Arrival Packs.

As more and more Bali Dogs appear to disappear from street to restaurant, even more foreign dogs are finding their way into the mouths of discerning diners of the canine munching membership.  Bullies Goldies Rotties Silkies and the like are also beginning to turn up in pet markets after snatch and grab teams have swept through enclaves inhabited by mainly non Balinese. 

The proliferation of foreign breed dogs is directly related to and aligned with the human migratory push on the Island.  It wasn’t so long ago that Bali was virtually free of and from four legged foreigners, not to mention the bipedal variety.  But as it now stands a plethora of paws are becoming a growth commodity that is increasingly pushing the currency of canines higher and higher.

The only advantage for the Islands indigenous street dog is that most foreigners obviously don’t want them and the people of Bali, well they just have them around anyway. No one is breeding Bali Street Dogs, except for those shades required for ceremonial sacrifice, because there really is no demand.        

So there is absolutely no value in them at all, except of course as yet another thing to eat.  But with a few hundred thousand still left on Bali that demand is not really about to wipe them out, just yet.   But as popularity begins to ramp up and profit margins for those in the processing line continues to increase, there is a definite clear and present danger.

But with a never miss a business opportunity mentality always lurking, it was inevitable that the latest must have trinket in doggy form was going to be exploited to its maximum potential.  Backyard, front yard and any yard will do establishments have now erupted selling every designer dog imaginable, all clamouring to satiate the growing masses, salivating for a foreign souvenir.

So where does that leave the humble Bali Street Dog in all of this, still being eaten and reviled for being the harbinger of a grim reaper type virus.  Other than just that it has remained thankfully fairly unscathed, but for how long.

Within the never ending loops of inconvenience most foreigners are required to jump through when they make the life changing move to Bali, there could possibly be a very small yet remote opportunity of technicality to create a degree of saving grace and face for the Bali Street Dog.

The reality is an already established fact that it is not that difficult to import a foreign breed dog into and onto Bali, it is virtually impossible to export Bali Street Dogs off Bali.  Eventually and as the state of play presently stands, local Bali Dogs will be overtaken by introduced outside dogs or forced to surrender and assimilate into a hybrid mix of both.

I am proposing that any new comer to Bali, must as part of their visa requirements, accept upon stepping aboard island Bali, an arrival pack consisting of at least one Bali Street Dog, preferably two.  This should apply to all who arrive; however starting with those who want to bring other breeds, would of course be the most obvious and most palatable action.  In many other countries, newcomers are presented with what is iconic to that land.  So, apart from a myriad of amazing cultural stuff that is unavoidably suffused into the migrating newbie’s daily life, the added gift of a unique Bali Street Dog would be the perfect cultural offering that would absolutely keep on giving, trust me.        

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