Bali street dog caught for meat needs URGENT care

As dog owners, we were shocked to find out about the abuse and cruelty that happens to the street dogs in Bali, Indonesia.

Recently, while travelling, we met a very special human, (Puspa)! We were scootering one evening to enjoy a beachside Sunset when we ran into her and her pack of rescue dogs. Puspa has been rescuing and rehabilitating dogs in Bali for the last 7 years. Many of her dogs were abandoned by their families during the pandemic and she has adopted and cared for them.

Among her pack is a very special Pomeranian Lucky that caught our eye and prompted us to learn more about Puspa and her dogs. (You can see Lucky pictured with Puspa). Lucky was previously neglected and left without food and water causing life threatening skin and eye infections that resulted in Lucky loosing his eyes. Puspa found and saved Lucky 2 years ago and brings him everywhere (by scooter since he can’t keep up with the rest of her pack).

Feeling moved by her story and love for Lucky and the rest of her dogs we got to know Puspa on a deeper level. She spends her days not only with her pack but also cooking for and feeding the stray dogs on the island of Nusa Lemongon. Puspa explained to us that unfortunately animal abuse is all too common on the island. The starving stray dogs are forced to hunt the local resident’s chickens; so they are often beaten, poisoned or struck with machetes. Shockingly some are even captured, killed and eaten as meat.

She told us about another dog in need (who she has affectionately named Brownie) whom she has been trying to rescue but, has been feeling helpless.

We went with her to meet Brownie and give him some food. Brownie had been tied up next to a tree with a chain around his neck and left outside in a yard with no shelter and barely enough chain to move. He was being kept there and fed a low quality diet in order to get get him to a large enough size & weight to be killed and eaten.

Poverty runs deep in this region and meat is often not financially accessible for the Sumba people. Some of the people resort to extremes by catching & harvesting meat from local street dogs. Brownie had managed to break the chain and escape where he ran into the street and was hit by a truck, breaking his right side back leg. His leg has now been dangling for 6 weeks as he hides out in the jungle, just across the street from where he was captured. The chain still grips tightly around his neck. Brownie is scared, timid and very afraid of humans due to the abuse & cruelty he suffered. Meanwhile the chain around his neck causes him difficulty breathing & Puspa is concerned that as he grows he’ll be choked & suffocate if he doesn’t get help soon.

The goal of this GoFundMe Campaign is to raise enough money for Puspa to rescue, rehabilitate and adopt Brownie. This will involve sedating Brownie so that he can be transported by ferry from the island of Lemongon to Bali where he can be treated by a Vet for his broken leg & be cut free from the chain around is neck. We hope to cover the sedation, transportation, surgery and medical expenses as well as food costs for Brownie during his 3 month recovery.

Luckily in Indonesia, veterinarian & medical costs are significantly lower than in Canada & the total cost for his surgery, transport & rehabilitation is ONLY estimated to be $2500 CAD. As such, we’ve set the goal of this GoFundMe campaign for $2500 CAD.

Please help us in helping Puspa rescue, treat and adopt Brownie as her next pack member.