Bali Tourism & Dog Meat

Bali is the perfect destination for holidays and offers many cultural activities and delicious cuisine. But before you take a bite of your "chicken satay", take a look at the restaurant for a sign that reads "RW." This means that dog meat aka rica-rica is sold by the establishment.

Bali law states that eating dog meat is legal but selling it to tourists under a false name, is not.

Cultural Beliefs - Bali Tourism

So why do they do it? There is a misconception or belief in Bali that one will become more masculine by eating dog meat and make you healthier during the flu season and improve your immune system. Dog meat is considered a delicacy. 

Whereas, some kill dogs so they can sell the meat to make a living. 

Dog Meat - Bali Tourism

With an expected tourism industry with over 3.8 million tourists per year, local people will try to cash in on this lucrative market. Tourists are fooled into eating dog meat so they can make a living and take care of their families.

Discoveries suggest that every year, up to 100,000 dogs withstand immense and unimaginable pain to supply the island’s estimated 100 dog meat (“RW”) restaurants.

It is estimated that each of these warungs selling dog meat sells an average of two dogs a day, plus more are sold privately for consumption at events and other events.

These Bali dogs are sadly sold for around Rp.20,000 (USD1.50) to Rp.250,000 (USD 19) each. This is often seen as a cheap form of protein among the locals.

How To Avoid Eating Dog Meat In Bali

With deceitful Bali dog meat traders caught on film lying about what they're selling, plus hygiene and slaughter standards not being enforced in Bali's abattoirs, the safest decision to make is to not consume any meat whatsoever.

Avoiding meat in Bali is thankfully easy as there is a huge vegetarian food scene! With thousands of award-winning vegetarian and vegan restaurants, you will not be disappointed.

Also, the majority of street or beach vendors will happily cook up vegetable dishes (such as nasi goreng or veg nasi campur).

 How You Can Help

1. Do not buy dog meat or dine in restaurants selling dog meat
2. Write a letter to the Indonesian Embassy commanding the ban of the slaughter and consumption of dogs.
3. Report to BAWA (number below) if any local restaurants are advertising dog meat (“RW”) or you see people stealing or killing dogs.
4. Take photos and videos for proof, especially if you can capture animals being transported or killed on camera.

While eating dog meat is not yet illegal, torture is and this includes how these dogs are killed.

BAWA: Hotline: 081 138 9004 (24/7), Hotline 2: 081 2384 0133

Dog Sacrifice In Bali

In Bali animal sacrifices or the use of animals in religious rituals are unavoidable. Most Balinese rituals involve sacrificing one or more animals. Killing animals in this manner is not perceived as cruelty to the Balinese locals, but it is horrific animal cruelty as far as western standards are concerned. The “fortunate” animals die fast but many die lengthy painful deaths and suffer immensely.

Puppies that are brown/orange in color with a black mouth are called "Blang Bungkem" and are sacrificed in a belief that they appeal to the demons and to the evil powers of the world (they believe in offering the demons an animal sacrifice that they will leave humans alone). What's even more disheartening is that many of the younger generations of Balinese don't even know why they have to make these offerings or what role it serves in their faith, they are simply carrying out what their ancestors have done for generations.

Little by little people are starting to doubt their religion and try new, less brutal ways to satisfy the spirits, however, there is a long way to go. To inspire change, BAWA has an education program that they run in schools all around Bali which you can support and help fund informing the youth. 

Also, for the same reasons as a Blang Bungkem puppy (a brown dog with a black mussel), these religious sacrifice targets also, but more uncommonly include a puppy with 6 toes, which is shown and talked about in the video below.