“It didn’t take them long to figure out what was happening …”
Trapped under a pile of boulders on a beach in Medahan, Bali, a dog named Nala cried out for help. Lucky for Nala, the perfect people were there patrolling the beach. They were a group of men from the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA).
The men heard the mysterious barking. They began peering through cracks in the rocks. They anxiously searched for any sign of life. Soon, they saw Nala’s little black nose poking out from under a boulder.
“It didn’t take them long to figure out what was happening,” a representative from BAWA told The Dodo. “Nala’s unnaturally cloudy eyes were easily visible when they peered through the spaces in the rock pile. That is when they started sorting out how to gain access to her.”
Rescuers hoped they could move some of the rocks and gain entry to Nala, but the boulders were too heavy. They tried baiting her out of the space using food, but the scared pup wouldn’t budge. Finally, rescuers used a piece of bamboo to gently loop a lease around Nala’s neck. At last, they pulled her to safety.
“They were so relieved,” the representative said.
Apprehensive Nala wasn’t sure what to think of her rescue team.
“She was highly stressed, agitated, fearful and reactive,” the representative said. “How could she [have known] that we were there to help her? It’s all too confusing for such a young pup just doing her best to survive on the beach.”
Rescuers drove Nala to a clinic, where veterinarians assessed her for injuries. So much time spent in the sand had made Nala’s eyes irritated, causing them to look cloudy. Vets have been treating Nala’s condition, and they feel confident that her eyes will soon be back to normal.
Safe and cared for, Nala is finally learning what it’s like to be loved.
“Nala is really working on her comeback!” the representative said. “She has relaxed during her time in the safety of the vet clinic and is quickly learning to trust humans. Her treatment so far has been a success. We believe that she will make it out of the clinic without any permanent vision damage.”
