Japanese Chef in Bali Cares for 34 Rescued Dogs Amid Island's Stray Dog Crisis

Ryoichi Kano, a 49-year-old Japanese chef living in southern Bali, Indonesia, shares his home with his wife Kaori (43) and 34 rescued dogs. Kano, who serves as head chef at a wedding hotel restaurant in the Uluwatu area, begins each day with an early morning walk for the dogs—a routine requiring three separate trips and roughly four hours in total.

The couple's journey began in 2016, shortly after they moved to Bali, when a thin, skin-diseased dog appeared in their driveway. With no prior experience caring for animals, they began looking after it. Soon after, they encountered another dog with a broken leg from a traffic accident, and the couple committed to a life of caring for rescued animals. Since then, they have continued taking in dogs they encounter in distress during walks, and their family has steadily grown.

The article also highlights the severity of Bali's stray dog problem. It is common practice for locals to let dogs roam freely, making it difficult to distinguish pets from strays. Combined with low awareness of responsible pet ownership, sick or injured dogs are often abandoned, perpetuating a cycle of strays and uncontrolled breeding.

Visitors to Bali will frequently encounter free-roaming and stray dogs on streets, beaches, and near temples—a reality rooted in these deeper social and cultural factors.