Why Bali Needs Your Help
On this page, we discuss why Bali needs your help in light of the global pandemic, and our favorite Bali organization that can use your support.
Here’s what you will find on this post:
- Tourism in Bali Facts
- Why Tourists Come to Bali
- Impact of COVID-19 in Bali
- The Bali Animal Welfare Association
- Why BAWA Needs Your Help
- How You Can Help BAWA
Tourism in Bali
Bali is largely impacted by tourism, with reports of it contributing to over 50% of its economy.
In 2021, Bali was even named the number one most popular destination in the world by Tripadvisor.
Being Indonesia’s most popular tourist location, Bali brings in millions of tourists every year.
In 2019, there were reports of around 6.3 million foreign tourists that arrived in Bali.
The following year, Bali’s tourist numbers were reported at 1.05 million, dropping exponentially from the year before.
This drop in tourism was due to COVID-19.
Why Tourists Come To Bali
The foreign tourists who visit Bali are mainly from Australia, China, Japan, England, and India.
These people, along with many others from every country all over the world, choose to visit Bali for its stunning nature, from beaches and mountains to beautiful rice fields, its unique culture, and the very affordable prices here on the island.
Sadly, because of the global pandemic, Bali has gone from being filled with tourists, to pretty much empty.
Because of this, the local Balinese people have greatly suffered and lost a huge percentage of their income.
Impact Of COVID In Bali
Throughout the past several weeks here, we have personally seen the large and negative impacts that the pandemic has caused.
Not only are the people suffering from the lack of tourism, but so are the Bali dogs.
When you visit Bali, it is nearly impossible not to notice the thousands of “stray dogs” that you see roaming the streets.
Although, the proper name for these dogs are in fact, Bali dogs.
Unlike the relationship between owners and their dog in Western cultures, the Balinese culture calls for a much different type of relationship with their dogs, as it relies more on protection.
Many of the Bali dogs that you may see roaming on the streets with no collar, are in fact owned by Balinese community compounds, where they protect the community from threats, such as snakes or rats.
These Bali dogs are usually taken care of by their community owners, but the pandemic and lack of tourism have brought on many, serious threats to millions of dogs in Bali.
Since the rise of COVID, the brutal (and illegal) dog meat trade has largely grown.
Now, more and more dogs are at risk of being snatched from the street and killed for the dog meat trade.
In this post, we want to be as honest as possible, so we will only be sharing trusted organizations and nonprofits here in Bali that we have visited ourselves.
Keep reading if you want to learn about The Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA), one of the most incredible dog and cat shelters and rehabilitation centers, which we actually checked out last week.
The Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA)
The Bali Animal Welfare Association was founded in 2007 by Janice Girardi, an American who resided in Bali for over 30 years.
Since then, BAWA has grown to become one of the most-well known and well-respected animal shelters here in Bali… they are even followed by Paris Hilton on Instagram!
The goal of this organization is to save and protect the threatened indigenous Bali dog.
Because of the unique nature and highly intelligent brain of the Bali dog breed, they must be protected at all costs from the Bali dog meat trade, and other dangers around Bali.
Please read more to find out how you can help the Bali Animal Welfare Association during these desperate times.
Why BAWA Needs Your Help
BAWA provides several programs to aid Indonesia in working towards better animal welfare.
Their programs include:
- 24/7 Hotline and Ambulance
- Emergency Response and Rescue
- Rehabilitation and Adoption Services
- Humane Population Control
- Education
- Advocacy
- Disaster Relief.
Now THAT is an impressive list of services.
And the most remarkable part – BAWA operates fully through donations and volunteers.
Last week, we stopped by the Bali Animal Welfare Association at its Ubud location.
We were greeted by kind volunteers and workers, and took a look around.
They informed us that because of COVID, they have been getting far more calls about abused and abandoned animals.
Currently, BAWA has over 250 dogs just at their Ubud location.
If you are fascinated by Bali dogs and have a passion for animal welfare, please consider donating to this amazing organization.
How You Can Help BAWA
If you are currently located in Bali, then stop by BAWA’s Ubud location or check out their website to learn more about adopting, fostering, donating, or even volunteering as a dog walker.
Remember, if you are only here on holiday, consider fostering rather than adopting, so you don’t end up abandoning your dog when you have to leave the island.
If you are located outside of Bali, then there are several options to help The Bali Animal Welfare Association.
- Join Friends of BAWA – By joining Friends of BAWA, you will be supporting BAWA through monthly donations. These donations help to pay for the education of young people in Bali about animal welfare, and also help pay for the sterilization of dogs and cats to humanely control populations. You can sign up to donate the following amounts per month: $10, $15, $20, $25, $30, $50, $100, or $250. **This option uses PayPal as payment.
- Make A Single Donation to BAWA – By making a single donation to BAWA, you have the option of sending a one-time donation, at any amount that you would like. **This option uses PayPal as payment, or donation through credit or debit card.
- Follow BAWA on Social Media Platforms- Spread awareness and appreciation for the incredible work that they do to help animals in Bali. Their username on all platforms is: @bawabali
Click here to check out BAWA’s website.
We hope that you found this information helpful, and maybe even gained a new passion to help Bali dogs.
Anything counts, and the dogs, cats, and volunteers at the shelter will be so grateful for your contribution.
Thank you so much for reading, and we are excited to hear your comments and answer any questions about the Bali Animal Welfare Association.