Linisha

Being in Bangkok over the weekend I was appalled seeing 3 tiny puppies tied with plastic strings to a guy lying on the pavement close to Nana Bts. The puppies were obviously desperate. They were crawling over the man trying to nibble his clothes in search for food.

I turned my head away and passed them. However, back at my room later that night I couldn’t stop thinking of the pups and finally went out at 3 am carrying some milk for them. But a woman, obviously high on drugs, wouldn’t allow me the poor puppies to have the milk.

As several more hours without food now had passed,the small creatures were obviously suffering from stravation. They were lying on the ground, apathic and weak. Though one of them smelled the milk and tried to crawl towards it. When he finally reached it, the stoned woman took the milk and tossed it away, smiling, with totally vacant eyes.

I got so angry it sacared her off for a while and in the meantime I bought the only food I could find on the street, meat. When I brought them this meal very unfit for their age, the puppies started crying and yelling. They ate every last ounce of it, apparently in a state of pure panic.

I looked at the puppies starving to death, much too young to be without their mother. Then I went in and bought a pair of scissors in a 7-11 shop, and got a sturdy plastic shopping bag from a street seller. I cut the puppies strings and put them in the bag, not knowing what to do with them.

Fortunately a good organization will find proper homes for the puppies. But this can not happen until they are a bit older, and have been neutered, fully vaccinated etc. This will be when they are approximately 3-3,5 moths old. In the meantime the pups need to be in a caring foster home.

I am thinking that this would be great for a family/person who are not p[repared to take on the long-term responsability it means to adopt a dog, but at the same time would like to enjoy the companionship, affection and amusement that pets bring. Fostering puppies is especially rewarding.

I so hope that someone wants to help these tiny pups by providing them with a safe haven for a few months, until they are ready for adoption. If so, I will of course pay all costs involved in their care.

All costs will be covered. The puppies are only 5 weeks old and of course totally adorable!

Anyone have more info about the dog sanctuary in Jomtien, website etc?

Well said Naka!

For the other remark about street dogs, there's a discussion about street dogs be or not in the general forum, Pets & Vets. My concern is to find a home for Chapman, not to have that kind of discussion! One thing I will say though, the street dogs are in "their pathetic misery" because of unresponsible people. The dogs are not things but sentient beings with capacity of feelings of love, joy, fear and pain. That means that the question about how to act with the street dog problem are not only practical but also moral. I believe in neutering and spaying programs. But lets take that discussion where it belongs. I think the title of my thread clearly states my issue here!

well thanks but just a little too late we took in a 2 month year old puppy in just a few days ago. we found it at the place we play softball as it was all skinny and black but after a visit to the vet and a few days of good washing and good eating we do seem to have a fatty white 2 month year old puppy called Mikey now.

Good to hear that one puppy got lucky!

As always when in Thailand I care for street-animals. During the last weeks I have arranged for treatment for severe mange of several dogs. The problem is that for one of the dogs (with the mange already clearing up) the situation is serious.

Chapman lives on the beach road in Pattaya. He is medium to large sized (skinny!), adorable and very sweet tempered, though a bit shy after many bad experiences of cruelty. After having 2 injections with Ivermec, his fur has started growing again and he is now getting Vormec tablets for the mange. The problem is that Chapman has a very hard existence on the street and he is hardly managing. Last week he was beaten by a man and he was limping for several days after that.

Chapman needs a home as quickly as possible. My friend Lisa is feeding Chapman sometimes, but he needs a safe place to be in.

I will pay for Chapmans medical expences until he is totally well again, and also for spaying neutering and vaccinations. I think he is about 3 years old. Chapman likes the beach but I think he will adore any place where he will be well treated and get food and affection. With that treatment I think he will be a wonderful and healthy dog in no time at all!

If you want to help Chapman and get a sweet and faithful dog, please email me or phone Lisa at 091632175, as soon as possible!

Sigistardust, I totally agree with you. Very much could be done for the street dogs in Thailand. I think many times it's necessary to begin with volunteers and expats working for this. That way it get started and then hopefully the good effects make the society willing to support. It is often hard to sell something before the gain of it is obvious, and there is no better way to show the gain than to make people actually see and experience it. It seems that in Bali you have succeeded with this and thus the locals are becoming more and more supportive of the idea, great! You are so right that it is crucial to work with the local community. No project, government aided or not, can succeed if people doesn't get another attitude and action towards animals.

I like the idea of thinking and starting small. It is so easy to get paralysed by the scope of the "street dog problem". Easy to say that every effort is in vain if it doesn't have the potential to solve this problem. Of course to solve such a problem is not an easy thing and as have been commented in this topic, a real (fast) solution of this would take the government starting and financing such a project. So, since that is not likely to happen, then it's no use in doing anything because the problem can't be solved... But the street dog problem is only the general aspect of this. Individual dogs, sentient beings with the capacity to feel joy, pain end fear, can be helped and get better lifes (it is seeing this, a dog's joy over a home, that motivates me to be a "do-gooder") . Individual villages/areas can solve it's street dog problems and thus be more attractive for many western tourists.

This can be done with small scale projects. Good projects have a tendency to spread. For getting the necessary contact with the local community, which is a must to provide knowledge and influence attitudes, I think small scale, local projects (like yours in Bali) is the only way to go. (Though financial help shold most certainly be provided from government, in the best of world). Somebody coming from "above", killing or neutering the dogs might do a big and temporary difference. In the long run it is however attitudes and knowledge of the people in the community that will decide the future animal situation.

So, with many small scale projects (lighthouses was a good word), while Thailands street dog problem still is not solved - the escalating of the problem can in some places be a bit halted or even stopped. This is a large scale problem but it is the result of many small problems, the most important ones being inresposible people and lack of knowledge/wrong attitude towards animal keeping, neutering etc.

Soi Dog Rescue in Bangkok started a small clinic for neutering and emergency care last year. I am helping them with money whenever I can. I sell Thai products (accessories) here in Sweden and give about 10 % of the price of products to SDR and their neutering/vaccination program. Sensing that other people/companies are interested of doing something to help this kind of work too, I am starting a campaign this year, fundraising money for projects like SDR:s. The idea is that by getting companies to sponsor, the organizations helping the dogs will get a substantial amount of money that will make it possible to do so much more. One company will sponsor with enough money to spayabout 50 female dogs. Still very little in the large scope of the problem, but it will make individual difference at once, and maybe in the long run, even influence the "Problem". Check out SDR:s list of positive effects of neutering programs! http://www.soidogrescue.org/spay_neuter.html

Yes, very sad and touching poem. Everyone with an animal as a family member, can witness about how painful this situation is!

Fair enough, but I think your attitude would be a lot different if you had to go thru the rabies shots or suffered an injury because of Thailand's strays.

BTW, That emoticon denotes "annoyed" not "angry".

I do understand how upsetting and irritating it must be to be bitten by street dogs. Though, speking from my own point of view, NO, I wouldn't feel the least different about this issue, had I been bitten. That wouldn't change the way I look upon this issue. The dogs are there because of human neglect and lack of responsability. The dogs on the street are mistreated and often abused. I am very surprised that I have not yet encountered a bad tempered or scared dog, that have shown aggression towards me. I guess it is only a matter of time so I will get my rabies shots, to have a little more time when/if I have bad luck. Though the natural fact that some of these dogs gets aggressive does not mean that I don't see neutering programs as the only humane and long term effective ways of dealing with the problem. And the government does have the ambition to neuter the street dogs, and is doing so in incredible numbers. The way they do it is however not very humane...

By the way I think it is more incredible that the vast majority of street dogs are so social and calm than the fact that some are not. Seeing to their number and the way they live, I would expect it to be otherwise. I find so many street dogs being incredibly intelligent, affectionate and social. They make excellent family dogs!

Last year 30 vets from Scandinavia went to Thailand to help with neutering/spaying of street dogs. The interest from foreign vets was very big and the thing that limited the number and the time was that the arranging org (SDR) is very small and couldn't handle a big operation. In some villages the vets took care of more than 2/3 of the total dog population.

However, to be long term effective, these kind of programs can not only be focused on neutering, another goal has to be to change peoples attitude towards resposability for animals they take care of. Looking at other countries, I don't think it is unrealistic to think that this is possible.

Finally, spayed/neutered dogs are less agressive and they don't move around as much as they do otherwise. This means that spaying the dogs will have an impact on accidents ivolving dogs and people.

You could neuter the 5 million stray dogs and you'd still have 5 million stray dogs defecating all over Thailand and menacing us.

It's the sheer numbers that's the problem.

Correct, but that's the whole idea. A neutered dog can't have puppies, and keeping in mind that the avrerage female has a litter of four or five or so, the problem will only get worse. If (part of) the dogs are neutered, their population will not grow that rapidly anymore. And yes, it is possible to solve the strays problem by neutering them all, and only have puppies born out of well fed and taken care of mothers; puppies with a promising future because they will be taken care of in a home.

The dogs can't help breeding, it's in their instincts.

We humans are the ones who can improve the situation. And I think people refusing to have dogs neutered or pregnancies terminated, knowing that it might only worsen the situation, are not acting in the correct way.

Good thinking, and really, for how long would there be 5 million stray dogs around?? Not for very long, considering they are in different ages. A dogs life span is not that long...

Neutering and spaying programs is definitively the way to go. In Bangkok Soi dog is doing a brilliant job. 1400 dogs spayed last year in a small clinic!

During one evening in Pattaya I spoke to 4 other tourists, both men and women, who were horrified by the situation with the dogs. In Sweden I know many people (more than 5) that doesn't even want to go to Thailand because of this. They know they will be so upset and sad that they will not be able to have a good time. I am the same way, the only reason I can take it is that I always try to make a small difference. If I see something I try to do something. But of course it becomes expensive!

I really wish there was people in Pattaya willing to work with this in the same manner as SDR does in Bangkok. If anyone would, it would be great to hear from you, maybe we can work someting out! I am just now planning a fundraising campaign (in Sweden) to support these kind of projects in Thailand.

After having such luck as to find a fantastic home for the dog Silky (that I found on the street last summer) I once again hope for Thaivisa to be the solution of my dilemma...

As always when in Thailand I care for street-animals. During the last weeks I have arranged for treatment for severe mange for 4 dogs, and spaying of one cat. The problem is that for one of the dogs (with the mange already clearing up) the situation is serious.

Chapman lives on the beach road in Pattaya. He is medium to large sized (skinny!), adorable and very sweet tempered, though a bit shy after many bad experiences with cruel persons. After having 2 injections with Ivermec, his fur has started growing again and he is now getting Vormec tablets for the mange. The problem is that Chapman has a very hard existence on the street and he is hardly managing. Last night he was beaten by a man and he is now limping and miserable.

quickly as possible. My friend Lisa is feeding Chapman once a day for 1 week more, but he needs a safe place to be in.

I will pay for Chapmans medical expences until he is totally well again, and also for spaying (or neutering?, not sure of the English word) and vaccinations. I think he is about 2-3 years old. Chapman likes the beach but I think he will adore any place where he will be well treated and get food and affection. With that treatment I think he will be a wonderful and healthy dog in no time at all!

If you want to help Chapman and get a sweet and lfaithful dog, please email me or phone Lisa at 091632175, as soon as possible!

I am convinced - through net research- that my landlord's dog has the mange. She hangs around my porch a lot shaking herself, is covered in sores, has acute hair loss, and is miserable. The owner ignores my plea's to have her treated and as she stinks to high heaven I won't put her in my car.

What is the best way to treat mange? Medicine in her food or have a vet visit for injections?

Ivermec shots are very effective. Though I found out there is an alternative containing the same substance (ivermectin), that you can use when taking a dog to the vet (or the vet to the dog) is not an option. Also good when the dog is scared/angry and might bite. This is the tablet Vormec. For treatment of mange you should use the strength 8000 microgram, once a week for 6-10 weeks. One injection with ivermec normally contains 10000 mcg so the effect should be about as good with the pills. I fed it in rice and the dogs ate it. But be careful if the dogs looks like a mix with collie, sheepdog or other herding dog. Then there is a big risc for sever side effects that might lead to death. I know you can use another newer substance then, but don't remember the name for the moment.

I am now treating a dog in Pattya and after second injection of ivermec he became ill, so keep an eye on the dog during treatment.

Maybe the dog should also have some antibiotics if she has skin infections. I know antibiotics with the substance metrinidazol is good for skin infections.

Good luck and great that you care for the dog!

By the way, the cost for 10 pills would be approximately 800 baht. If you don't find the 8000 strength, there are usually 5000 mcg, use 2 of these. You buy the pills at the vet's.

hi linisha, am so happy to read the good news!

seems like a happy ending for silky. I wished there were more people like silky's new owners

here in thailand. but thaivisa made it possible

good luck for silky and looking forward to your report next week

Hi,

Busy trip this so haven't had the time to write before now. I visited Silky and she is doing fine. New owners are so great, not minding Silky being old and worn! The family cat is playing with Silky's tail and I think they will be friends eventually. Silky is not doing much, mostly lying down since she is a bit stiff when walking. But she seems happy and her tail is wagging almost all the time. I guess she is SO happy to be out of that cage at the hospital. She is coughing a bit though, and this is probably because she has weak lungs after having heartwom for such a long time. Got some pills from the vet that might ease the coughing.

Yes, I really wish there were more people like Silky's new family. Especially since I am now (distance) caring for a adorable dog in Pattaya, Chapman. Saw him at the beach road and couldn't help but intervening. He had hardly no fur and was scratching himself all the time. Mange of course. I got a vet to come and give him injection. At first the dog was afraid and running but when I talked to him he suddenly came to me and put his poor head in my lap. He looked miserable with big wounds on his ears from scratching. The vet was scared of big dogs so I had to hold hapman during the long and painful injection. Not so fun. After a week I went back and helped so he could get the second injection. Happy to see him alrady loooking much better with new fur coming. It felt not so good though to leave him there. he has such sad eyes. So I am hoping that Thaivisa will work miracles again! Tomorrow I will put in a text about him with a photo. He is not all and I think he is very cute when he has fur. And he is so sweet! I have a friend in Pattaya that has promised to give him the pill he need once a week, for the mange. But of course he needs more caring than that. He is terribly skinny, though I heard from the people at the beach that he has put on weight since he came there 6 months ago. Then he was so weak so he couldn't walk. The foreigners fed him and he got stronger. The Thais says that now he is pompoi" but you can count every rib just by looking at him.

Thank God for Thaivisa! I had almost given up hope about Silky, and then just before I leave for Thailand I get that mail!

One that is supposed to be very good (lot of well heeled tourists go there) is called the Cotton House in Oriental Place, next to the Oriental Hotel. I had a Chinese dress made there and it was very good. 2 fittings and i probably could have had more if I hadn't been in a rush. They do western style dresses, blouses, tops, trousers etc. I am sure they do evening gowns as well but am not sure about wedding dresses.

Worth a look anyhow.

Thanks! Will check it out!

and how was it? does silky have a new home??

I visited Silky's new home on Thursday and couldn't believe her (our) luck. It is the most fantastic home in the world, with a wonderful caring and sweet family. The day after I visited, Silky was sent by "pick-up service" , to her new home. And today I received some pics...

I am so happy. This has been on my mind for more than 5 months. I just can't believe that there are such nice people! And the enviroment is great. Silky has a big big grassy lawn to be in!

I hear that Silky is enjoying her new life very much. She is old and worn, but was rolling on the grass as a puppy, making howling sounds. It's so moving! She has met the houlse Cat, who was astonished at first, but then realized that Silky (who doesn't walk very fast) was not much of a threat.

I will go and visit Silky in the end of next week. Will write about it.

silky.bmp

Hi, I need some advice about where to go to buy wedding dress. I will buy a wedding dress and a brides maids dress for my sisters wedding. I would really appreciate all advice about the best tailor to go to (and preferrably one that is also reasonable in price). It would also be interesting to know something about what is a reasonable price for a tailormade gown. Just wanting to know of that tailor that you can really recommend!

Thanks!

try searching the general forum for threads on tailors, then go check them out and see if they do gowns. All the tailors I have seen do both male and female clothing. Also, if you pick one of the reputable ones and they don't do gowns they could easily refer you to someone who does.

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Thanks. I think I will post in the general forum. Would be nice to know if someone was really pleased with a particular tailor.

Thanks for caring to all!

I am in Bangkok now, and tomorrow I will visit Shadowy. I really hope this will mean that Silky gets a home! I talked to the animal hospital and it really is bad for her to live in a cage. She even started to get some trouble with her legs because of that. I think they can be quite rough getting her back into the cage after her 2 minutes "walking" every day. The vet said that she now seemed to have some pain in her front leg and suspected it was from the handling when she does not want to get back inte the cage. Well, I hope she might see the end of that tomorrow!

Just posting a quick question about advice about where to go to buy wedding dress? I am looking for a place to buy a wedding dress and a brides maids dress for my sisters wedding. I would really appreciate all advice about the best tailor to go to, and preferrably one that is also reasonable in price. Well really it would also be interesting to know something about what is a reasonable price for a tailormade gown.

Thanks in advance!

Leisurely, did anything happen regarding the babt elephant yet? I think it is wonderful that you care and want to do something. In these cases, don't think of how you can't solve the whole problem with the elephant business, just think that you might save this one individual. Otherwise it is very easy to loose hope. If you make some phone calls and are very persistant, I think you can make a difference. Anyway, this poor elephant is totally dependant that some person feels pity for her and do something about her situation. Otherwise she will stay in her misery.

The rescue centers seems like a good option I think. These people are normally very devoted to "their" cause.

Ok, good luck to you and the baby elephant.

"Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something"

Why can't you take her to Sweden? Do you not have a place for her to stay there?  It is possible to bring dogs out of Thailand, if you could find a place for her you could bring her back with you next time you go to Sweden. then you'd be sure. Expensive but a possible solution, anyway.

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Well Silky is still at the hospital. The boarding is about 3000 per month. But I don't mind if she could just live a happy life.

Sweden is a rabies-free country so if a dog from Thailand is brought in the dog would have to stay in quarantine for 6 months. This cost about 200 000 baht I think, so it is really a LOT of money. Also Silky is an older dog, I don't really think she could handle the 13 hour trip, and not our very cold weather either. So, I think the only option is to find a home in Thailand. Unfortunately!

c'mon sbk, 5 is not enough - i got 26

wish i could too 

but sometimes not easy for an older dog to integrate well into the pack, esp. as mine live in an enclosed garden and in the house.

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Thanks Elfe and sbk! Both of you are doing more than your share. Wow, that there is people like you around! Silky is so fond of people but doesn't really enjoy other dogs. But living in a closed garden is just what I wish for her. I am really feeling desperate. Seems like I have not been doing her a favour...

But I still hope there will come a solution that gives her a chance!

Have a similar issue with an 8 year old (indoor) cat. Bambina - is there any treatment if caught in resonable time? He still eats an membrans still look pinkish to me, but have gotten rather pickey and lost some weight too (but he was overweight before coming here). Cheers!

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Hi,

One of my cats have been diagnosed with chronic renal failure. When this happened I started investigating everything there is about this (common) problem. In Sweden where I normally live, the treatment is rather conservative, just advicing to change diet. Though, just changing to a renal diet (i.e. Hills k/d) and changing to wet food istead of dry food can turn the clock back several years, so do this at once. But in my investigations of the info on the net I found the absolutely best resource there is: http://www.felinecrf.org/links_and_resources.htm Here you find everything there is to know about kidney disease, symptoms and treatments. It is up to date and state of the art. So, don't give up on your cat, there is a lot you can do to prolonge his life and give a better life quality if symptoms show up! Even though, the kidneys don't heal, it is not a hopeless condition.

My cat, Maja, was very skinny, with poor coat, 2 years ago and the vets gave her months to live. Today she is only eating a canned renal diet, her fur looks good and she has put on a lot of weight. She is happy and looks healthy.

Good Luck!

Linisha

Hi everybody,

So happy to see there are people in Bangkok caring for animals! (well I did know of Soi Dog Rescue, that I try to fundraise money for, but otherwise I have been seaching in vane)

I am giving one more try to search for a home for Silky, my adopted soi dog that is now living in a small cage at an animal hospital. Silky is not a cute puppy. She is about 6 years old, medium/big size and she has had a rough life. But Silky has a beautiful, loving and loyal heart and would be a wonderful friend and companion.

I found Silky last time I was in Thailand (in July). Then she was sick and starving so I took her to a vet hospital. She has been treated for parasites and infections and is now doing fine.

I live in Sweden and can't take Silky here so I have to find her a home in Bangkok. I will go to Bangkok (and maybe Chiang Mai) in January and if needed I can bring Silky to another place in thailand, if just somebody is willing to give her a home.

As mentioned Silky is now fully treated at the hospital and she is so unhappy living in a small cage. I think she will die of broken heart if she has to keep living like that! The one thing I want is to give Silky a home where she can live her last years in a good way. She has her own brand new dog house. It would be wonderful for her if she could live in somebodys garden. Of course I will pay all costs for Silky, veterinary treatment, food etc. Just so happy if I could find a home for this wonderful and personal dog!

If any of you would be willing to give Silky a home, please mail me! Thanks!

/Linisha

Hi everybody,

After reading a lot of posts I finally decided to write one myself. I am not living in Thailand for the moment but I'm coming and going a few times every year. The reason for that is that I've started a company selling Thai products (silk, jewellary etc). In 2003 I lived and worked in Bangkok for 3 months and then I got addicted to the place. So I had to start my company to have a reason to come back often. Of course I am no real expat but I don't feel like a tourist either.

I got a tip about this forum and I wish I had known about it earlier because I find so much useful info here. And from what I've been reading I like the athmosphere here.

Anyhow, the urgent reason for me writing here just today is a dog by the name Silky. I found her very sick outside JJ weekend market in July during my latest visit. I took care of her and placed her in an animal hospital where she has been since that. Now I am absolutly desperate and don't know what I shall do. Silky has been treated for parasites, infections etc and is doing ok now. But I haven't been able to find a home for her. So she has for months been staying in a small cage and is now so unhappy. Her fur stated to fall of her hind legs, due to her lying in the cage all days (she is only taken out 2 short times a day). It was ok to keep her like this when she was sick, but not now when she is well. A Thai friend of mine goes and visits Silky and she says that Silky seem so unhappy. Unfortunately my friend can not take care of Silky. She lives in a rented house without garden and the landlord does not accept dogs.

I can't take Silky to Sweden. She is an older dog and I don't think she could take the climate here. And we have very strict regulations regarding animals. All animals are put in quarantine for 6 months before they are allowed to enter the country.

Before i found this forum I just didn't know how to reach a lot of people with my request. So now I do one desperate effort to find someone that would be willing to give Silky a home. Of course I will pay for all veterinay and medicine costs. I can also pay for food and some amount for boarding. The important thing for me is that she gets a home. Silky has her own brand new dog house that I bought before I went back to Sweden. If nothing else, maybe somebody has a garden where she can live?

Silky is not a beatiful dog but she is so sweet, loving and very faithful. She is not so fond of other dogs but she loves people and company. There is no risc of her running around and causing trouble. She is very calm and sleeps a lot. All she needs is food, some affection and being able to walk around and go outside. For the moment I feel horrible since I've "rescued" her to a life in a cage.

Silky got all shots etc. and she will be spayed as soon as I find a home for her.

If somebody would have a big heart and a wish to help Silky, please mail me A.S.A.P! It would make not only my day, but my whole year! Thanks!!!