I notice in Australia today there are some interesting attitudes to animals that I had not experienced before. Many of my friends have cats and dogs that are as important to them as their children. The animals lay on the sofa watching TV and sleep on their beds. They take their dogs on daily walks, give them special treats and talk to their animals as their best friend. I think they would be lost without them.
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Trained dogs are invited to hospitals, aged-care residences and schools. My friend rescues Labradors with some having gone behind bars to Bathurst Jail to be obedience trained by inmates, which has changed the lives of many inmates.
The tradition of raising household pets is not really a part of Indonesian culture, with the exception of birds. The concept of a cat or dog being a part of the family with free access to the home, beds, sofas, and table scraps is foreign to most Indonesians. The majority of the population are struggling just to put food on the table and can't afford giving food to animals. Some religions in Indonesia consider dogs to be unclean and avoid contact all together.
While living in Indonesia, I was scared of cats and dogs. As a child I was bitten by a dog and when I stayed at a school friend's house, I woke up terrified in the middle of the night with 15 cats lying on top of me.
Since coming to Australia, I now love patting and cuddling people's dogs, one being my best friend (but still a bit phobic about cats.) It warms my heart to see happy animals with a very happy family.
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