Disaster (Response) Brings All Together For Animals

As an organisation working for the protection of wildlife and forest in Indonesia, one of ProFauna's main activities is animal rescue, including animal evacuation during disaster. ProFauna has evacuated thousands animals and wildlife to help animal victims in Tsunami Aceh in 2005, North Sumatra in 2005, Merapi eruption in 2006, and the recently devastating eruption of Merapi Volcano in 2010. In its responses, ProFauna as an NGO has always been working together with other stake holders: other local NGOs, international NGOs, government agencies, and the local communities. Furthermore, the disaster management forum, in which ProFauna is involved, has agreed to start working on the national standard operational procedures of animal evacuation during disaster.

In responding to Merapi eruption in 2010, ProFauna team had been working on the field from 27 October to 12 December 2010 to feed wildlife and livestock, evacuate abandoned livestock animals, provide medical treatment, repair and build animal shelters, as well as to handle dead animals to prevent diseases or zoonoses. According to the organisation's record, the team consisting of 30 members of its local volunteers has evacuated 2227 livestock animals (1838 cows and 389 goats); fed 1686 cows, 567 goats, and 400 long-tailed macaques; while providing the animals with medical treatment and good shelters.

Apart from the support of the following international organisations (in alphabetical order) like: the Humane Society International (HSI), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) donors and local volunteers, ProFauna has managed to maintain good cooperation with related government agencies in saving the animal victims of Merapi Eruption in 2010. In Indonesia, bureaucracy is quite complicated even in such emergency situation. To anticipate this, ProFauna team has contacted and asked permission to the related government agencies to perform the evacuation before the team going to the field. In addition, ProFauna has been known by them as the NGO that once worked during the response for Merapi eruption in 2006.

Thanks to the good cooperation of the following government and other organisations: Livestock department of Sleman regency, Livestock department of Klaten regency, Veterinary Faculty of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesian Army, Office of Merapi Volcano National Park, Joglo Abang (Local NGO in Yogyakarta); ProFauna's works went very well and many animals could be saved. More cooperation and follow-up communications have been made as on last 29 December 2010, ProFauna attended a meeting with the aforementioned organisations to produce SOP draft of disaster management for animals to be submitted to the National Bureau of Disaster Management. As soon as the procedures are granted by the national bureau, ProFauna and other stakeholders in the cooperation expect that more animals could be saved.