RESCUING AN ANIMAL IS PRETTY EASY. BUT WHAT USUALLY PUTS PEOPLE OFF IS ‘WHAT TO DO ONCE YOU HAVE IT’.

‘Every rescue mission is possible’ so don’t let the worry take hold. After all, that little beating heart and those innocent eyes need you more than ever. Now it’s your turn to step up and do something.

Rescuing an animal will be one of the most rewarding things you have EVER done. It will also fill you with worry and fear. Anxiety about the unknown. But don’t let it grab hold of you. The fact is, you have found another being needing your help and it’s up to YOU to take action!

I FOUND A PUPPY! PLEASE HELP!

Great. You have the cute little pup’ster in your arms. It lovingly thanks you for saving it. It has no idea that you saved it, but it kisses you with that puppy breath and you are hooked!

  1. Take it to the vet and have a full vet check up. Click here for vets in Bali.
  2. I don’t have transport. Click here for drivers in your area happy to help you with dogs for a fee.  If you have saved a puppy, put it into a back pack with the zips slightly open so it can breath. Wear it to the front. Get a Go-Jek, ask a friend to take you or drive it to the vet yourself.
  3. I have no money. No problem. Start an online crowd funding page such as Indiegogo, GoFundMe or KitaBisa (Indonesia). Tell your social media community, friends and family about what an awesome person you are for saving a life and ask them to help you with the financial side. Cute photos and an heart wrenching story will help.
  4. I can’t keep it. I live in a homestay / apartment / hotel. Talk to your vet about keeping the animal for one week and add it to your budget / fundraiser. If it’s an adult animal contact one of the boarding facilities to see if they can help in the interim. Better still is to find a foster home. Join all the community pages and ask someone that lives here to help you.
  5. I leave tomorrow. Well that is a problem. Most rescue groups are so overwhelmed they will push back on helping. Please contact them individually and offer to fund the full rehab and boarding of the animal. Although, we have to tell you, it is not the financial issues with rescue, it is the human time and resources trying to find them a good home. Please respect the rescue peoples time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing out best.
  6. I don’t know how to find it a home. No worries, we got you covered here in our how to rehome guide.

THERE'S A DOG WITH NO HAIR

Yes this is sadly a common sight but EASILY treatable.

Please, before you do anything, ask the people in the area where it lives. Get out your phone and use GOOGLE TRANSLATE to be able to ask and problem solve. Sometimes these animals DO have a family but they don’t have the funds for treatment. It’s great you found them and YOU can help.

  1. I located the home. Awesome. Call a vet in the area (list here) and have the owner and the vet converse to make an appointment. Money will be an issue so please offer to fund the treatment and ask the vet the best way to pay them. Also factor in vaccinations and sterilisation. This is KEY to stopping the suffering of the homeless animals.
  2. It’s a stray Contact one of the rescue groups to see if they can supply you medicine or organise a vet to treat the animal.
  3. I have no money. No problem. Start an online crowd funding page such as Indiegogo, GoFundMe or KitaBisa (Indonesia)
  4. Tell your social media community, friends and family about what an awesome person you are for wanting to save a life and ask them to help you with the financial side. Photos and a heart wrenching story will help. Remember to factor in funds for vaccinations, worming and sterilisation! We don’t want more babies, no matter how cute they are!
  5. Now what? If the animal is a street dog and knows life on the street then sometimes it is the best place for it to stay. Ask the locals if anyone is caring for it, feeding it etc. If your heart is breaking and you want to get it off the street see point 5!
  6. I can’t keep it. I live in a homestay / apartment / hotel. Talk to your vet about keeping the animal for one week and add it to your budget / fundraiser. If it’s an adult animal contact one of the boarding facilities to see if they can help in the interim. Better yet, find a foster home. Join all the community pages and ask someone to help you.
  7. I leave tomorrow. Well that is a problem. Most rescue groups are so overwhelmed they will push back on helping. Please contact them individually and offer to fund the full rehab and boarding of the animal. Although, we have to tell you, it is not the financial issues with rescue, it is the human time and resources trying to find them a good home. Please respect the rescue peoples time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing out best.
  8. I don’t know how to find it a home. No worries, we got you covered here in our how to rehome guide.

THERE'S A PUPPY BUT I CAN'T TOUCH IT

Sometimes the puppies and street dogs have serious trauma. It’s understandable with the way some of them have been treated. Please be advised that trying to rescue a dog that is seemingly aggressive can be dangerous due to rabies. If you are confident you can handle it (or have the rabies vaccination) then proceed with caution. 

  1. Food builds trust. Try to tempt the dog out with some food. Cat food is effective due to it’s strong smell. Give a small amount and see if the pup / dog will come out. Let it eat on it’s own. Then start to hand feed it. It will, hopefully, relax, and start to trust you. This may take you some time. Be patient. Let it lick your fingers. When you hand feed use the same hand to stroke under the chin. Gauge if the dog is still scared. Watch to see if the tail wags. See if it’s body relaxes. These are signs it is starting to trust. Don’t make any sudden movements. Take it slow

See our video of rescuing Billie. Look at the physical cues she gives me. I let her decide when it is time to be picked up. Respect their space and their trauma.

  1. Get a towel / blanket When you attempt to catch the pup/dog use a thick towel or blanket. Put it OVER their head and grab them from behind the neck and lift them off the ground. Wrap them like a burrito so they don’t snap around. They may scream. They WILL settle. Hold tight and wait it out.
  2. Use a slip leash. For adult dogs the slip leash is a good way to catch the dog calmly but securely. You can simply create noose from a normal leash, threading the leash through the handle (so the clasp will be the end you hold). Lay food down and then try to hand feed through the slip hole. When they trust, pull it tight. Don’t let go. Let them settle, then work on getting them to safety.
  3. I don’t have transport. Click here for drivers in your area happy to help you with dogs for a fee.  If you have saved a puppy, put it into a back pack with the zips slightly open so it can breath. Wear it to the front. Get a Go-Jek, ask a friend to take you or drive it to the vet yourself.
  4. Take it to the vet closest to you.

THERE IS AN ANIMAL WITH A BROKEN LEG / MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Call a vet IMMEDIATELY! This is a critical case and the animal needs urgent help. Here is the list of vets, find the closest to you.

If you need some support then jump onto Facebook and ask on one of the community pages that is relevant to your area. See if anyone can help with advice. DON’T post the suffering animal on the community pages and leave the animal ‘hoping’ someone else will ‘deal’ with it. That doesn’t make you a hero, it makes you a #&$@!

  1. I don’t have transport. Click here for drivers in your area happy to help you with dogs for a fee.  If you have saved a puppy, put it into a back pack with the zips slightly open so it can breath. Wear it to the front. Get a Go-Jek, ask a friend to take you or drive it to the vet yourself.
  2. I have no money. No problem. Start an online crowd funding page such as Indiegogo, GoFundMe or KitaBisa (Indonesia)
  3. . Tell your social media community, friends and family about what an awesome person you are for wanting to save a life and ask them to help you with the financial side. Photos and a heart wrenching story will help.
  4. Now what? If the animals is a street dog and knows life on the street then sometimes it is the best place for it to stay. Ask the locals if anyone is caring for it, feeding it etc. If your heart is breaking and you want to get it off the street see point 5!
  5. I can’t keep it. I live in a homestay / apartment / hotel. Talk to your vet about keeping the animal for one week and add it to your budget / fundraiser. If it’s an adult animal contact one of the boarding facilities to see if they can help in the interim. Better still is to find a foster home. Join all the community pages and ask someone that lives here to help you.
  6. I leave tomorrow. Well that is a problem. Most rescue groups are so overwhelmed they will push back on helping. Please contact them individually and offer to fund the full rehab and boarding of the animal. Although, we have to tell you, it is not the financial issues with rescue, it is the human time and resources trying to find them a good home. Please respect the rescue peoples time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing out best.
  7. I don’t know how to find it a home. No worries, we got you covered here in our how to rehome guide.

I FOUND A MUMMA WITH PUPS / KITTENS

  1. Locate their home and talk to the owner
  2. They have no home. Call a vet and ask for help. List of vets is here
  3. I don’t have transport. Click here for drivers in your area happy to help you with dogs for a fee.
  4. I have no money. No problem. Start an online crowd funding page such as Indiegogo, GoFundMe or KitaBisa (Indonesia)
  5. Tell your social media community, friends and family about what an awesome person you are for wanting to save a life and ask them to help you with the financial side. Photos and a heart wrenching story will help.
  6. I can’t keep it. I live in a homestay / apartment / hotel. Talk to your vet about keeping the animal for one week and add it to your budget / fundraiser. If it’s an adult animal contact one of the boarding facilities to see if they can help in the interim. Better still is to find a foster home. Join all the community pages and ask someone that lives here to help you.
  7. I leave tomorrow. Well that is a problem. Most rescue groups are so overwhelmed they will push back on helping. Please contact them individually and offer to fund the full rehab and boarding of the animal. Although, we have to tell you, it is not the financial issues with rescue, it is the human time and resources trying to find them a good home. Please respect the rescue peoples time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing out best.
  8. I don’t know how to find it a home. No worries, we got you covered here in our how to rehome guide.

REHOMING AN ANIMAL IS ALWAYS DAUNTING BUT WE HAVE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU THROUGH!

We’ve kind’a nailed a formula on how to get our rescues adopted to GREAT homes. Find out more below!

GETTING THE PAW’FECT SHOT!

A good photo is the difference between rehoming your animal or struggling for months and begging people to adopt. Don’t beg, just take great photos.

Lola - how-to rescue and rehome a bali dog - Mission Pawsible dog and animal rescue Bali Indonesia

OUR TOP TIPS!

  • ASK FOR HELP
    Animals are not the easiest subject matter to photograph but when you nail the shot you will see the time was well worth it. If you have a friend that is a professional photographer then call in a favour. The better quality the photo the more likely hood of a happy home tail.
  • USE A GOOD QUALITY CAMERA
    A handphone with a quality camera is great but a DSLR is even better to catch the perfect, in-focus, detailed shot.
  • A CLEAN BACKDROP
    The animal is the focal point so try to shoot with either a plain backdrop or greenery. Research suggests that an animal photographed on green grass will get a more interest. Why? Because psychologically it represents a clean, happy and safe environment as opposed to, say, the cement floor of the shelter.
  • NATURAL LIGHTING
    If I had a dollar for every photo I have seen of black animals photographed in a shadow I could afford to save all the homeless animals! Make the time in the day to take your photos outside. Natural lighting is the best to get a great shot of your furry friend.
  • FOCUS
    Another bug bear – people promoting animals that are blurred. Again, make the time during the day to take MANY photos to be sure it is in focus. You may take literally 100 photos for just 1 decent photo. But that 1 photo will be the difference of finding a forever home or continuing to struggle.
  • LOOK INTO MY EYES
    The ‘money shot’, as we call it, is when your animal is looking into the camera. Why? Their eyes are the window to their soul and people see this as soon as they scroll through their social media feed. There is an immediate connection, a silent conversation, a story. They lock onto each others gaze and the rest is history.
  • SMILE
    All animals smile when they are panting. This, coupled with looking into the camera will get even more engagement from potential adopters. How do I get my animal to pant? If it’s a puppy or adult dog, play with them for a good 5 – 10 minutes. Get them happy, relaxed and panting and you will be able to get a natural, happy and calm shot.

TIPS

  • FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD 
    Dangle a treat over the lense of your camera to get the attention of your rambunctious rascal.
  • GET NOISY
    Have some squeaky toys and squeak them close to the camera lense, or just make stupid sounds yourself (yes it is a little embarrassing). Watch as they tilt their head, stop moving and curiously look at the camera. Boom, that’s a shot!
  • ADD SOME CHARACTER
    Accessories are a cute little addition to lighten the shot. A clean collar, small bandana, a home-made daisy chain – anything that softens the animal and adds character will help your animal stand out.

DON’T

  • PHOTOGRAPH IN CAGES
    I know the animal is at the vet and you are desperate to get it adopted, but that cage sends the wrong message. We don’t want to promote cages (even if the animal is in the clinic). A cage is not a home for an animal of any kind. Try and get around this, take a sarong or a piece of material with you as a backdrop, or take the animal out of the cage for a walk outside and look for a plain or natural backdrop in natural light.
  • DON’T use photos out of focus or in shadows
  • DON’T use photos of animals snapping or showing their teeth / snarling. They maybe in the middle of a play fight but to anyone viewing it online if could look aggressive.

WHAT DO YOU WRITE?

There will be a lot of opinions on what works and what doesn’t but what I have learnt is to keep it positive and light. I, personally, try not to be desperate and my reason for that is I want someone to adopt my animals for who they are not out of sadness or guilt. There is a home for all the animals, but some take longer than others to find.

Focus on the positive traits.
Toilet trained? Leash trained? Sleeps through the night? Vaccinated? Sterilised? Socialised?

Would they suit a couple, single, or family? If a family what age would your animals suit?

Always stipulate what YOU want for your rescue!
I always state no cages, no chains, no free roaming, fully fenced yard, no kosts (this is a one room studio with communal gardens) plus house check mandatory.

If your rescue is special needs be clear about this to any perspective adopters. They have the right to know if the animals has inherent trauma. There is nothing worse than investing your time into rehoming an animal only to have it returned with in a few days due to underlying issues.

WHERE DO YOU ADVERTISE?

The best, most effective place is naturally Facebook! With millions of users, and thousands in your area, you have a captured audience right in front of your screen.

SOMEONE APPLIED TO MY AD, NOW WHAT DO I DO?

Finally you see a little red dot in your messenger and there is someone wanting to adopt. Awesome, but now the real work begins.

I like to engage in simple banter first and then dive in with the important questions (see my questionnaire at the end of this page).

Once you have the answers you want you can make a time to meet.

Personally, I won’t even leave my house if they won’t answer the questions. And believe me I have had some real ‘characters’ who get annoyed at my ‘interrogation’. But hey, they haven’t invested hours and hours of time, love, energy and money into these animals – I have. So, if people think they are ‘helping’ me by taking an animal off my hands with out the respect to answer basic questions then they are sorely mistaken. We are blessed with the love and devotion of these rescued animals and I will only give them the best after everything they have been through. Plain and simple!

QUESTIONS I ASK.

Feel free to copy and paste to any potential adopters.
Note: These questions are specific to Bali because it is hard to take dogs out of Bali, therefore I am always looking for truly permanent people, or people who understand the FULL commitment and are willing to take their animals where ever they move to next if that should happen.

– how long have you Iived in Bali (or the location you are adopting with in)?
– how long do you plan to stay?
– if you leave where would you go? Would you take your pets?
– do you have a fully fenced and secure yard ? Adoption is strictly no cages, no chains, no roaming, no kosts.
– do you have any other pets ? If so she what / how old / gender / breed ?
– are your other pets fully vaccinated (Complete + Rabies). This is paramount for the future health of all animals. It’s also a good indicator of whether they take their pets health seriously.
– Are your pets sterilised? It is mandatory that our rescues are sterilised either prior to adoption if old enough or when they are 4+ months old. Sterilising pets stops the suffering and reduces rescue. See www.BaliPetCrusaders.org for subsidised sterilisation for rescued pets.
– do you have children? If so how old?
– do you work full time? Is anyone home with the dogs during the day?

If you can send me some photos of your yard would be great.

 

Now wait for their responses. If you feel comfortable with this being your fur’babes potential home then make a time to meet! Lock it in as soon as possible too!

 

Well done! You just saved a life and now you have the confidence to do it again!