Around 250 delegates from countries in Asia, Europe and the United States along with representatives from 10 animal welfare foundations will gather in Sanur from Aug. 24 to 29.
The delegates will attend two events to discuss animal welfare issues, namely the Asia for Animals Conference and Asia Coalition for Farm Animals Workshop, which is organized by the Bali-based Yudhistira Swarga Street Dog Foundation.
The participants will include the London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), and the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA).
"We intend to learn from the best practices around the world on how to improve our ways in taking care of these animals, including how to increase public awareness on the issues," Yudhistira foundation's spokeswoman Danti Yuliandari told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Yudhistira foundation was established in 1998 by Balinese veterinarian Dr. Listriani Wistawan and her American friend Sherry Grant. The name of the foundation was taken from a character in Hindu's great epic Mahabharata.
According to the story, Prince Yudhistira, the epitome of virtue, refused to enter heaven after Lord Indra denied entry to Yudhistira's sole companion -- a skinny, dirty dog. Yudhistira argued the dog had earned its place in heaven for being loyal to him along the journey.
Danti said Bali was selected as the conference's site because many animal owners on the island were still treating pets or livestocks in a poor manner.
"Like humans, animals need to be treated with respect and care," she said.
Rina Dwi Asih, one of the foundation's field veterinarians, said they would also use the information from the conferences to lobby local legislators for a new animal welfare law.
She said the new law was expected to grant more power to animal welfare foundations and the government's animal husbandry agencies as well as to stipulate firmer punishments for those who abuse animals.
"With heavier legal sanctions there will be a new hope for a more conducive atmosphere on animal welfare in this country," she said.
Another veterinarian I Wayan Mudiarta said that to this date the only law concerning animal welfare used by the government was 1967 Animal Sanitary Law.
"This law is already out of date and in desperate need of improvement as it doesn't view animals from the animal welfare perspective and only stipulates minimum legal sanctions for violators," he said.
posted via: thejakartapost.com
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