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n the corner of the Indonesian International Pet Expo — which was held at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), BSD City, Tangerang, last Friday — a shelter showcased stray and abandoned cats who were all up for adoption.

“I started caring for stray cats as a hobby,” said Dita Augusta who runs Rumah Kucing in Bogor, West Java. “Some are strays and some are pets. The owners leave them with me because they no longer want them. When they have a skin rash, the owners don’t want to care for them because they become ugly.”

Four cats went home with new owners on that day.

In 2016, the Jakarta administration revealed that over 3,000 stray animals were rescued from the streets.

Stray cats dominated the list with 2,595 rescued, while 873 dogs were rounded up.

An organizer of the pet expo, Ricky Rosano, 35, said he preferred short-haired cats to kucing kampung (local cats).

He had previously owned two Persian cats.

However, he recently adopted a now 4-month-old kitten — his first stray — after he saw her with a leg injury a month ago.

“She’s got unique eyes.”

Ricky said his current stray was easier to care for than his previous purebred cats.

“She’s easy to groom. She eats any pet food brand. She loves to play.

“I still dream of owning [an American short-hair] but for now, I will take care of this kitty as best as I can,” he added. “It’s a matter of responsibility.”

Ting Ping Ping, who runs a shelter for abandoned dogs, said they were just as likely to be abandoned. “I’ve already rescued 920 dogs, 225 have been adopted and 566 are still at my shelter. Sadly, some have died. Some, I will return to where I found them after they are sterilized.”

She explained that there were two reasons people abandoned dogs — they took them in to show off or to guard their houses.

Once the novelty had worn off people just abandoned them, Ting said.

The expo extended invitations to the shelter community, including Rumah Kucing, Dita said.

“I received an invitation from the event organizer, so I didn’t have to pay. The first day is a community day. If I had a sponsor, I would have opened a three-day stand at the convention.”

According to Dita, attending such events had positive outcomes. “There are people who call asking to adopt, as well as visitors who come to the shelter to pick out their own cats. I hope that this will result in more donations to the shelter.”

Dita said she gave the cats at the expo away for free, adding that the only things she asked for was that the new owners vaccinate and care for them properly.

When it came to adopting dogs, Ting said, the regulations were stricter and that was why it was rare to see adoptable dogs at expos.

“We have rules in place, and dogs that are adopted may not be returned. There are requirements that prospective owners must meet, such as filling in a form and having their houses surveyed, so that the dogs can be loved properly.” (acr)