W

hen it comes to pets, owners are required to take full responsibility for their animals’ wellbeing and their surroundings.

This required significant effort and a willingness to step up to ensure the animals were not only happy and healthy but did not pose a threat to others, Justina Sukamto, founder of animal rescue organization Republik Guguk said.

Justina supported a recent move by the Central Jakarta Police to name the owner of a pit bull terrier a suspect after the owner allegedly commanded his dog to attack a security guard in a residential area in Sawah Besar. She agreed that owners should be held legally accountable if their animals attacked others.

The case is the first of its kind the organization has handled, as Republik Guguk commonly takes action against irresponsible adopters who discard their dogs.

“The law must be enforced and justice must be upheld for those who have been harmed because of an owner’s foolishness,” she told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

This opinion was echoed by Jakarta Animal Aid Network chairman Benfica who said laying criminal charges was the correct course of action to take against animal owners that had shown negligence.

“Not all animals can be categorized as fierce, it depends on the owner. Do not solely blame the animal,” he added.

Jakarta resident Jimmy, 32, who has adopted two pit bulls, Coffee, 2, and Jack, 3, and a Doberman named Inoel, said that all pet owners must be able to teach their animals to behave correctly.

“Remember that animals are animals. They need guidance.”

Jimmy regularly brings his dogs to Central Park Mall in West Jakarta where a gathering with other dogs and owners is held every Saturday evening. The gatherings are aimed at breaking stereotypes about certain breeds of dog — such as pit bulls, Dobermans and German shepherds — that are considered fierce and the most dangerous breeds, because of their large size and strength.

“The dogs are not [dangerous] if only the owners are able to make their dogs understand the difference between what poses a threat and what does not,” he said.

Another Jakarta resident Shine Clinton, 25, who has adopted nine dogs — eight pit bulls and a chow chow — said that owners must know their capabilities for keeping pets.

“[For instance] pit bulls are strong so they cannot be kept by just anyone,” he said.

Shine said he usually walked his favorite pit bull, Folky, 3, off a lease but that nothing unexpected had ever occurred in his housing complex.

Central Jakarta Police criminal investigation unit chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Tahan Marpaung has said previously that the owner of the pit bull terrier in Central Jakarta would be charged under Article 360 of the Criminal Code on negligence causing injury to other people, which carries a maximum punishment of five years
imprisonment.

The decision was based on evidence and witness testimony that indicated that the dog’s owner, identified as Andry, allegedly ordered his dog to attack a security guard named Suhermawan.

The incident took place on Dec. 13, 2018, when Andry was taking his pit bull terrier, which was not on a leash, for a walk around his house.

Suhermawan told Andry to put his dog on a leash because it could scare other residents.

Taking offense, Andry allegedly commanded the dog to attack Suhermawan. The security guard, who sustained an injury, reported Andry to the Central Jakarta Police on Dec. 18, 2018.