For the love of Bali dogs…

19 Apr, 2024

For the love of Bali dogs...

I am very passionate about animal welfare and have been volunteering and donating to various animal welfare organizations. Helping dogs find their forever homes was one of the things that sparked my interest in dog photography. During my time living in Bali in 2012, I was captivated by the unique Bali Heritage Dogs. Since then I wanted to return to raise awareness about their breed and the challenges they face, including rabies, crossbreeding, culling, neglect, and the meat trade, that put them at the risk of decline. I finally went back to Bali in March 2024 and I couldn’t get enough of Bali dogs!

Did you know…

  • Bali has two native dog breeds that are unique: the Bali Dog and the highland Kintamani
  • Bali Heritage Dog is the oldest dog breed. It’s older than the Australian Dingo, and can be traced back to descendants from 12000 years ago
  • Bali Heritage Dog is a symbol of Balinese identity and tradition.
  • The Kintamani breed is the result of crossbreeding chow-chows with local Bali dogs.
  • As free roaming Bali Dogs began to interbreed with imported dogs, it introduced new and weaker genetic variations.
  • After the rabies outbreak in 2008, the government has ordered mass culling of stray Bali dogs.

The welfare of Bali dogs has been a significant focus of various charities and caring individuals who stepped up to provide essential care like food, shelter, and medical attention. Animal welfare groups and rescue organizations are playing crucial roles in meeting the needs of these animals. They drive initiatives such as spaying and neutering, widespread vaccination drives, feeding and educational campaigns aimed at fostering responsible pet ownership.

Here are some of the most well-known charities and projects on the island, that you can follow and support:

During my trip to Bali, I joined Little Steps Matter team on a street feed around the Kediri area of Tabanan. After I met some of the dogs in their care. Sabine, the Little Steps Matter founder, taught me a lot about the Heritage Bali Dogs and projects they are working on as an organization.

Little Steps Matter mission is to relieve suffering of animals in Bali through: Feeding, Treatment, Sterilization, Education, and Rescue – Rehab – Rehome. They provide food and medical care for animals in need across Kediri. It includes street feeding, sterilization of abandoned and owned dogs and cats in Kediri (to avoid unwanted pregnancies and babies being dumped), and mange, flea and tick treatment. They also educate the local community in the ethical care of animals as well as run a safe house for abandoned animals and help them find forever homes.

Meeting and photographing the Little Steps Matter team was a great pleasure. It’s amazing to see animal lovers from Bali, as well as other parts of the world, coming together to help animals. You could see how bonded all dogs were with volunteers, greeting them ecstatically at every stop. I really hope I’ll meet Sabine and the team again in the future.

Would you like to help Bali dogs as well? You are in luck, as there are many ways you can do it😊

  • Donate to one of the non-profit organizations, such as BAWA, BARC, Little Steps Matter, and save lives! Every dollar counts and goes towards the care of rescue animals. Just $10 will pay for 1 dog to eat for a week. $20 will pay for a dog’s annual vaccinations!
  • Adopt a dog virtually and with a monthly donation help with your dog’s care.
  • Are you coming to Bali? If you have spare room in your bag, you can bring a few things that Bali dogs need: skin medication such as Bravecto for large dogs, dewormers, treats, blankets, towels, collars, leashes.
  • Do you have spare time in Bali? You can try volunteering, joining street feeding, or visiting one of the shelters for a tour. Dogs love having visitors!
  • Can’t do any of the above? Please follow the wonderful organizations I mentioned before, share their posts and spread the word <3

The local Bali communities have long been home to a significant number of street dogs, which freely roam various places, including residential areas, beaches, and bustling tourist spots.

Jimbaran Beach, place famous for its seafood. In the early morning, there were many fishermen pulling their colourful boats back to the shore. Dogs were going through the garbage, while waiting for their guardians to come back form a fishing trip.

Balangan Beach. Many dogs were roaming this spot during sunset time, some in groups, some enjoying solitude, some looking for food, while others were seeking partners for play.

At Padang Padang dogs were napping in the sand and under umbrellas waiting for tourist to arrive. They definitely owned the place when the beach was still quiet.

Kuta Beach is one of Bali’s first tourist developments, it’s best known for its party-centric atmosphere and surfing. Here you can also spot many beach dogs.

Ubud and beyond. When I asked our driver if dogs are allowed at the rice fields, he asked me: “why they wouldn’t be?”. Sometimes I forget how dog friendly the world is outside of Australia… In Ubud, I took a few photos of locals at Ceking Rice Terrace, while they were giving us the grand tour around their hood😊

Spoiler Alert: I’m going to submit one of the photos from Bali to Dogumetary challenge from Unleashed Education, but I still haven’t decided which one:) I’m doing the 3rd set of challanges, Empower, with Unleashed Ed this year. You can check my previous work in Emerge and Embark wrap up posts.

19 Apr, 2024