A feud over pets between foreigners in a Buleleng village came to a head this week with the two neighbors summoned by the authorities to iron out their differences.
Briton Matthew Jhon Bayly, 66, and his wife, Kadek Widiani, a Balinese woman, reportedly sheltered animals including chickens, cats, and dogs in their residence in Panji Village. Several times, however, their pets drew the ire of their neighbors, a 70-year-old Dutch national named Berstus Cornelis Versluis and his wife, Puspa Dewi, also from Bali.
Local news outlets reported that Bayly and Kadek’s chickens recently clucked their way to the home of Versluis and Puspa, much to the latter couple’s dismay. In another reported incident, the former’s pet dogs also entered the latter’s garage and urinated on their car.
The couples almost came to blows on Wednesday when one of the pet lovers’ cats sauntered to Versluis and Puspa’s house. Puspa, who is allergic to cats, reached her boiling point and a huge argument ensued – to the point that she allegedly threw water towards Kadek and screamed profanities at her.
The two women’s husbands later joined the argument, which almost turned physical before other neighbors intervened.
Both couples were summoned to the Panji Village administrative office yesterday morning to settle their differences. Bayly and Kadek agreed to cage their dogs and ensure their other pets will not trespass their neighbors’ properties in the future.
“Astungkara (God willing), everything can be resolved amicably,” Panji Village perbekel (chief) Jro Mangku Ariawan said.
