Salty Kisses (Indonesia, Bali)

In Bali, the anjing kampung —literally, “village dogs”—embody a discreet but ubiquitous form of cohabitation. Stray or semi-domesticated, these rustic, mixed-race dogs often live between homes, beaches, and streets, without really belonging to anyone, but rarely completely alone. Their presence on the sand is neither accidental nor abandoned: it is part of a social and cultural fabric where the animal is an integral part of everyday life, without being elevated to the status of a Western domestic object.

Since the 2000s, rabies and birth control have transformed their fate: sterilization campaigns, community awareness, and colorful collars marking the dogs being monitored. NGOs like the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) help maintain this fragile balance between respect for traditions and animal welfare. This photo captures an unexpected intimacy: an exchange of language between fellow creatures, on a beach where humans are only a background. In this tropical island, affection is also free and wild.