When describing community service, one does not usually think it involves running around a parking lot to catch stray cats or dogs.

But this is what one must be ready for when participating in community service for iCARE. The organization has been working for the welfare of stray cats and dogs through sterilization, vaccination and adoption since April 2008.

"We are doing this work from the goodness of our hearts," said iCARE cofounder Budhi V. Ramadhini.

The community recently took three stray dogs found at a government office parking lot on Jl. Gatoto Subroto, South Jakarta, to a vet clinic in nearby Tebet.

"There is one more at the parking lot, but she keeps running away from us," Budhi said. The stray dogs collected at the clinic will soon join the 14 cats and two dogs spayed earlier.

Gina, a new iCARE volunteer, said she did not support the sterilzation of animals.

"I still see sterilization as an act that puts a stop to life, which is contrary to my faith.

"But I do think stray dogs and cats need to be vaccinated."

iCARE activist Fie Phin said their program had its critics.

"Many people here do not clearly understand the benefit of sterilization for domestic animals in terms of preventing overpopulation."

She said many people still saw sterilization as violating the basic right of the domestic four-legged animals to reproduce.

"But how many puppies are abandoned because the owners are unable to take care of them? Dogs and cats reproduce fast, while it is not easy to find pet owners, let alone good pet owners," she said.

According to veterinarian Silfiana Ganda Kesuma from Nature Vet, a dog can reproduce up to 12 puppies twice a year, while a cat can reproduce three to four times a year of up to six kittens each litter.

"I simply do not want to see more puppies and kittens abandoned on the streets at risk of being tortured, run over by a car or motorcycle, or eaten. Sterilization is a solution to prevent this. "

iCARE's community service program, which ended mid-December, urged residents to bring in stray dogs and cats to be castrated at a subsidized price.

It usually costs between Rp 300,000 and Rp 500,000 to get a male or female cat castrated. However, during the program, it only cost between Rp 125,000 and Rp 250,000.

For dogs, it usually costs between Rp 300,000 and Rp 700,000, which was reduced to between Rp 150,000 and Rp 300,000 during the program.

Budhi urged the city administration to be more humane in its treatment of stray animals by vaccinating them as well as putting them to death.

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