Domestic Animal Program

The Domestic Animal Program aims to :

  • Educate visitors about caring for pets (currently cats and dogs);
  • Promote the sterilization of companion animals;
  • Educate about and illustrate the differences between domestic species and wild animals and thus discourage the keeping of wildlife as pets.

Domestic Animal Program

Our Cats

The animals abandoned at KWPLH are usually kittens and puppies, individuals far too young to survive independently. Turning our backs to these young animals would be equivalent to letting them slowly starve to death – a fate we consider unacceptable. Visiting vets have spayed and neutered all of our domestic animals (that are of age), all receive vaccines and regular treatment for parasites and other health issues. We are now trying to find new caring homes for some of these animals.

A large multi-leveled cat enclosure with several informative signs nearby has been built to launch our education efforts and has created a lot of interest from visitors. We hope that the good condition of our cats and dogs will speak for the validity of our claims as to how animals should be treated for optimal health and attractiveness.

We are currently promoting a government run spay/neuter program for stray animals and interest has been shown, hopefully, in the future the unwanted animal problem will be tackled on a larger scale.


Adoptions

Many of the cats at KWPLH are available through our adoption program. (It is strictly forbidden to take any animals without permission. It is also strictly forbidden to abandon any animals at KWPLH.) You can meet some of our cats and kittens at our weekend adoption events at Domestic Animal Exhibit. We also offer education and assistance to the public regarding all aspects of responsible pet ownership, care of kittens and cats, the importance of spaying and neutering, and the proper maintenance and care of feral cat colonies.

Our adoption fee is Rp. 300,000 ($30) for one cat or kitten. Each of our cats and kittens have already been:

  • Spayed or neutered.
  • Vaccinated with at least one FVRCP vaccination. We keep all of our foster kitties current on their FVRCP vaccines so depending on the age of the kitty when you adopt him or her and how long we’ve had the kitty, the vaccine series may be complete. If not, you as the adopter will be responsible for any further vaccinations in the series.
  • Treated for fleas.
  • Dewormed.
  • Friendly.

Adoption policies and procedures


Ensuring good homes for our cats

To help ensure that we place our cats in loving, responsible, and committed homes, we have a screening process involved in adopting a cat from KWPLH. All new pet owners must treat their cat with the same care and respect that they receive at KWPLH. We reserve the right to turn down potential adopters as we deem necessary. A home delivery or visit is a required part of the adoption procedure. We conduct visits to the homes of new pet owners to monitor the health and well-being of all cats adopted from us.

All adopters must attend a short course which includes information on caring for their cat and also receive a starter kit of basic supplies. Please contact KWPLH staff to find out more about adopting. We will assist in rehousing animals adopted from KWPLH if the owners leave the area and are unable to take their adopted pets with them.

Return Policy

If for any reason you wish or need to return a cat you’ve adopted from us, you can do so anytime (within 72 hours or be it months or years later), if you need to give up your cat or kitten, you must return him/her to KWPLH. We won’t be able to refund the adoption fee, but we will place him/her in a new home. We don’t ever want our kitties to end up on the streets again!

By adopting a cat from KWPLH Balikpapan, you’re making a commitment to provide love, care, and medical treatment for the life of the cat, which can be up to 20 years. Adopting a cat is a serious commitment, but one that is rarely regretted!

Please take this responsibility seriously. If you are unable to make such a 20 year committment, why not become an our Volunteer instead?

Rumah Kucing

Over the last two years we have also developed a domestic animal program (cats and dogs) which is currently focusing on education of care-taking (health and nutrition), but also aimed at differentiating between wild and domestic animals. We house some 100+ cats and 5 dogs at the center, all strays that have now been neutered and are well taken care of. A careful cat adoption programme has been started.

KWPLH works closely together with the local government in Balikpapan which gives an annual grant that covers much of the operational costs of the center, including a large part of feeding the animals on a daily basis. Outside funds are sought for medical care for the animals, new animal facilities (small clinic, new quarantine, new cat enclosure), as well as special education exhibits. The message wild animals do not make good pets can be promoted by incorporating domestic animals into conservation programs with a new message: domestic animals make good pets. With an emphasis on the differences between domesticated and exotic animals, the domesticated species can become a valuable tool in the effort to reduce the demand for non-domesticated animals by the public.

The exhibit provided an educational panel geared toward helping the local public understand how we care for our animals and how they, in turn, should care for their pets at home.

Volunteer

KWPLH accepts a limited number of resident volunteers. Volunteers should be prepared to spend a minimum period of 3-6 months at KWPLH. Please email kwplh.balikpapan@beruangmadu.org and include a C.V. or resume and a description of your relevant experience or talents. We are interested in people with prior experience in general education, environmental education, pet shelter management, graphic design, construction, and more. Click here to preview our volunteer agreement form which includes information about living and working at KWPLH. We have no funds available for volunteers.

Courier

Going on a trip overseas? We frequently need supplies from foreign countries. Let us know when and where you are going and we will arrange for supplies to be sent to your destination for you to carry back to Balikpapan. We also deeply appreciate donations of pet supplies from overseas such as medications, treats, and toys.

On-site Animal Caring

Volunteering with dogs and cats is a fun and meaningful experience. Volunteers can help with dog walking, training, grooming, or just spending time with the animals. You might enjoy a weekly trip to our facility to view our bears and then relax the afternoon away with a good book and a half-dozen kittens on your lap. We are looking for individuals who can make a regular monthly commitment. Please contact us for more information.

Publicity Team

We are currently looking for individuals or small groups of people to work on publicity and possibly fund raising for KWPLH. These tasks could be completed either at our offices or off-site, at the home of the interested party. This role can be adapted to fit your skills and interests.

 

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