Bali’s Tourism Police Units have been patrolling the island’s busiest resorts over the last few months.
Despite officials announcing that the program needs more funding to reach its full potential, the Tourism Police Units are available to support tourists in need and are accompanied by adorable young Kintamani companion dogs that tourists are welcome to interact with.
The five Kintamani puppies, named Citu, Cida, Ciga, Cipa, and Cika, (the ‘C’ is pronounced ‘Ch’) were specially trained to interact with the public.
The dogs serve as ambassadors for the rare Kintamani dog, help the Tourism Police Units spread more information to communities about animal welfare and rabies, and serve as companions to tourists visiting the island.
Since the dogs have been out on patrol for a few months, the Head of Investigations at Bali Province Satpol PP, Wayan Anggara, spoke to the media about the role the puppies have been playing and how they took part in World Rabies Day events in Sanur on Sunday 29th September.
Anggara told reporters, “Every tourist destination in the world must have a tourism policy, and Bali as a global destination must also have the same effort, but with a more innovative approach.”
He reiterated that the Tourism Police Units have been deployed to help support tourism management and the supervision of the public, provide tourism training, help develop infrastructure, promote conservation, and collaborate with key tourism stakeholders.
They’ve also been tasked with increasing public awareness about the Tourism Tax Levy, as introduced in February 2024.
He explained that the five Kintamani companion dogs have been playing an important role in acting as companions for tourists, helping Tourism Police officers initiate conversations with tourists and serving to support educational messaging to both tourists and the broader public.
Anggara shared, “We want to educate tourists and local communities about the importance of vaccination, rabies, parvovirus, and animal welfare.”
He added, “We want to show that the Kintamani dog, as a local Balinese breed, can be as intelligent and obedient as other breeds of dogs. They learn quickly and can socialize well.”
Tourism Police Officers and the dogs have been deployed across the island’s biggest attractions including Uluwatu Temple, Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul Temple, Tanah Lot Temple, and Beratan Lake.
Anggara told reporters, “We hope that the presence of these dogs will not only attract the attention of tourists but also encourage dog owners in Bali and tourists to be good masters in taking care of their pets.”
Kadek Adi Ardana Putra, a dog handler with the Tourism Police Unit, shared his love of his new job and the opportunities it has given him to talk about the uniqueness of the Kintamani dog.
One of the most famous traits of Kintamani dogs is that they are known to be loyal to only one owner. Purta explained that through socialization, the dogs feel comfortable interacting with new people in new places.
Purta said, “For the first three months, we took these dogs to public places and introduced them to the office people. We want to remove the stigma that Kintamani dogs are fierce and difficult to train. Now they can be friendly and not aggressive when meeting tourists in crowded places.”
He added, “In addition, we want to show that the Kintamani dog, as a local Balinese breed, is not inferior intellectually to other breeds of dogs. They are quick to learn, can socialize well, and are easy to train.”
Tourists who see the Tourism Police Units out on patrol with Citu, Cida, Ciga, Cipa, and Cika at Bali’s top attractions are welcome to say hello.
Tourism Police Officers are easily recognizable and distinguishable from regular police officers by their more informal, ranger-style uniform.
Tourism Police Officers have predominantly been tasked with socializing the Bali Tourism Tax Levy and conducting spot checks on tourists to scan QR-code vouchers.
The Bali Tourism Tax Levy is a mandatory IDR 150,000 fee that can be paid online, or via the LoveBali app, or at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
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