On Saturday (Sep. 28), 25 stray cats from the UGM campus area were sterilized and given free rabies vaccinations at the Anatomy Laboratory and Professor Soeparwi Veterinary Teaching Hospital, UGM Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FKH UGM).
This sterilization and rabies vaccination program was carried out in collaboration with the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association of Yogyakarta Special Region (PDHI DIY).
It aimed to control the stray cat population on the UGM campus and raise public awareness about the importance of rabies vaccination.
Dr. Widagdo Sri Nugroho, Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources at FKH UGM, emphasized the importance of this program as a form of community service, particularly in controlling the stray cat population in the UGM environment.
“This initiative is part of our efforts to address the campus’s growing stray cat population. Many faculties are facing this situation, where the number of cats is increasing rapidly and sometimes causing disruptions,” Dr. Nugroho said.
He further explained that the program aims to control the cat population on campus and raise awareness about proper pet management.
“Feeding cats is a good thing, but their numbers will increase rapidly with adequate nutrition. If not controlled, an excessive population can become a disturbance,” he explained.
This sterilization program was specifically targeted at cats within the UGM area. Various faculties and work units at UGM sent cats from their respective areas to FKH UGM to be sterilized.
The sterilization involved veterinarians, undergraduate students, and co-assistant students. It consisted of several stages, starting with health checks, infusion, premedication, and anesthesia before surgery.
The cats’ wounds needed proper care after surgery, and FKH UGM students were involved in post-operative monitoring for one week to ensure recovery.
Rabies vaccinations were also administered at the hospital with support from PDHI. These vaccinations were provided for cats and pet dogs.
Veterinarian and Chair of PDHI DIY Aniq Syihabuddin explained that sterilization and vaccination are two effective methods for controlling animal populations while minimizing the spread of rabies.
“Sterilization helps prevent overpopulation, while vaccination prevents zoonotic diseases like rabies. We sent practicing veterinarians to volunteer in this sterilization operation,” he explained.
In addition to sterilization and vaccination, this event also served as an educational opportunity for the public about the importance of maintaining pet health and population control.
The program also aims to inspire the community to be more mindful of post-operative care for sterilized cats.
“We hope the public can become more active in controlling the cat population, not just by feeding them, but also by maintaining population balance through sterilization programs,” added Syihabuddin.
This sterilization and vaccination effort is expected to make a tangible contribution to controlling the cat population on the UGM campus and preventing the spread of rabies in Yogyakarta.
FKH UGM is committed to continuing this program regularly and expanding its reach to a wider community in the future.
About 25 cats were successfully sterilized. After sterilization, some of the cats will first be cared for at Professor Soeparwi Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Undergraduate and co-assistant students will be responsible for the post-operative care and monitoring. Syihabuddin expressed his gratitude for the smooth implementation of this event.
“We are grateful that this event ran smoothly from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thank you to all parties who contributed to the success of this program, including the veterinarians, undergraduate students, and co-assistants from FKH UGM,” he said.
Author: Lintang
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya