of Bogor District. Results of the survey were presented in the discussion as material for the general recommendations on animal welfare.

Speakers in the discussion were Dr. Natasha Lee, Veterinary Programme Manager Companion Animals & Tertiary Animal Welfare Education WSPA Asia with presentation “International Perspective about Animal Welfare in South East Asia” and Janice Girardi, Director of Bali Animal Welfare Association, with presentation “Social Challenges BAWA has Faced in Bali in your Animal Welfare Program”. Moderator of the discussion was Tri Satya Putri Naipospos, DVM, M.Phil., Ph.D.

The discussion was started with an opening speech from the Executive Director of CIVAS, Andri Jatikusumah, DVM, M.Sc. He explained the role of CIVAS as a young organization in contributing ideas, concepts, capacity and effort for the improvement of public health and welfare through animal health, animal welfare, and the safety of food from animal origin. Chair of the Directive Board of CIVAS, Tri Satya Putri Naipospos, DVM, M.Phil., Ph.D., talked about the organization’s role and programs in the past 6 (six) years. CIVAS has provided input and recommendations to the government for decision making purposes, conducted over 20 studies in various regions in Indonesia, built capacities through trainings, actively advocated animal health issues and held campaigns, and participated in internal and external discussions on recent health issues. She also expressed her appreciation and gratitude to various domestic and foreign organizations for collaborating with CIVAS and providing financial and technical support. One significant organizational achievement is the acknowledgement of CIVAS as a legal body by the government. This strengthens the organization’s resolve in moving forward and increases our awareness on the importance of formal networking and legality for the organization’s development. Another concern of CIVAS is to develop a conservation medicine system in Indonesia by collaborating with the Ministry of Forestry. The final speech was given by a representative from the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (PDHI), Agus Lelana, DVM. He elaborated that animal welfare has been regulated by the government through Act No. 18 Year 2009. Animal welfare is basically an assessment by humans of the physical and psychological status of animals based on human moral values.

The first speaker, Dr. Natasha Lee, talked about efforts to create a world that cares about animal welfare and where animal cruelty no longer exists in collaboration with various organizations around the world. Programs are focused on inhumane culling of dogs and cats, disaster management, wildlife, sustainable farming, animal welfare education, advocacy and provide recommendations to the government and related stakeholders, capacity building, resource building and networking. Meanwhile, the second speaker, Janice Girardi, talked about challenges in implementing animal welfare in Bali, i.e. economic issues (tourism and recreation, slaughterhouses, animal markets, tropical fish, dog breeders, deforestation, restaurants serving dog dishes), environmental issues (lack of public understanding of animal behavior, difficulty in restraining stray/feral dogs for vaccination and medication, lack of public awareness to protect and save animals), social-cultural issues (lack of public knowledge on how to treat and handle animals, dog fighting mafia), rabies issues (lack of knowledge on rabies eradication, herd immunity, rabies symptoms and potential host animals), and religion (related with cultural ceremonies that use sacrificial animals).

The discussion was attended by 50 participants from the government (offices related to animal husbandry, animal health and animal quarantine), associations, academicians, non-government organizations, private sector, international agencies, university students, and people concerned with animal welfare.

The discussion produced a set of recommendations. In general, the floor agreed that collaboration must be built between the government, related stakeholders, religious figures, non-government organizations and public figures.

Interactive Dialogue Recomendation of Animal Welfare