Convenient Transportation for Animals

Kompas

Melania Mediawaty

During this COVID-19 pandemic period, Melania Mediawaty, 47, is busily engaged in carrying cats and dogs from their owners’ houses to a veterinary clinic. Melania plays the role of pet transporter with deep love. She has also several times rescued stray dogs.

Over the last few weeks, Melania has been going back and forth, carrying pets like cats and dogs to Rajanti Veterinary Clinic in Pondok Jagung, Serpong, Banten. As a pet transporter, she isn’t just picking up and delivering pets but is also frequently asked to rescue stray dogs on public roads.

Her layoff from a bank during a monetary crisis made Melania change her course by trading in cell phones at ITC Kuningan for 11 years. Since 2012, Melania has often made donations to save abandoned animals on the roads, especially dogs.

After donating for two to three years, Melania braced herself for the job of a rescuer. Certainly, Melania adapted to the work. The dogs rescued would not always find good homes.

“I typically can’t bear the sight of agony,” said Melania when taking a dog to Rajanti Veterinary Clinic on Thursday (2/4/2020).

Melania had frequently noticed people rescuing dogs without using vehicles of their own. So she began thinking of offering domestic pet transportation services.

Today, unexpectedly she has cared for 10 dogs in her house. Melania had frequently noticed people rescuing dogs without using vehicles of their own. So she began thinking of offering domestic pet transportation services.

In 2015, Melania coincidentally entered the pet transportation business by picking up and handling pets whose owners had vehicle or time limitations. For instance, she took the pets to veterinary examinations, grooming salons and on walks.

KOMPAS/STEFANUS OSA

Melania MediawatyKOMPAS/Stefanus Osa

“That was how I got into the pet transport business but I don’t want to be an ordinary pet transporter,” said Melania.

Melania prefers that pet owners accompany their dogs to the veterinarian. However, there’s no problem if the owner cannot join. When the pet is examined at the veterinary clinic, the owner can talk directly to the surgeon.

Melania also does not object to recording the veterinarian’s explanation to be reported to the pet owner. In principle, Melania will mediate the needs of the owner and the doctor, including a discussion of the drug concoctions required by the pet. “It’s just like my own pet. So when it’s returned to the owner, everything should be well tackled,” she said.

She also has special standards for the transport of domestic pets, especially for long distances. “For me, the pets I carry must not undergo

stress, let alone be sick. Their need to poop or pee, eat and drink on the way is always reported to their owners. For long trips to other cities, I always apply the standard that the animals are required to get prior vaccinations. At least their vaccination books must be shown,” added Melania.

Nonetheless, Melania isn’t just carrying whatever domestic pet. She has once refused an ailing dog or one that could transmit disease to other animals.

In its developments, Melania’s business expanded its services by offering to take dogs for a walk. Melania spent around five months to explore her clients’ request to walk their dogs.

There have even been those asking that their dogs be taken to Puncak, Bogor, West Java, where the owners happen to have villas.

Through social media, Melania offered pet owners to take their favorite pets for a walk so as to be healthy, as commonly practiced abroad. Gradually some dog owners requested that their pets be escorted for a stroll. There have even been those asking that their dogs be taken to Puncak, Bogor, West Java, where the owners happen to have villas.

Animal rescuer

Not long afterward, Melania developed her services to help groups of animal rescuers. “As I also love abandoned animals, I charge a rescue fee but the rate is not so high. I reckon it my contribution to the rescue of the animals. That’s how I support them,” said Melania.

Ii’s not easy for Melania to save forsaken dogs on the roads. One day she was requested to rescue three dogs in a closed vast field in Bogor. It seemed very easy. It turned out that the three dogs were running when approached.

“What happened was a chasing game, running all over the place. I was panting, exhausted. At the time I still had minimum rescue experience although two people were ready to help there,” said Melania.

KOMPAS/STEFANUS OSA

Melania MediawatyKOMPAS/Stefanus Osa

After failing to catch the three dogs, she put it off so they wouldn’t be traumatized. A rescue could take seven to 10 days. Melania offers the saved dogs to prospective owners interested in taking care of them or sends them to an animal shelter.

Rescuing dogs is always risky. Two weeks ago, for instance, Melania was bitten by a dog she was carrying to the veterinary clinic. As soon as she carried it, suddenly the dog turned its head and bit her right hand. It wasn’t her first experience. Previously she had been bitten by pets in the thigh and back.

After entering her sixth year as a pet transporter, now Melania has a new responsibility as a pet sitter. Usually, during vacations dog or cat owners entrust their pets to Melania. “It’s a matter of mutual trust because pet owners leave their house keys to me,” said Melania.

Melania was once given the full trust of holding a house key to provide pets with food and drink and clean their pens, besides caring for them when they get sick so as not to be stressful. Yet not many families have fully entrusted her with the task.

Sometimes Melania even has to cover any shortage with her own money.

Once again it’s trust that becomes the main capital of Melania to carry out her pet transport activity. Even if a pet owner entrusts a sum of money for doctor’s fees, the entire calculation will be transparently detailed. Sometimes Melania even has to cover any shortage with her own money.

Speaking of the cost of pet transport, Melania unhesitatingly mentioned a total of around Rp350,000, depending of the service area. Most of her services have gone to the rescue of pet dogs that are already weakened by blood parasites. Many owners are unaware that their dogs have abruptly become lame.

With her knowledge of animals, Melania doesn’t feel reluctant to notice weakening signs. If a dog is already vaccinated but it remains weak, Melania promptly detects early indications by examining the dog’s ear, gum and eye conditions.

Kompas

Melania Mediawaty

Melania Mediawaty

Born: Jakarta, 20 May 1972

Education:

- Mardi Yuana Senior High School, Bogor (1987-1990)

- Studying at Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta

Occupation:

- Bank employee (1997-1999)

- Entrepreneur (2004-2015)

- Pet transporter (2015-present)