Miss World Western Australia, Natascha Krokolining, launches mission to save Bali's forgotten dogs.
For most visitors, Bali is a destination synonymous with tropical beaches, luxury resorts and unforgettable holidays. Millions of tourists flock to the island each year in search of paradise.
Yet beyond the postcard-perfect scenery lies a very different reality.
Across Bali, thousands of dogs live with untreated injuries, disease, starvation and neglect. Many are born on the streets. Some are abandoned. Others spend their entire lives searching for food, shelter and safety. For many, help never comes.
It is a reality that Miss World Western Australia Natascha Krakolinig has made it her mission to change.
The educator, author and animal welfare advocate has announced a major partnership with the **Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA), launching an international initiative focused on providing life-saving veterinary support, medical resources and fundraising assistance to vulnerable animals across Bali.
Photography credit: Anna Debenedictis
The project forms part of Natascha's Beauty With A Purpose platform and reflects a cause that has shaped much of her life long before stepping onto the Miss World stage.
With more than a decade of experience working across education, community service and animal welfare, Natascha has built a reputation for tackling problems at their source. Whether working with children in the classroom or supporting rescue animals, her philosophy remains the same: prevention is more powerful than reaction.
Raised around animals from a young age, Natascha developed a deep appreciation for the responsibility that comes with caring for them. Her passion for animal welfare became even more personal after one of her own dogs suffered a serious injury in a preventable incident. Witnessing the consequences firsthand reinforced her belief that many cases of neglect and suffering stem not from cruelty, but from a lack of education, guidance and support.
Today, Natascha works as a primary school teacher and learning support specialist, where she is passionate about helping young people build confidence, resilience and empathy. Her professional experience has reinforced her belief that education is one of the most powerful tools for creating positive change, both within communities and in animal welfare.
These same values underpin her work outside the classroom.
Alongside her career in education, Natascha has spent years volunteering with rescue organisations across Western Australia, coordinating donation drives and supporting shelters caring for vulnerable animals. She is also the founder of Next on the Lead, an education-driven initiative that works alongside rescue organisations in Australia and overseas to promote responsible pet ownership, animal welfare awareness and long-term behavioural support.
Rather than viewing animal welfare solely through the lens of rescue, Natascha believes meaningful change happens when communities are equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to prevent neglect before it occurs.
That belief is now driving her latest initiative in Bali.
"There is something profoundly heartbreaking about seeing any animal suffer," Natascha said.
"Some of these dogs have never known kindness. They've never had a soft bed, a full stomach or someone fighting for them. Many spend their lives simply trying to survive another day.
"I cannot save every animal, but I can make sure I don't look away."
Miss World Australia meets BAWA at Karma Kandara, Bali 2025.
Through her partnership with BAWA, Natascha hopes to mobilise Australian schools, businesses and communities to support rescue operations, veterinary treatment programs, sterilisation initiatives and animal welfare education projects across Indonesia.
The campaign will focus on raising critical funds, sourcing veterinary resources from Australia and delivering practical support directly to Bali, where local teams work tirelessly to save animals that would otherwise be left behind.
For Natascha, the project represents more than a fundraising campaign. It is an opportunity to build lasting connections between communities in Australia and Indonesia while amplifying the work of organisations already making a difference on the ground.
Her commitment to the cause aligns closely with the mission of Beauty With A Purpose, the charitable heart of the Miss World movement, which encourages titleholders to use their platforms to create meaningful social impact.
Miss World Australia National Director Alex Keepence believes Natascha's project exemplifies exactly what the program was designed to achieve.
"Beauty With A Purpose is about using influence to create meaningful change," said Keepence.
"Natascha isn't interested in simply talking about animal welfare. She wants to roll up her sleeves and be part of the solution. That's what makes this project so powerful."
The initiative also reflects Natascha's broader vision for the future of animal welfare.
Through school programs, community engagement, advocacy campaigns and her children's book, she works to teach empathy, responsibility and lifelong commitment toward animals. Her goal is to create a culture where compassion is learned early and reinforced throughout life, reducing the number of animals that find themselves abandoned, surrendered or neglected.
"People often ask why I care so much," Natascha said.
"My answer is simple. Because they matter.
"A dog's life matters.
"Its pain matters.
"Its future matters.
"Every animal deserves the chance to feel safe, healthy and loved."
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Photography credit: Anna Debenedictis
Later this year, Natascha will travel to Bali to work alongside BAWA's team and contribute directly to established welfare programs on the ground. The visit will provide an opportunity to support frontline rescue efforts, strengthen international partnerships and shine a light on the challenges facing Bali's street animals.
For Natascha, however, the mission comes back to something much simpler.
"It's about giving a voice to those who don't have one," she said.
"Because every animal deserves more than survival. They deserve a chance at life."
As her campaign begins to gain momentum, Natascha hopes others will join her in proving that compassion has no borders and that even small acts of kindness can create lasting change for animals who need it most.
In a world where suffering can often go unseen, she is determined to ensure Bali's forgotten dogs are forgotten no longer.
Photography credit: Anna Debenedictis
