Two million stray cats and dogs by 2027 if no action taken to register and sterilise, forum told

[snoop1130]

Two million stray cats and dogs by 2027 if no action taken to register and sterilise, forum told

By Kornrawee Panyasuppakun 
The Nation

 

File photo // The Nation photo

 

Stray dogs and cats must be registered and sterilised, otherwise their population will reach 2 million in 10 years, the Livestock Development Department has warned.

 

The number of stray cats and dogs was estimated at 820,000 last year, and the total will reach 2 million by 2027 and 5 million in 20 years if nothing is done, Livestock Development Department deputy director-general Somchuan Ratanamungklanon said during a panel discussion held by Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science on Tuesday. 

 

The forum was held to discuss the hotly disputed pet registration bill, which if passed would make it mandatory to register cats and dogs, in order to encourage responsible ownership. 

 

The draft law has been opposed by many who think the registration fee of Bt450 per animal is too high. 

 

The Livestock Development Department promised to reconsider the fee, including waiving fees for a few years after the law is passed.

 

“We will also consider waiving fees for those who have sterilised their pets,” Somchuan said. He promised that the registration fees would not be a burden, but reiterated the importance of licensing pets and putting strays in shelters instead of letting them roam the streets and reproduce at will.

“Stray dogs often cause danger and can spread diseases like rabies, and their poo is unsanitary and can spread diseases related to parasites,” the deputy agency chief added. 

 

According to the Information Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases at Chulalongkorn University, 40 per cent of stray dogs also carry the rabies virus.

 

The panellists, including Livestock Development Department officials, top veterinary professors and a senior news editor, agreed that the pet registration law was necessary to curb the population of stray dogs and cats. 

 

Registration and reproduction control are a sustainable way to reduce the number of strays, said Prof Dr Roongroje Thanawongsuwech, dean of Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. 

 

Not only does sterilisation control their population, it actually makes pet less likely to develop breast and prostate cancers and makes them less aggressive, he explained. 

 

The dean proposed that the government should waive registration fees for a few years, and help reduce the cost for people to get their pets neutered and spayed. 

 

He also proposed that vets should get a tax reduction if they help sterilised animals.

 

However, some questions remain about the government’s ability to shelter such a large number of unwanted cats and dogs. 

 

According to Theerawut Suwathanachou, a senior veterinarian at the Livestock Development Department, right now there are only 10 government shelters and 84 private shelters nationwide. 

 

There are also about 40 temples registered as dog shelters.

 

The pet registration bill is now being reviewed by the Livestock Development Department and will be forwarded to the Council of the State, the Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly before it is enforced. 

 

Chalermchai Yodmalai, the editor of Naewna newspaper and one of the panellists, said he hoped the law would be passed before the general election. 

 

“Most people do not oppose the registration per se, but they are not happy with the fees,” he said.

 

People online have been discussing the costly registration fees. 

 

Many believe that the fees could make many owners abandon their cats and dogs, and that unwanted puppies and kittens would also be less likely to find a home.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30356564

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-16

[happy chappie]

Stray dog and cats must be registered.next time I get chased down the road ill let them know.2 million by 2027? We've got about 250,000 in udon.in my soi there must be 15 and there's only 4 houses and ones got none because it's mine.it seems every soi has some <deleted> thinking they can make money breeding mutts.god know what their places smell like as there shit everywhere.anyway a couple weeks ago I was talking with Thai man in village.i had no flip flops on as I has a nasty ant bite.anyway stepped back to admire his bike straight into a fresh turd that squelched between my toes.things of what a nightmare is.i screamed and ran to a puddle and nearly took the skin off my foot trying to get it clean.

[Fex Bluse]

42 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The draft law has been opposed by many who think the registration fee of Bt450 per animal is too high. 

 

42 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Many believe that the fees could make many owners abandon their cats and dogs

If 450 Baht is enough to make someone abandon their pets, then they never cared much for them anyway. What is it with Thais and their lack of care toward animals? 

[tropo]

Are these people that ignorant? Although there will be a certain small percentage of stray cats and dogs (i.e. unwanted pets and stray pets) in the mix, most of these animals are feral and born in the "wild". (parks, vacant lots etc) Most of the animals we see around town are descendants of owned pets, decades and probably even centuries ago. Registering current owned pets will do little to fix the problem. A wide-scale culling is what is required, by responsible city councils that value human safety. Starting in the tourist hotspots would be a good idea. After the culling, they need to have animal catching patrols on the streets every day of the year to keep it under control. If any objectors get in the way when their favourite soi dogs or soi cats are on the chopping block, put a collar on them, register them, take them home, wash them, inoculate them, feed them and show love in your own backyard.

 

Quote from OP: “Stray dogs often cause danger and can spread diseases like rabies, and their poo is unsanitary and can spread diseases related to parasites,” the deputy agency chief added. 

 

You don't say. Which planet do these people live on? "can spread diseases like rabies" LOL

 

 

[Basil B]

Will the registration include micro chipping? 

 

If someone wants to keep an un-sterilised cat or dog the should have to register as a breeder and have a legal responsibility for the welfare, and to inoculate, sterilise and chip all kittens and puppies before selling.

[baansgr]

Just around the corner from me I counted 27 dogs, this pack was only about 5 less than a year ago but there are 2 or 3 people that go feed them everyday hence why such a large number now. A good start would be to educate these idiots that think they are doing good by feeding them.

[tropo]

28 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Just around the corner from me I counted 27 dogs, this pack was only about 5 less than a year ago but there are 2 or 3 people that go feed them everyday hence why such a large number now. A good start would be to educate these idiots that think they are doing good by feeding them.

They want pets without the responsibility. They go around the park near where I live every day, feeding hundreds of dogs and cats and making sure they have full water bowls. It's like their daily hobby.

[Destiny1990]

Someone should tell them that They clearly are over performing  on Visa stuff regulations and under performing on their stray dogs approach..

[car720]

9 hours ago, happy chappie said:

Stray dog and cats must be registered.next time I get chased down the road ill let them know.2 million by 2027? We've got about 250,000 in udon.in my soi there must be 15 and there's only 4 houses and ones got none because it's mine.it seems every soi has some <deleted> thinking they can make money breeding mutts.god know what their places smell like as there shit everywhere.anyway a couple weeks ago I was talking with Thai man in village.i had no flip flops on as I has a nasty ant bite.anyway stepped back to admire his bike straight into a fresh turd that squelched between my toes.things of what a nightmare is.i screamed and ran to a puddle and nearly took the skin off my foot trying to get it clean.

lifes a turd and then you step in it. 

[car720]

9 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

If 450 Baht is enough to make someone abandon their pets, then they never cared much for them anyway. What is it with Thais and their lack of care toward animals? 

but they are all such devout Bhuddists.

[Darcula]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

their population will reach 2 million in 10 years

 

Since, we're pulling figures out of the arse, I'd say the current stray popluation is 10 million ++.

 

[chrisinth]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Not only does sterilisation control their population, it actually makes pet less likely to develop breast and prostate cancers and makes them less aggressive, he explained. 

I would strongly argue that point. If a dog is aggressive, then the dog is aggressive. The only time sterilization would change a dog's behavior is when a bitch is in heat in that area; not much point fighting for a place in the queue when you have no balls.................

[Lupatria]

Looks like the alleged 500 dog butchers in Thailand successfully spent a lot on incense and garlands at the temples, wishing for prosperity. Which other industry enjoys such a big free supply of renewable raw materials? The good news is: there will be no problem to feed the 10 million Chinese tourists over the next two decades, after seafood supply stopped due to overfishing.

[Thaimike370]

9 hours ago, Basil B said:

Will the registration include micro chipping? 

 

If someone wants to keep an un-sterilised cat or dog the should have to register as a breeder and have a legal responsibility for the welfare, and to inoculate, sterilise and chip all kittens and puppies before selling.

ALL pets should be microchipped.  If a dog is roaming free and causes an accident, the owner can then be traced and held responsible for the accident.

[Blackheart1916]

Registration? Sterilization? How about the practical, cost effective and humane option, euthanization? Or should we wait for a few more rabies outbreaks to make an intelligent decision?

[madmitch]

820,000 stray animals? If this team moved to the tourism department there would only be 4 million tourists visiting Thailand annually. 

 

The art of  a Thai statistician is simply to produce the figures the bosses want to see.

 

never was Mark Twain so correct.

[ttrd]

46 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

I would strongly argue that point. If a dog is aggressive, then the dog is aggressive. The only time sterilization would change a dog's behavior is when a bitch is in heat in that area; not much point fighting for a place in the queue when you have no balls.................

 

First of all prior to argue anything we should know the difference between "sterilizing" and "castrating"...

 

Sterilizing a male dog

Sterilization is a less invasive surgical method than castration. Like before, it can only be performed by vets. It consists of cutting the seminiferous tubules, that is,the ducts that connect the testicles to the penis.

Advantages:

• It is less invasive than castration.
• Recovery is faster.
• It decreases the chance of prostate diseases.

Disadvantages:

• Hormone production is not stopped.
• The dog's sex drive is not removed.
• If the animal is dominant, its behavior will not change.

-------------------

 

Castrating a male dog

Castrating a male dog requires surgery and must be done by a vet. This technique involves the removal of the dog's testicles, leaving only the scrotal sac. It is irreversible.

Advantages:

• It inhibits the male sex drive and prevents associated conflicts.
• It possibly decreases the dog's dominance as testosterone production is stopped.
• It decreases the likelihood of prostate diseases.
• It is easier to socialize and educate castrated dogs to be tamer.
• It will get along better with other pets.

Disadvantages:

• There is a risk with anesthesia, as there is with any surgery.
• The recovery process is slower than with sterilization.
• It can cause obesity if its diet is not properly restructured.

https://www.animalwised.com/what-is-the-difference-between-castrating-and-sterilizing-a-dog-650.html

 

Then we can start talking...;)

 

[AlQaholic]

10 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

If 450 Baht is enough to make someone abandon their pets, then they never cared much for them anyway. What is it with Thais and their lack of care toward animals? 

The standard procedure for Thai families...Chatuchak market....ohh soo cute puppy, take home....feed and raise for two-three months....not cute anymore....abandon....let it roam the soi.....feed on occasion....let neighbor feed....not my dog.....who's dog?

[GinBoy2]

Hard to tell stray dogs from 'pets' since it's pretty common practise for Thai's to just let them wander often without a collar, so in most Thai village you see dogs wandering in packs and who knows if they in fact have 'owners', and I use the word owner almost tongue in cheek.

As for cats, they almost always just left to breed endlessly, which used break my heart seeing some of the poor creatures

[stanleycoin]

10 hours ago, tropo said:

Are these people that ignorant?

Yes.

[The Deerhunter]

Drive down any street in any town or city in Thailand at night and count the stray dogs sleeping on,  or wandering the street, usually looking for food.   I would be very surprised if the 2 million figure was not reached years ago, and way beyond that now.

[newnative]

I think there are already 2 million just in Pattaya.  Get cracking!

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, Darcula said:

 

Since, we're pulling figures out of the arse, I'd say the current stray popluation is 10 million ++.

 

I'd say your arse would probably be skidding towards the correct figure, since there is probably 1 in the doorway of every one of the 10 million 7/11's !

 

 

[heybuz]

It's too late to do much at all, they want pets without the responsibility. 

[chrisinth]

35 minutes ago, ttrd said:

 

First of all prior to argue anything we should know the difference between "sterilizing" and "castrating"...

 

Sterilizing a male dog

Sterilization is a less invasive surgical method than castration. Like before, it can only be performed by vets. It consists of cutting the seminiferous tubules, that is,the ducts that connect the testicles to the penis.

Advantages:

• It is less invasive than castration.
• Recovery is faster.
• It decreases the chance of prostate diseases.

Disadvantages:

• Hormone production is not stopped.
• The dog's sex drive is not removed.
• If the animal is dominant, its behavior will not change.

-------------------

 

Castrating a male dog

Castrating a male dog requires surgery and must be done by a vet. This technique involves the removal of the dog's testicles, leaving only the scrotal sac. It is irreversible.

Advantages:

• It inhibits the male sex drive and prevents associated conflicts.
• It possibly decreases the dog's dominance as testosterone production is stopped.
• It decreases the likelihood of prostate diseases.
• It is easier to socialize and educate castrated dogs to be tamer.
• It will get along better with other pets.

Disadvantages:

• There is a risk with anesthesia, as there is with any surgery.
• The recovery process is slower than with sterilization.
• It can cause obesity if its diet is not properly restructured.

https://www.animalwised.com/what-is-the-difference-between-castrating-and-sterilizing-a-dog-650.html

 

Then we can start talking...;)

 

 

35 minutes ago, ttrd said:

  1 hour ago, chrisinth said:

I would strongly argue that point. If a dog is aggressive, then the dog is aggressive. The only time sterilization would change a dog's behavior is when a bitch is in heat in that area; not much point fighting for a place in the queue when you have no balls that are working anymore.................

 

As sterilization is the topic in the OP. that is what we are talking about. My point was that sterilization will not remove aggression from a dog.

 

My attempt at humour must have confused you regarding castration. I have amended my quote just for you above.

 

Apols for any confusion even though sterilization is mentioned in the quote.

[p414]

I read some time back that the dog catchers are not allowed to capture any dog with a collar..

People near my place have put collars on stray dogs and come round on motorcycles with large bags of food for these 'pets'.

Dog collars should have a house and phone number on them or be considered strays....there are now large packs of these dogs within 2 kilometers of my home.It is unsafe to walk out now....3 years ago there were no strays..

 

 

[BobBKK]

Cats don't attack kids and are in no way as big a threat as feral/stray dogs but they need to be TNR when possible. Dogs are a threat to humans and in packs they are dangerous and aggressive. Take them out.

[BobBKK]

Just now, p414 said:

I read some time back that the dog catchers are not allowed to capture any dog with a collar..

People near my place have put collars on stray dogs and come round on motorcycles with large bags of food for these 'pets'.

Dog collars should have a house and phone number on them or be considered strays....there are now large packs of these dogs within 2 kilometers of my home.It is unsafe to walk out now....3 years ago there were no strays..

 

 

I agree there are many ****** who do things like that then go home and eat their pork.  Hypocrites and ignorant.    

[cyril sneer]

they should just ship them all down to southern Thailand

[Cereal]

According to the Information Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases at Chulalongkorn University, 40 per cent of stray dogs also carry the rabies virus.

 

This is the thing that got me. Man, if this is true it is a terrifying statistic. 40% of stray dogs have rabies? That is scary sh!t man.