Fwd: Indonesia: Death sentence for Bali dogs - please help

[Guest guest]

Dear John,

 

Thank you very much for your letter and offer of assistance for Bali.

Also, Thank you very much Pradeep for generating this discussion. And of

course to Merritt Clifton (Animal People) for his guidance, help and dedication

to this cause. And to all of our other animal welfare friends who have been

such a great support.

 

I am the founder of BawaBali, (Bali animal Welfare Association).

_www.bawabali.com_ (http://www.bawabali.com)

 

Bawa runs 4 programs, which include: a spay/neuter mobile van, education

program for primary school children, the islands only free animal ambulance to

service strays and for Balinese too poor to help their sick pets, a free clinic

(open 24/7) where we receive, rehabilitate and re-home dogs and cats. We are

also a referral service for other animals. Before the first rabies case in

November 2008 we were already short staffed and under funded. Since rabies we

have found ourselves stretched to the limit.

 

We have been campaigning the government in as many ways as possible to have

them stop the elimination of all street dogs, to lift restrictions on vaccines,

and start an island wide vaccination program. We have been trying to elicit

international ngo's to apply pressure on the Indonesian and Balinese

government, writing letters for local papers, together with the Bali Rabies

Forum we have sent recommendations on rabies management to the government

offices, attend health and veterinary seminars, and have actively been

educating the community etc, etc. We have been meeting with journalists to

enlighten them on proper rabies prevention and to form alliances to publish

more articles and two weeks ago we even met with the Governor at his public

open house. We would like to present a business plan to the Governor outlining

an affordable and long-term focused program for rabies eradication based on an

island wide vaccination program. Currently rabies vaccines are still illegal

for 95% of the island.

 

We could definitely use some help. Of course we need money (who doesn't),

but we also need a fundraiser, letter writers or publicist, teachers or

community education organizers (to assist in re-developing our curriculum to

include rabies safety, etc) and vets or vet nurses to help at the clinic (and

in the long-term hopefully to assist in vaccinating). We are receiving in more

animals then ever since rabies and the elimination program hit, as people are

afraid that if pups are left on the road, they will be poisoned or shot.

 

Basically we need help on all levels to convince the government that their

current practice for rabies control is neither sustainable or practical.

Unfortunately we don't have the funds to offer plane tickets but could possibly

provide some basic accommodation and transport within Bali, full assistance

once here, etc.

 

We are very grateful for ideas that anyone may have........and any help you can

give us.

 

Thank you so very much,

 

Janice Girardi and Dani Stokeld