Let’s solve rabies together. The Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) is thinking fast and trying to find solutions to the problem of rabies in Bali. Their new campaign shows that rabies can be controlled and eradicated in a relatively short time frame and with an affordable amount of money. Since the BA Alternative Voice article of April 22, 2009, questionable government practices to solve the rabies problem have become more commonly used and BAWA’s “Spend a Dollar, Buy a Collar and Save a Dog” campaign is a attempt at mobilizing everyone on the island and possibly from outside its borders.

So far, the areas officially affected by the disease are Kuta, Denpasar, Sanur and the Bukit. Everyone agrees that something has to be done urgently to contain or even stop the spread of rabies but methods to achieving this are provoking controversy. On the one hand, the government is controlling and managing the disease by poisoning community and stray dogs using strychnine. The use of strychnine is inhumane and has been condemned around the world as a method for killing animals. Such practices cannot prevent the death of many healthy community free roaming dogs.

On the other hand, animal welfare associations such as BAWA as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) claim that the only proven method is the vaccination of 70% of the dog population, together with control of animal populations. Although fundamentally opposed to the practice of culling, BAWA wants to move forward and work together with the government towards a more humane way of fighting rabies. The “Spend a Dollar, Buy a Collar and Save a Dog” came about as an emergency measure agreed by both BAWA and the regional government in the rabies infected areas where vaccines are allowed. In the officially affected areas, the government will provide free vaccine for all the dogs caught and inoculated by BAWA. These dogs will be wearing bright orange collars to make them easily identifiable and will not be captured and killed. The government takes the cost of the vaccines while BAWA provides strong and recognizable collars, dog catchers, and vets – sending 4 to 10 people daily to do the work.

Readers who reside in the above mentioned areas may have heard of or even witnessed the practice of shooting strychnine from dart guns, distributing strychnine in food baits, and shooting dogs with handguns. Some of you might even have lost their dog because it was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ate some of the poison. Now the government not only needs to protect its public from rabies, but also from these additional government induced risks. 

 You might have noticed too that fewer dogs wander the streets these days but is that the solution? There are no experts in the world that advocate the mass killing of the host species to control rabies. Programs that rely on culling have proven to fail time and time again; as these programs ultimately lead to an increase in the population of the host species due to decreased competition for resources in the environment. Numbers show that there are still cases of rabies in islands such as Flores where the stray dog population has been decimated in the last decade. However, mass vaccination campaigns would eradicate rabies on the island in three years. The WHO and the Center for Disease Control all agree that a robust vaccination program targeting 70% of the host population is the only effective control measure.

 So why then does Bali still have restrictions on rabies vaccines? Only officially affected areas are to be provided with the anti rabies vaccine for free. It is difficult to interpret this measure. Whether it is because the number of available vaccines are not enough, or federal funding is not available or because wide spread inoculations would give a bad press to this touristy spot, the research shows that the responsible attitude to solve the problem and make inhabitants and tourists feel safe is big scale vaccination.

 As for costs, vaccines vary from US$ 0.30 for the one currently administered to US$ 1.70 for an imported brand that stays valid for longer. BAWA urges the Government to lift the restrictions immediately and allow all regencies in Bali to administer preventative rabies vaccines. It is also investigating ways to obtain and fund the longer lasting type of vaccinations. BAWA recognizes the challenges the government is facing financially and practically and want to not only help but also wants to encourage the local community to lend a hand.

 In conjunction, experts recognize that reducing the population of animals through long-term sterilization programs helps to fight diseases such as this one. The estimated Bali dog population is 400,000-500,000, which is high for an island of this size, densely populated and highly frequented by tourists. The narrow cohabitation between dogs and humans elevate the risk of being bitten by a rabid dog. However, a male dog that has been neutered will not travel to find females and will not spread rabies geographically. Dogs are territorial and if the dog population is controlled, fewer travelling dogs will be chased from areas where they do not belong. Effective programs being run in other countries where rabies has been eradicated combine animal birth control programs with rabies vaccination programs. BAWA runs a sterilization program usually performing 30 operations every day.

 BAWA fully relies on donations to continue its activities and their current vaccination campaign aims to raise money to buy their orange collars. As explained, a dog with a collar will not be captured or poisoned. It is essential that all dogs already vaccinated wear a strong collar that they are not likely to lose. BAWA’s bright orange collars are manufactured in Java and only cost US$ 0.40 but if the immunization is to be effective, many collars will be needed. Funds are also needed to pay the staff, the catchers, who go out and vaccinate dogs without collars. 

 However “Spend a Dollar, Buy a Collar and Save a Dog” stresses the fact that all of us can help make a change. The amount to be spent is reasonable if we compare it to many other ventures or good causes and ultimately, dogs can be saved from both the disease and from the risk of being killed for no reason. This new and proactive campaign needs support and financial donations from as many of us as possible.

 The cruel and unreliable methods currently used to solve the problem have created a feeling of urgency that has caused a great deal of concern to many animal welfare NGOs such as BAWA and they have had to relocate many of their staff to education for raising awareness, finding funds, catching dogs and vaccinating them. Previous to the crisis, BAWA spent most of its efforts in the provision of medical care, feeding and adoption programs. 

 They also understand that it comes down to changing the understanding of the local Balinese and they have accomplished a great deal already in educating people in the area of in the Gianyar area to take care of animals. Their educational programs with the banjars and the schools are slowly shifting the attitude of the Balinese people. In 2008 they staged a successful “Bali Dog Idol Contest” whereby 18 puppies were adopted by local students who were taught how to take care of them. They were monitored over a six month period and all brought perfectly kept dogs to the contest. All participants won prizes to encourage them to continue looking after their companion pets. Other students entered the competition by submitting drawings, stories and poems around the theme of animal welfare. These creative works were compiled into beautiful books and the school with the best contribution won a donated computer. For this year’s contest, Janice Girardi, the founder of BAWA, plans to have 50 puppies for adoption. She explains that initiatives such as the Bali Dog Idol Contest are necessary to reach the local community and change the understanding of the next generation of Balinese towards responsible pet ownership.

 The expatriate community can help with role modeling good behavior towards animals and take things in hand to solve this problem by making it a community project that is measurable and achievable. Vaccinate your dog; tell your friends and neighbors to do the same. BAWA will help you to do that if necessary. During the last weekend of May, BAWA sent their staff to vaccinate 92 dogs in the Sanur area where a Japanese woman had gathered people from her community to bring their dogs. “Spend a Dollar, Buy a Collar and Save a Dog” needs your donations to make a difference. Let’s think about it as a community project whereby we will solve the rabies problem together.

More information on BAWA’s programs, events, details about adoption, helping, volunteering or donating is available from their comprehensive website: www.bawabali.com or by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and by phone (0361) 977217.

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