OUR STORY

how we started...

The Story Behind Paws of Nusa Penida

By Jacquie, Founder

I moved to Indonesia in 2015, in search of a quieter life on a small island. After a corporate career, I had completely changed direction and become a qualified dog trainer. Back then, Nusa Penida was peaceful and untouched by tourism.

One day, while out walking with a friend, we came across a street puppy suffering from distemper. He was so sick that we couldn’t leave him—we took him home and got a vet to treat him. It was a tough week, but he slowly pulled through. He was tiny and skinny, with big black ears that stood straight up—so I named him Batman.

By then, I realized it wasn’t a matter of if another dog would come along, but when. It became clear that the only way to make a lasting difference was to go out into the community and sterilise as many female Bali dogs as we could afford. And so, Paws of Nusa Penida was born.

In the early years, we focused on sterilising female dogs. They are the ones producing litters, and with fewer females in season, fewer males fight—those fights often lead to serious injuries, infections, and suffering. Sterilisation was our way of preventing pain before it began.

Four years later, I moved from my small property to a much larger one, with the dream of creating a space dedicated to supporting the local community. The goal was simple: reduce the number of unwanted puppies and kittens by offering free or low-cost sterilisation.

The new location is set on a hill, surrounded by established trees and fruiting plants that offer food and habitat for birds, bees, and other wildlife. We built a large dog run to house rescued dogs—mostly females—and created a separate space for rescued cats.

This peaceful place became the heart of our mission, and we named it Batman’s Dog House, in memory of Batman, who sadly passed away in August 2019 from unknown causes. He was my first Bali dog, my teacher, and the reason my life changed direction.

He was very special.
And because of him, countless animals now have a second chance.