HOW TO RESCUE AN ANIMAL

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

‘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!

  1. 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.

Yes, this is sadly a common sight but EASILY treatable.

Please, before you do anything, ask the people in the area where the dog 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 about the best way to pay them. Also, factor in vaccinations and sterilisation. This is KEY to stopping the suffering of the homeless animals.
  2. They’re a stray. Contact one of the rescue groups to see if they can supply you with medicine or organise a vet to treat the animal.
  3. I have no money. No problem. Start an online crowdfunding 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 the dog to stay. Ask the locals if anyone is caring for them, feeding etc. If your heart is breaking and you want to get them off the street, see point 5!
  6. I can’t keep them. 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 the animal is an adult, 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 entire 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 people’s time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing our best.
  8. I don’t know how to find them a home. No worries, we got you covered here in our how-to rehome guide.

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 its strong smell. Give a small amount and see if the pup/dog will come out. Let them eat on their own. Then start to hand feed. They will, hopefully, relax and start to trust you. This may take you some time. Be patient. Let them 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 their body relaxes. These are signs they are 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 was 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 a 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 them into a backpack with the zips slightly open so that they can breathe. Wear it to the front. Get a Go-Jek, ask a friend to take you or drive to the vet yourself.
  4. Take them to the vet closest to you.

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 them into a backpack with the zips slightly open so that they can breathe. Wear it to the front. Get a Go-Jek, ask a friend to take you or drive to the vet yourself.
  2. I have no money. No problem. Start an online crowdfunding 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 animal is a street dog and knows life on the street, then sometimes it is the best place for them to stay. Ask the locals if anyone is caring for the dog, feeding etc. If your heart is breaking and you want to get them 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 people’s time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing our 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.
  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 crowdfunding 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 people’s time and energies. Keep it nice and polite. We are all doing our 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.

HOW TO REHOME AN ANIMAL

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 likelihood of a happy home tail.
  • USE A GOOD QUALITY CAMERA
    A handphone with a quality camera is great, but a DSLR is even better for catching 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 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, take the time during the day to take MANY photos to be sure it is in focus. You may take literally 100 photos for just one decent photo. But that one photo will be the difference between finding a forever home or continuing to struggle.
  • LOOK INTO MY EYES
    The ‘money shot’, as we call it, is when your animal looks 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 feeds. There is an immediate connection, a silent conversation, a story. They lock onto each other’s 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 lens of your camera to get the attention of your rambunctious rascal.
  • GET NOISY
    Have some squeaky toys and squeak them close to the camera lens, 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 homemade 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 may be in the middle of a play fight, but to anyone viewing it online, it 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 prospective adopters. They have the right to know if the animals have inherent trauma. There is nothing worse than investing your time into rehoming an animal only to have them returned within 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 without 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 genuinely 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 lived in Bali (or the location you are adopting within)?
– 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, 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 pet’s 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 four-plus 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, that 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!

MISSING AND FOUND PETS

All over the world, pets go missing, but prevention is the best solution!

Some pets wander out the front gate, escape their yard, simply disappear or are blatantly stolen. We know the stress and anxiety of losing a much loved fur-friend so here are some ways to help you find them again. Don’t lose hope. They are out there somewhere and hopefully these tips will help you!

Western Breeds

Western breed dogs are often stolen from their homes in the hope of either a reward or re-sale on the black market.

If you have lost a western breed, please do the following:

Bali Dog/Cat

Bali Dogs naturally roam; however, they don’t often roam too far from their home. If your Bali Dog goes missing, please do the following:

**IMPORTANT**

Constantly look for your pet for sale!

Refer back to these sites daily. Your dog may appear and then quickly be sold. If your dog is unsterilised, then the thieves may use to breed from it; therefore, keep watch for new puppies of the same breed, ask to view them and see the parents.

Bali Dog Lover [K]
Bali Dog Lover
Dog Lovers Bali
Bali Dog Lover Denpasar
Dog Lovers Bali
Anjing Dijual Bali
Anjing Dijual Di BALI (Dog Lover)
Jual Beli Anjing Bali

* IF YOU SEE YOUR PET FOR SALE

  1. Take a snapshot of the sale of the dog from the site as PROOF of the illegal trade.
  2. Click on the seller. Get as much information about them as possible. Take snapshots of their profile and details.
  3. Have a local (not Bule or ex-pat) contact the seller to organise a meeting – do not let them know you know the dog.
  4. Meet the seller and take the police with you.
  5. Take proof that it is your dog – vet history, photos, vaccine books etc.
  6. Get your dog back.
  7. Proceed with criminal charges if possible.

LOST POSTER

Download and edit according to your pet. We have included English and Indonesian.

FOUND POSTER

Download and edit according to your pet. We have included English and Indonesian.

SCENT TRAIL

A dog’s sense of smell is one of the most important ways they experience life and the world around them.

For his ancestors, a keen sense of smell was necessary for survival. Now it aids not just theirs but even human survival — consider the work of search and rescue dogs. Lost dogs can and do sniff their way home.

HOW TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE SCENT TRAIL!

  1. Pee in a bottle
  2. Walk the trail from where you lost your dog or where it was last seen, and start pour a small amount on poles, fences, trees etc.
  3. If your dog could have taken various routes back to your home, or a familiar location, pour a small amount on these trails too and ‘funnel’ the smell back to your home.
  4. Have a large bowl of food and water to attract them to that final step!
  5. Continue to look for your dog, hand out flyers and put up posters. Promote on social media.

This technique has proven to work, and dogs find their way back home! Good Luck!

SCENT TRAIL OPTION 2!

  1. Sleep in a sarong/old bed sheet/t-shirt overnight, so the fabric absorbs your smell OR use an old t-shirt/towel that has your smell on it.
  2. Rip it up into small pieces that you can tie around a pole (30cm x 5cm).
  3. Walk the trail from where you lost your dog or where it was last seen, and start to tie pieces of the fabric to poles, fences, trees etc., (also, add a poster to add extra awareness).
  4. If your dog could have taken various routes back to your home, or a familiar location, tie pieces of fabric on these trails too and ‘funnel’ the smell back to your home.
  5. Have a large bowl of food and water to attract them to that final step!
  6. Continue to look for your dog, hand out flyers and put up posters. Promote on social media.

This technique has proven to work, and dogs find their way back home! Good Luck!

A Dog’s Sense of Smell

Dogs’ noses have more than 40 times as many scent receptors as humans have. Depending on the breed and the scent in question, scientists estimate that their sense of smell is between 40 and 1 million times stronger than humans’. It is believed that one-third of the canine brain is dedicated to interpreting scent data. The shape of the canine nose, the mucus within and the act of sniffing itself all help dogs take in scent molecules. Dogs have something called a Jacobson’s organ or vomeronasal organ, which humans do not have. Located on the roof of the mouth, it is sensitive to odourless chemicals like pheromones.

The Origin of Dogs’ Sense of Smell

The ultimate purpose of your dog’s sense of smell is survival. It warns them of nearby presences; it alerts them to the scents other animals leave behind in urine markers and pheromones, including those in heat; it alerts them to natural prey that has been or may still be in the area. By domesticating canines, people co-opted their keener sense of smell to find food for human subsistence.

Source: Cuteness

ANIMAL COMMUNICATION

It may be for you, it may not, but for an affordable price, it is another way that could help find your missing pet. We have had some very paws’itive results, but please note this is not a guaranteed ‘X marks the spot’ result but more like a psychic reading. You will need to supply your consultant with a photo of your pet with eyes looking at the camera for them to connect to them. This can be done from anywhere in the world.

Certified BT + LA
Pet Rate: AU$35
Rescue Rate: Price on Application
Contact on Facebook or What’s App +63 906 470 1079
Filipino/English

Certified BT + LA
Pet Rate: AU$35
Rescue Rate: Price on Application
Contact on Facebook or WhatsApp +639173151312
Filipino/English

Certified BT + LA
Pet Rate: AU$50 per session
Rescue Rate: $25 – $100
Whats App: +62 (0) 81222904939
Indonesian/English

How to prevent your animal from being lost!

This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you allow your dog/cat to roam, you are clearly risking heartbreak. And then there are the great escapees who can find a way out of any yard. Here are a few things to take note of to be sure your pet is safe!

  • Don’t let them roam! Dog meat thieves are EVERYWHERE, so why take the risk? To this day, I will never understand how people can ‘wonder’ where their dog is when they have allowed them to roam. It may have been how the dogs lived many moons ago, but the world has changed BIG TIME, and your pet has value. Keep them safe like you would your wallet!
  • Ensure your yard is fully fenced and secure. Check for anything your pet can jump on to jump over the fence. A small hole can also be a quick escape route. Cable ties and chicken wire are an easy fix!
  • Be vigilant. Do you really know your staff/friends/landlord? Can they be trusted? Your pet may be of more value than their monthly wage, so, sometimes, the boss’ pet is an enticing way of getting cash flow easily. We have heard of multiple pet ransoms when others know you will pay anything for your pet! Avoid the stress and be sure you are 100% confident in the people you keep company with.
  • Exercise your pet! Is your dog constantly running away? Maybe he/she is telling you they need more time out of the garden! Walk them. It’s good for you, them and your peace of mind.