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The Foundation defines its programs to address three timeframes: Short Term: Emergency care,
skin disease and parasite treatment It is felt that by addressing all of these areas we are working to bring relief to both the immediate suffering of the animals and the underlying long term problems that contribute to the situation. Our long-term objective is to make our work unnecessary. Field Clinic Program The Foundation believes that the medium term solution to the plight of the Bali street dogs is sterilization. Up until 2000, the Foundation only sterilized males in the field. Female sterilizations were much more complicated and require a lengthy recuperation period. Since early 2000 with our newly introduced sterilization procedure in conjunction with our visiting vet and veterinarian teaching programs, we have been able to do sterilizations on a large scale. The clinics operate four days a week and generally go to outlying villages all over Bali. There they set up a tent or operate at the local Banjar (community center). A field clinic team consist of two to four veterinarians, two dog catchers, two preppers an assistant and veterinarian students. On a typical day a clinic will treat 20 to 30 animals. As of mid-2002, almost 8,000 dogs have been treated by the Foundation. Street Program The Street Program catches dogs, treats them for skin diseases, wounds and parasites and then releases them back into their original environment. Unlike the Field Clinic, the Street Program teams are small (two catchers and two veterinarians) and are constantly on the move. Also, whereas the Field Clinic operates in the outlying villages, the Street Program operates on the more congested and dangerous streets of the cities and tourists areas. The focus of the Street Program is more on remedial and emergency work and less on sterilization then the Field Clinics. On any given day depending upon conditions and luck, a Street team may treat anywhere from five to ten dogs. Due to shortages of staff and vehicles, the Street Program has taken a less priority than the Field Clinic due to the larger number of animals that can be treated by the Field Clinics. However, with recent funding (mid-2002) that has been made available by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the foundation will be able to field a separate Street Program team and van everyday. Veterinarian Teaching The Foundation works with the Veterinarian School of Udayana University to provide valuable training to veterinarian students (Teaching Programs). Working with the visiting vets these students get training in: a) surgery prep and post op, b) surgery, c) worming, d) maintenance of clinic and kennel facilities, and e) skin and parasite treatments. The teaching is incorporated into the Street Program, Field Clinic and a special Saturday Student Program. Kindness Clubs In January 2002, Yudisthira with WSPA sponsorship began teaching Kindness Clubs in Bali grade schools. Each club is a class of about 50 students. Yudisthira meets with each class once a month during the school year. Each month features a different animal - some are endangered, others extinct, and some domestic - dogs, pigs, cows, birds, horses, monkeys, turtles, and tigers.
The Kindness Club classes have been highly successful and have been enthusiastically received by the Ministry of Education, the faculty and the children. We are looking forward to expanding the program next year. Emergency Care The Foundation works through a few local veterinarians to provide limited emergency treatment for street dogs injured in accidents. This is a new program and no figures are available on it yet. Puppy Rehabilitation and Adoption Puppy and Kitten Rehabilitation involves picking up street puppies and kittens, along with their mother if she can be found, and putting them in foster care until permanent homes can be found. While in our care, they are treated for skin diseases, parasites and inoculated for parvo and distemper. To date the Foundation has placed 140 puppies. Referral The Foundation acts as a clearinghouse for information on veterinarians and animal care. This includes helping place pets that are being left behind by departing expatriates, people caring for injured animals found suffering on the road, tourists wanting to do something for a poor hairless creature they found, owners looking to board their animals, and inquiries from businessmen looking for alternatives ways of managing their dog situation without poison or contract killings. The calls are numerous and touch on every topic related to pets and their care and the condition of the Bali street dogs. |
The
classes are highly interactive. Each student receives a finger puppet of
the month's featured animal that they collect in a storage box. They
sing songs, receive prizes for answering questions and locate the native
habitats of the animals on a large color map of the world that is donated to
the school.