Activists to curb illegal slaughter

Dicky Christanto ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Denpasar   |  Wed, 10/15/2008 10:38 AM  |  Bali

Animal rights activists have vowed to step up inspections of animal slaughtering practices in Bali to prevent the island from adopting the illegal methods used elsewhere.

The activists said it was part of their overall campaign to increase public awareness about animal rights.

"We condemn illegal animal slaughter practices and therefore we will do our best to prevent these practices from reaching the island," I Wayan Mudiarta of the Yudhistira Swarga Foundation told The Jakarta Post recently.

He said illegal animal slaughter, which was mostly motivated by profit, was a common practice in many regions in Java, especially during periods of high demand for meat such as Ramadan.

Illegal practices include forcing excessive amounts of water into a cow's mouth in a bid to increase the carcass's weight after slaughter.

Another practice is injecting formaldehyde into chicken carcasses to prevent the meat from decaying.

"I once visited an illegal slaughterhouse in Central Java where the workers slaughtered cows that way. It was horrible," said Mudiarta, a veterinarian.

He said these practices not only tormented the cattle but also reduced the quality of the meat.

"Meat produced from such slaughter is actually not worth consuming," Mudiarta said.

To raise awareness of animal rights, the foundation organized street theater and a photo exhibition in Puputan Badung square on Sunday.

A group of 30 animal rights activists wore animal costumes. They put up banners asking people to start paying attention to the issue.

Mudiarta said the foundation would coordinate with local livestock husbandry officials in conducting the inspections.

"Besides regular checks, we will arrange more snap inspections on slaughterhouses around the island to find out whether or not they are applying the right procedures while slaughtering the animals," he said.

Established in 1998 by Balinese veterinarian Listriani Wistawan and her American friend Sherry Grant, the Yudhistira Foundation is an organization that brings together individuals and veterinarians to improve animal rights on the island.

The foundation's name, Yudhistira Swarga, comes from the last chapter of the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It tells the story of Yudhistira, the prince of truth, who refused to enter heaven after Lord Indra denied entry to Yudhistira's sole companion -- a skinny, mangy dog. The prince argued the dog had earned its place in heaven for completing the long journey there.

Bali Livestock Husbandry Agency head Ida Bagus Alit said he welcomed every effort to protect the island from illegal slaughter practices.

"We will support each other. I need feedback from people who notice such practices if there are any," he said Tuesday.

He said that his agency had not found any slaughterhouses in Bali using the illegal slaughter practices.

However, he said he had ordered his subordinates to conduct more thorough and regular inspections of all slaughterhouses across the island.

"I agree with the prevention. Of course we don't want such practices to be used here also," he said.

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