LINDA BULLER SHARES:
“Well, first let me say I had no idea exactly WHAT I was doing or where my actions would lead…
Back in 2005, I found myself picking up lost, abandoned, suffering pups, and taking them one by one to my humble abode. I wished I didn’t have to see these awful situations. I wished I could just shut my eyes like thousands of others.
At the time I was working with another foundation but knew they didn’t have the resources for the huge task we were facing. I could see that we needed a facility to rehabilitate the numerous dogs that become victims of abuse and neglect. I consider myself rebellious, rude, angry and stubborn. Yet at the same time, my heart is full of love for humanity and our animal friends. So I decided to take action!”
WHAT I REALLY WANTED
“I really wanted to set up a center that could offer a safe, humane and sterile environment for my furry friends. Or at the very least a Humane process of putting them out of their misery. There were no finances, no resources, and no volunteers; but I did know how to stretch a dollar. BARC began ‘on a wing and a prayer’ with faith in an all-encompassing compassionate power.
I searched for the ideal location and came across an abandoned gallery in Ubud. With my small income from the Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic I ran, I began to work on awakening my dream. For further funds, I had regular painting exhibitions in gallery’s successfully selling enough work to be able to continue.
We have been operating over 10 years now and it’s an absolute miracle! We are not regularly funded. Rather we rely on the donations, sponsorship and the generosity of those that see what we do as worthy.
It has not been an easy journey. I personally have witnessed many horrific cases of animal cruelty and neglect, but from small sad beginnings we have nurtured and cared for many broken souls and created many happy outcomes. There are so many wonderful stories. It brings me much joy to know these dogs are now happy living in wonderful loving homes with regular food in their bowls.
Since the inception of BARC, we have endeavored to educate the community to respect the Bali dogs. Humans domesticated the wolf, we made them part of our family, so our obligation is to protect them, as they protect us. Here dogs are beaten, bullied, abused, eaten, dumped, abandoned and starved. And unfortunately, the list goes on…”
SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO
“In 2009 the Balinese Government released a rabies outbreak fear campaign (including things like: “it’s them or us”) resulting in the mass slaughter of thousands of beach, bush and privately owned dogs. Most of the dogs killed were not infected. This campaign is still going on today – with random, rolling, culling being undertaken across the island. We encourage a humane solution and want to put active laws in place to protect all animals. This is where our Dog Squad comes in! (Read more here)
We also run an Education Program to stop the inhumane behavior toward animals. (Read more here)
In October of 2012, the lease on our main housing facility in Ubud expired. We secured a piece of land in Tabanan which is a safe and secure facility that we are developing to be a safe haven for all our rescue animals.
This will be Bali’s first multi-species sanctuary, and will be known as “Warriors Legacy”. It is currently home to 60 of our most un-adoptable adult dogs, 2 blind rescue horses, 2 rescue pigs and many rescued monkeys.
The monkeys now have a “state of the art” all natural, open air jungle monkey enclosure. While other parts of the project are ongoing and we are still raising money to finish development, we have opened the Sanctuary up for ‘behind the scenes tours’. (Book a tour of Warriors Legacy here)”
IN SUMMARY
“Over the past 10 years, we have healed, sterilized and cared for thousands and thousands of our four-legged friends, and adopted them to good families who have been screened and approved for adoption. BARC can have an average of 300 dogs in our care at any one time and we are only just beginning!”