Stray Dogs Are Starving In Bali Due To A Decline In Tourism

This year there has been a significant decline in tourism around the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many animals have been left feeling the sting when it comes to their normal food rations which came from the many tourists. And the animals of Bali are certainly feeling the hunger of the significant tourism decline.

Wanting to do something about it, the animal welfare group, Four Paws, teamed up with the Bali Animal Welfare Association in order to come to their aid and provided thousands of starving animals with food.

Four Paws wrote out statement that read, “Currently, thousands of stray animals on the usually bustling island have been forced to survive on minimal food and innutritious scraps like dried husks and kernels of corn.”

Their dedicated program is made up of two teams who are on full-time feeding duty, and they plan to be busy at work for about three-and-a-half months. They have already completed three weeks of work, helping to give thousands of stray animals a meal.

In addition, another benefit to come out of the mobilized teams is that the animals have been able to get medical attention. Additionally, stray dogs have also gotten more protection from being snatched for the meat market trade.

The head of Four Paws Stray Animal Care projects in Southeast Asia, Dr. Katherine Polak, explained that the lack of normal food sources for these animals has been a result of many effects, not just the lack of tourism due to halted flights. Other facts include loss of jobs, restaurant closures, or repatriation of expats to their home countries.

Dr. Polak also added that their lack of food sources means that stray dogs actually run a higher risk of encountering poisoning or other brutal methods of extermination.

As she stated, “Many starving dogs tend to steal food or hunt and kill farmed animals, placing them in conflict with local communities.”

But it’s quite reassuring to see that there are plenty of people who are willing and dedicated to ensuring the survival of Bali’s stray animals. They all deserve a little love and respect.