Helping The Helpless

[ETatBKK]

quoted from the Thailand News Forum, Oct 23, 2011, please help !!

GOOD CAUSE

Helping the helpless

Laurie Rosenthal

The Nation

Despite often difficult conditions and cantankerous owners, animals rescuers are working hard to save pets and wildlife of all sizes. You can help too

Not only people but animals of all species are suffering from the floods gushing down from the North.

At Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi, more than 1,000 dogs have been rescued from the rising waters, and at least 500 cats. These animals aren't owned by anyone. They had simply been living inside the wat, where monks and laypeople have been feeding them.

At present, the cats are being kept at the temple in a purposebuilt cage still high enough above the water. A number of dogs have been relocated to Kasetsart University, Kampaeng Saen campus, and to the dogrescue sanctuary in Kanchanaburi under Chamlong Srimuang.

Still others are being cared for by volunteer rescuers in their houses.

"The situation is very grim," says Tharinee Wipuchanin, head of the rescue group PicAPet4home.

"A lot of animals have already drowned," she notes, adding, "We are desperate for facilities where our vets can treat dogs needing medical attention and where the dogs will be safe."

Animal rescuers throughout Thailand have been forming adhoc networks to help dogs and cats needing help in flooded areas in the country. As a result, the people saving the animals from certain death are facing unexpected legal battles.

On Thursday, for instance, a rescue group saved 35 purebred dogs from a breeder's flooded house in Bang Bua Thong, Pakkred.

The breeder had simply left them in their cages to drown, while he escaped the flooding.

"Those rescuers were very brave," Tharinee observes. "They had to go in by boat while it was dark to save all these dogs."

The dogs are now with her. "They're in terrible condition," she said. Some are old and blind. One blind chihuahua is pregnant and will probably give birth in two weeks.

At first, the rescuers had been reluctant to break into the man's house to save the animals. By law, they had no right, and the man could sue them for damaging his property. When the rescuers saw the rising waters entering the cages and realised that the man had not moved the cages to higher floors in his house, they felt they had no choice but to take the dogs to safety.

The law, however, considers the dogs to be the breeder's property. He, in fact, has contacted the group and demanded the return of his dogs. Although fearful of costly lawsuits, the rescuers are reluctant to let him have the dogs, since, to them, he hasn't shown them much compassion in their time of need.

The flooding has also exposed another problem wildlife has appeared unexpectedly. News of crocodiles that have escaped from their farms in Ayutthaya has been prominent, but, according to Nantarika Chansue, president of the Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarian Society, in the floods in Pakkred, illegally kept wild animals have also appeared.

Although at the time of writing, precise numbers could not be confirmed, she mentioned that so far, three tigers, between 20 and 30 monkeys and gibbons as well as 300 tortoises of several endangered species have been rescued.

"We haven't been able to snare the escaped bears yet," she said.

Another network, formed by the Veterinary Department of Kasetsart University, the Thai Volunteer Search & Rescue Dog Association and PicAPet4home, have joined forces to bring dog and catfood to flooded areas.

One truckload of petfood more than 2,000 kgs went to Ayutthaya on Thursday [Oct 20], with hundreds of people queuing up for the handouts for their pets.

Much more petfood is needed, says Tharinee, offering a wish list that would help the volunteers:

1. A warehouse or godown in a safe area that has electricity and water facilities

2. Cages of any size

3. The services of trucks high enough to handle the floodwaters

4. Dog and cat food

5. Medicines

6. Old towels

7. People willing to adopt or at least foster the dogs in their homes temporarily

8. Monetary contributions

Anyone who would like to donate food can send it to the KU Veterinary Dept on Phaholyothin Road, or you can contact PicAPet4Home on (089) 669 1690 or (081) 451 2233.

If people prefer to donate money, PicAPet4Home will buy the food and deliver to KU for repacking and distributing. KU will issue a thankyou letter for all donors. Donors should send Tharinee a text message or an email giving your name, address and amount of money or food donated so that the thankyou letter can be arranged.

The bank information is:

Siam Commercial Bank, Chok Chai 4 Branch

Savings account number 1272244999

Account Name: Tharinee Wipuchanin

"Why," a member of the public asked Tharinee, "are you spending so much time, money and effort on animals when so many people are suffering from the floods?"

All the rescuers, Tharinee replied, are worried about people who have lost their homes and their livelihoods.

"But we think we owe something to the animals who depend on us. We cared for them in good times, and now we cannot throw them away in bad times. A life is a life."

-- The Nation 2011-10-25