From http://www.ifaw.org
Please contact us or them to help Bali's dogs
Though Bali is revered as an idyllic tourist destination, a lack of accessible and affordable veterinary care has resulted in dogs frequently suffering from untreated wounds and illness. And when rabies was confirmed in November 2008, the government began randomly killing thousands of dogs in a misguided attempt to prevent the spread of disease. With no animal welfare laws and almost no money for vaccines, there was little the Balinese people could do to save their animals, but now there is hope.
Dogs have always been a part of the Balinese community and play an important role in their unique culture. While most dogs on Bali are owned, they’re free to wander the streets and as a result, are often mistaken as strays. Visitors to the island may see dogs suffering from a variety of skin diseases, untreated wounds, and injuries from accidents. Locals do their very best to responsibly care for animals but faced with poverty and a deplorable lack of affordable veterinary care, many dogs are left to suffer.
How IFAW Makes a Difference
Since 2002, IFAW has supported a local project in Bali, saving the lives and easing the suffering of thousands of animals.
IFAW is now working with Indonesian Animal Welfare (InAW), which sends a mobile clinic and team of veterinarians out to the villages and beaches of Bali. These weekly mobile veterinary clinics provide education and sterilization services to help prevent unwanted puppies from being born. They also help maintain healthy dogs in target communities by regularly vaccinating against disease, providing deworming and parasite control, and assisting animals in distress – such as those who are starving or injured by cars.
With the support of IFAW, hundreds of Balinese dogs are being transformed from parasite-riddled, hungry and hairless creatures to healthy, happy animals with owners who have a better understanding of how to meet their needs. In addition, IFAW continues to encourage the adoption of strong animal welfare legislation, to protect all the island’s animals from suffering and abuse.
Eradicating Rabies from Bali
Though Bali was considered rabies-free until the outbreak in 2008, the disease quickly spread as a result of the island’s large population of unvaccinated roaming dogs. Humans can contract rabies from a bite by an infected dog and infection is nearly 100% fatal if not treated immediately, making the disease merciless for people and dogs alike.
Even though the only recognized strategy for the elimination of rabies is a comprehensive vaccination program coupled with public education, the Balinese government persisted with their inhumane and ineffective strategy of killing by poisoning thousands of dogs with strychnine. Not only did dogs die terrible deaths due to poison, but the rabies epidemic grew faster.
That is why IFAW is supporting an initiative led by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), working with the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) and using the expertise of IFAW’s Bali-based InAW team to eradicate rabies from the island of Bali. Now, thousands of dogs may be spared death from poisoning as a result of a revolutionary island-wide vaccination program. The ultimate success of this project will serve as a model for other countries battling rabies in their communities, spreading a seed to change cruel animal management practices and serving as evidence that the humane solution is also the right one.
Key Facts:
In the past year, IFAW’s support has allowed 902 dogs to be spayed or neutered,826 dogs to be treated for skin parasites, and 504 dogs to receive deworming treatment. More than 100 dogs have had life-saving treatment to heal their wounds.
Post-exposure vaccines for humans bitten by rabid animals in Bali are expensive and difficult to come by. Post-exposure treatment can cost up to $1,000 USD, depending on body weight. Average per capita income in Bali is $2,271 USD.
Approximately 400,000 dogs live on the island of Bali, and in vaccinating the 70% necessary to achieve disease eradication, teams will treat more than 280,000 individual animals.
The projected cost of the island-wide vaccination project is nearly $715,000, which means each dog will cost approximately $4.85 to treat.
We need your help to stop Bali's deadly rabies outbreak.
For just $53.00 you can help save 25 dogs, and help protect and care for so many animals that are crying for help.
Please make your $53.00 life-saving donation today.
https://www.ifaw.org/ifaw_united_states/donate_now/bali_dogs.php?msource=DR101002008#x
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Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 10:30AM 
