Prue Barber

Tell us your story – how did you get here?

There’s no ‘short’ story to how I found myself settled on a tropical island surrounded by my personal rescued pets, incredible animals, fellow rescuers and amazing people from all walks of life and industries.

My name is Prue. I was born-and-bred in Melbourne, Australia (with a short stint in a little country town called Barham, NSW). I’ve spent time living in London and Sydney working for clients from all over the world. My paying occupation is Graphic Design and I run my own online creative agency, We Create.

So, most people ask me, ‘why are you saving animals’? I get it. It’s hard to understand why a young (well I was young at the time) girl would give up her successful career in Graphic Design to save sick and mangey animals. To give up the glamour and the cushy life of the corporate world and find myself stopping my scooter, hot, sweaty, and disheveled, to collect a little pup with no hair and awkwardly work out how to transport it from its location to the vet.

‘Why?’ is the common question. ‘Why not?’ is my answer. But where did it all begin?

After 15 years in the design industry my partner and I decided it was time to throw on the backpack and explore mother earth and see what we could find. I wasn’t looking for anything, but I found my purpose. Spending time in Nepal, India, Malaysia, Thailand and finally Indonesia, I saw many animals suffering and wanted to help. But how?

After 12 months of globe-trotting we landed in Bali, where I spent nearly two years offering my design and marketing services pro-bono to several animal projects. But I quickly realised the charity model isn’t quite cutting it. Donations are awesome, but they solve our problems for a fleeting moment, or for that one animal, but what about the other 10 about to come through our virtual doors?

Despite the blood, sweat and tears we invest into rescuing animals, we never seem to have enough money. We are perpetually calling for donations or creating more online fundraisers – a key way to fund our rescues. So it got me thinking. Why not create a sustainable, profitable business coupled with the charity model?

In 2018 we launched our online store which stocks pet accessories handmade in Bali with 100% profits supporting our mission. Additionally, through this project, we created the Circle of Giving™ programme, which means when you buy from us you not only help animals in need, but also the local community through employment.

In 2020, we dreamed bigger and started to fundraise for The Healing Centre – a safe, calm and loving environment where our rescued animals can heal. Plus, adjacent to the centre, we are creating the world’s first dog park with a difference. Unleashed will be a 250m2 natural dog park that will offer a safe space for dogs to socialise with their parents. We will also be offering doggy day care, pet grooming, a pet shop, training, a vegan cafe and a co-working space. But the best part is, 100% of profits generated from Unleashed will be reinvested into community programs to stop the suffering of homeless animals through education, sterilisation and vaccination.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

My proudest and hardest accomplishment was securing tax deductible charity status for Mission Paws’ible in Australia to ensure our fundraising was transparent and our donors could trust their money is being spent in the right areas. It might seem like a bit of a boring achievement, but it means we can work better on the key mission of saving lives. This one solid foundation has given us confidence to expand our dreams and reach more animals in need. Since this milestone, we have gone on to collaborate with charity partners in the USA (Mission Paws’ible USA) and Indonesia (Yayasan Proyek Peduli)

What impact have you made in Bali?

I think our impact is quite broad and I hope it can be seen in various areas. Firstly, the impact on the lives of thousands of animals since being helped by Mission Paws’ible is visually evident. But I think we’ve also had an impact on everyday people that follow our social media as they can see, learn and understand the perils of life for the animals of Bali. This in turn can influence their decisions around better pet care, animal welfare issues globally, and the impact they can have when they choose to adopt and not shop for their pets. I also hope to think we inspire others to help the homeless and stray animals.

What does 2022 look like for you?

2022 is the year we’ve been waiting for! For the past two (pandemic) years we’ve slowly been building our foundations (metaphorically) to be strong in both the charity and legal space of Indonesia so that we can commence building The Healing Centre – a safe space for our rescued animals to heal. Once we are in full operation (it should be completed by the end of 2022) we’ll be able to save more, heal more, rehome more and have an even bigger impact on animal welfare in Bali and abroad.

What do you love most about Bali?

The versatility it offers to one’s lifestyle. What I mean by that is, I can manage my time as I see fit. I have unconsciously designed a lifestyle that can combine my creative passions, work, animals, business and saving lives.

The warm climate and affordability is an added bonus.

What's the one change in the world you’d like to see?

More human compassion so that the suffering will no longer exist.

Who is your Local Legend and why?

I would say the stand out for me is Sungai Watch because they are visually active and dedicated to cleaning up the plastic problem in Bali and beyond in collaboration with the local community. They talk the talk and walk the walk whilst improving the environment for everyone! Through social media, they highlight the very REAL issues Indonesia faces due to the plastic problem.