The Dog Pound For Strays

[Sir Burr]

The dog pound that was set up for stray dogs somewhere in Talang? Is it still running?

Last time I heard, they were having money difficulties and were running out of dog food.

Can anyone give an update?

[thaigerd]

Passing by every day and as far as I can see it's still running.

But a good idea to have a closer look again.

Gerd

[NBT TV Phuket]

Special - Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket Dog Shelter in Thalang

To see or download mini-video, go to http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=213829

"A dog is man’s best friend, an animal that is honest and even willing to sacrifice his life to its beloved owner. Many countries around the world have their own folklore and histories about the smartness and honesty of dogs.

But there are also many dogs that have been abandoned, or treated cruelly, as if their lives have no meaning or are not worth being alive in this world. Fortunately groups like Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket are working hard to help unlucky dogs like these at their Dog Shelter in Thalang on the main Thepkrasatri Road before the turn-off to the airport.

John Dalley, the Vice President of Soi Dog, talked to us about how they also aim to reduce the amount of stray dogs on the island.: “now we have sterilized 16,000 cats and dogs on the island. We know the numbers is going down. We invested a lot of money in the shelter to try to improve the lives of the dogs here that we picked up off the street, because they are problem but our main issue is finance, obviously is costing a lot of money to upkeep, so we are struggling to keep everything going, as we would like to…..”

On Monday 14th May they opened a new volunteer center at the shelter, accompanied by the Thai duo artists Wacharin and Jey-da Rodnit, to create a heaven for all dogs. They volunteered themselves to help paint the volunteer center under the concept ‘Eden of the Dogs’. Jey-da told us their opinion: “Before you buy a dog for someone make sure they are able to take care of them because a dog remembers you, you are their friend, you are their boss, you are everything for the dog. It can’t tell you ‘I’m hungry have a headache or I don’t like it’. Before you buy a dog or give somebody a dog, make sure you will stay with them until they pass away or you pass away, if someone you love very much; but one day you not beautiful any more, you fat or you too old and they just throw you away! So a dog feels the same.”

Sonia De Kock and Cristy Baker, foreign volunteers who work here, told us about their work at Soi Dog: “I’m Sonia from South Africa, I’m the dog trainer but I also help with puppies and this is the area that we use to train the dogs. My name is Cristy I’m from Australia also work together with Sonia. We both train the dogs….”

Isara Isaraniran, their Fundraising and Marketing Manager, and a previous Rajaphat University student who spent a scholarship year studying in Ireland, and was also a Young Reporter for our program, talked about their local fundraising for Soi Dog in Phuket: “we do place donation boxes in hotels, restaurants, bars, as well as we ask pet shops to donate left expired food, in the future we will do second hand shops to receive donations for dogs to raise awareness, as well as to raise money.”

For more information or to help Soi Dog, phone 087-0508688 or E-mail [email protected] .

It would be hard to save dogs on the island without Soi Dogs help, but with their volunteers and inspiration, all of us can help to save the lives of man’s best friends. Remember like the idioms say: ‘There's life in the old dogs yet’, ‘every dog has its day’, even if ‘It's raining cats and dogs!’ "

Special Report for Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) + Radio Thailand FM90.5 Phuket City, both broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, 8.30am & maybe later on Phuket Cable TV channel 1, FRIDAY 18 May 2007 & www.ThaisNews.com { Our news text and videos can be freely copied, but please give credit to Andaman News TV11 Phuket or contact [email protected]}