The loss of a dog that an Australian couple rescued in Bali has devastated them, but they remain hopeful that their efforts can benefit other sick and abandoned animals on the island.
Bec Crossley and Jesse Kelly helped save Bakso, an underweight Labrador whose owners couldn’t afford to take care of him by contributing to his treatment at Sunset Vet in Kuta.
When Ms. Crossley discovered Bakso by the side of the road, the dog weighed less than 14 kg, which is less than half of what a healthy Labrador would weigh.
According to Ms. Crossley, who spoke to Daily Mail Australia, “It was one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen.”
It just tears your heart apart.
Bali-based couple Bec Crossley and her partner Jesse Kelly rescued Basko, an emaciated Labrador whose owners could not afford vet care, part-paying for his care at Sunset Vet at Kuta
When Ms. Crossley discovered Bakso by the side of the road, he was just 14 kg, which is less than half of what a healthy lab dog would weigh.
The dog’s treatment was also funded by members of the mostly Australian Facebook group Bali Bogans, but Bakso tragically passed away on Sunday.
Blood parasites, a terrible bacterial illness, and distemper, which is preventable, all plagued Bakso.
The Australian fitness guru Ms Crossley, who lives in Bali, told Daily Mail Australia, “He was such a gorgeous child and didn’t deserve to suffer the way he did from a preventable condition.”
A fitness influencer from Bali named Ms. Crossley (left) stated “many tears were poured” over the ailing Labrador’s demise.
Ms Crossley picked up Bakso from the side of the road in Bali. He was found to be suffering from blood parasites, a bad bacterial infection and distemper, which can be vaccinated against
‘There were many tears cried between myself and the rescue group who took Bakso under their wing, but we’re trying to make a positive from this heartbreaking situation.’
But Bakso’s tragic fate is just the tip of the iceberg regarding Bali’s cats and dogs.
Many are either abandoned strays, sometimes with the highly dangerous disease rabies, sick and living with families who can’t afford to have them treated.
Ms Crossley and Mr Kelly linked up with an American woman, Rhonda Lepsch, who has helped to sterilise and vaccinate more than 5,000 local dogs
A kitten is held by a Balinese lady. Many of the island’s ailing dogs get reduced care at Sunset Vet in Kuta.
The funds will now be utilized to assist sterilise and immunize street dogs and low-income neighborhood pets, according to Ms. Crossley, who claimed the contributions exceeded Bakso’s medical expenses.
According to Ms. Crossley, “this is the only way to completely alleviate the suffering of dogs in Bali.”
She and Mr. Kelly made contact with Rhonda Lepsch, an American who has assisted in sterilizing and immunizing more than 5,000 neighborhood canines.
After the people in Bali realized she could help and started dumping animals at her diving school ten years ago, Ms. Lepsch started aiding stray and ill animals in Bali.
Due to Bali’s absence of an RSPCA or Humane Society, Ms Lepsch said on her website, “unwanted pups and kittens are thrown just about everywhere – in temples, trash cans, vacant fields, and in the [diving school] parking lot.”
She founded Jet Pet Petz with her husband, Nyoman Sugita, and together they work with Sunset Pets to help the ailing animals.
She has assisted up to 80 pets each day and is now caring for 73 dogs at
With roughly $5,000 in vet expenses and dog food, Jet Set Petz discontinued its own program last week and is now requesting contributions.
Due to Bali’s absence of an RSPCA or Humane Society, unwanted animals are abandoned almost anywhere, including in temples, landfills, open fields, and outside of shops.