Ismira Lutfia – Backed by prominent lawyers, animal lovers and rights groups on Tuesday demanded the government respond to recent cases of abuse by introducing legislation mandating the humane treatment of animals.

Todung Mulya Lubis, a lawyer best known for his human rights advocacy, criticized the government for failing to set a good example in animal welfare and called for regulations that would allow for legal intervention in cases of animal cruelty.

"This may look like a trivial matter but it is not," he said at a press conference.

Although there is a 2009 law on livestock and animal health, it lacks provisions to ensure adequate protection, he said. "The law does not even have any penalties [for violators], and without penalties, we cannot expect much from the government in terms of animal protection," he said.

Todung warned that without legal intervention, animal abuse would continue to be regarded as an everyday occurrence – a condition he said was a form of moral degradation. Additionally, he said, poor treatment could result in animals being more susceptible to disease, which in some cases could put humans at risk.

Then there was the obvious economic impact of poor animal welfare, he said, referring to the recent Australian ban on export of cattle to Indonesia following a gruesome video report that showed livestock being tortured in the country's slaughterhouses.

In reaction to the ban, the Indonesian government said it would boost cattle production in the country to reduce dependence on imported beef.

Treesye Prawirosurojo, a family therapist who uses pets in her sessions, said humans could learn a lot from animals, such the value of hard work, modesty, humility and loyalty.

"Caring for animal develops empathy," she said, claiming an insufficient emphasis on compassion in schools had resulted in younger generations lacking empathy towards other living beings, including animals.

Actor Dennis Adhiswara, who attended the press conference, said he was ready to use his fame to educate his fans on the importance of animal welfare.

He said other celebrities, such as movie stars Rianti Cartwright, Ringgo Agus Rahman, Rizky Hanggono, singer Ariyo Wahab, novelist Djenar Maesa Ayu and many others had pledged their support. "We want to be able to help in any way possible and we can start by spreading the word through our Twitter accounts," he said.