You Animals
As far as I know, Bangkok doesn’t have a system to deal with animals. Some programs, such as Soi Dog Rescue, are around but don’t have the staff or funding to really do much.
Last night, I was sitting on a motorbike waiting for the owner of my apartment to come back. Our parking lot is actually pretty large with about 30 spaces, but full at night. An older American man drove his Toyota right up to my knees, and made the turn into a sorta-kinda-not-a-real-parking-spot. Because he had to take the turn very slowly, he saw the dog in his new spot. I saw it too. Like most drivers in BKK might do, this guy tried to get real close and scare the dog into napping somewhere else.
Well… this guy kept going and parked his right tire on the knee of the blind, black lab, that just fathered puppies. I ran up and slamed on the back window telling the guy to move, I don’t think he had noticed. The dog tried to yelp but was just kinda whimpering and licking itself. The guy paced around for about 15 minutes and insisting that I translate his long appologies to the owner of the dog (and apartment), then went up to his girlfriend’s room.
This dog had previous problems. The last year it, like many dogs, had taken up te habbit of chewing it’s own fur and skin off. I’m pretty sure it is deaf, and know it is blind, but now it can’t even limp. Today it just sat at the entry pissing on itself and occationally draging both back legs when it wanted to crawl to the puppy cage.
So is there anything I can do? Well… not really. Vets (do we have those?) must be pretty damn expensive, and I can’t think of anyone who would pay for a mixed-breed animal to go there. There certainly won’t be any drugs for the dog arriving on their own. What happens when it dies?
I would suggest you do as the Thais do. Ignore any and all problems and causes of problems.
So is there an owner for this dog or not?
If there is, is he/she going to do anything?
If not, can you call a vet and ask how much it would cost to help the dog? I know, I know, you just happened to be there and you shouldn’t have to bear the cost of helping it out, but you did ask if there was anything you could do…
The dog belongs to the family that owns the apartment. Based on the fact that the dog has open wounds from chewing itself for the last year, I don’t think the owner is gonna do much. :(
Do you have a number I can call?
A lot of Thais, when they get rather pished-off with the sight some scragg looking flea-ridden mutt hanging round their premises, they go chuck it in the temple and let the monks feed it.
That’s why are country’s temples are a luxury haven for wild-looking hounds laying around waiting for some frivilous Farang tourist to bite at.
According to Thai belief, looking after a ‘ma-khi-leuan’ dirty stray dog is a way of making merit.
In fact, the owner as mentioned above was probably pretty darned disappointed that the American driver didnt actually run over its head instead of its tail. He certainly would not have shed any tears.
However, if it were a fancy poodle or a ruffy rottwelier the owner would have scuttled down those stairs straight away demanding the driver cosh-up some cash. If refused they would have been down the cop station making a report ordering compensation.
Thais love ‘beauty’. Ever noticed that ugly kids are treated just the same??
hi
i’m just getting these out of a directory cos I don’t know where you are:
Animal Clinic 02 258 6751 (Suk soi 26)
St Louis 02 286 6465 (South Sathorn)
Vet suk 49 02 392 4360
good luck.
According to Thai belief, looking after a ‘ma-khi-leuan’ dirty stray dog is a way of making merit.
Um, ok. I guess there’s not many true believers around Bangkok then ‘cos there’s sure as hell a lot of dirty stray dogs :)
I think there is a lot of difference between “feeding” and “looking after”. Sure, these dogs get fed – if not from the hand, from the trash piles on each Soi, but they have no real standard of living.
I don’t understand why people have pets and then don’t take care of them, it makes me sick. If they can’t be arsed to look after them, they shouldn’t bother having a pet, I mean what’s the point other than wanting to be cruel?!
I know it happens everywhere – not just Bangkok, people get cute little puppies as presents and then when the cute thing grows up into a not so cute dog the owners are no longer interested in it and are definitely put off by the vet fees. I heard a lot of dogs are abandoned by their owners here in Bangkok for this kind of reason. There should be more charities to take care of these dogs and help deal with the soi dog population.
Dan
Thanks for your conscientious posting and concern. You will know that if the poor thing has just had its knee run over by a car then it needs to see a vet immediately otherwise it will be too late and an absolutely agonising end for the poor dog. Can you call the numbers above – I don’t think the cost will be astronomical and (assuming it isn’t) we can help you significantly with the cost – and I’m not just saying that. Please let us know how it goes and send us further details.
Many thanks
You can take him to the Chulalongkorn Vet Clinic on Henri Dunant or the Kasetsart University animal clinic at the university on Vipavadi-Rangsit Road. They’re government-owned and run, and so are cheaper than private clinics. You could also contact Soi Dog Rescue at http://www.soidogrescue.com for options.
Matt I’ll call tomorrow and email you. I just hope someone can come put the thing to sleep. It’s eyesockets are oozing and I think it could hardly walk in the first place.
Fathered puppies? At least he is still having some fun :-), but how do you know he is the father?
Just a guess, can’t say I witnessed the beginning stages, but the dalmation pupies are all half black, covered in once huge spot.
thanks Dan,
you can e-mail Matt at my address.
In Australia there are laws against cruelty to animals which I think is something lacking here. Making people accountable for what they do, or don’t do, to animals might make them take a bit more care.
Then again, most laws aren’t really followed here anyway so it’d probably be pointless to introduce them. Maybe if they had a television campaign with a nice jingle and cute pets it’d work :)