Alarm Raised Over Dog-Snatching In Phuket

[webfact]

Alarm raised over dog-snatching in Phuket

Phuket Gazette

One local expat is worried that dog-snatchers are operating on Phuket's Nai Harn Beach (pictured), stealing canines and collecting the rewards from owners. Photo: Gazette file

Micky, the Matese terrier dognapped from Nai Harn Beach.

PHUKET: -- A Phuket expat who lost his dog at Nai Harn Beach last Sunday has raised concerns over dog-snatching at the popular tourist area.

Frank Lamine wrote to the Phuket Gazette earlier today reporting that he had heard of one local dog owner paying 3,000 baht to get his dog back.

Mr Lamine lost his 10-year-old white Maltese terrier “Micky” at the beach last Sunday.

A 'Lost & Found' advertisement in the Phuket Gazette’s classifieds has yet to yield information about where she might be.

“During my efforts to get some information from locals at the beach, I learned that I am not the only one who lost a pet at that place. There is another request for help, pinned to the trees,” said Mr Lamine.

“There are people almost daily at the beach with their own dogs who report similar stories,” he added.

Mr Lamine explained that his encounter with the local dog owner who paid 3,000 baht to get his dog back alerted him to the prospect of a dog-snatching gang operating in the area, stealing dogs and then collecting any rewards offered for their safe return.

In a response posted on Facebook, John Dalley of animal-welfare charity Soi Dogs (www.soidog.org) said, “I assume you have put reward posters out? Certainly there is a history of people taking dogs and then returning them for rewards, also they can sell pedigree dogs.”

Mr Dalley also highlighted the gruesome prospect of dogs in Phuket being snatched for the dog meat trade.

“We know gangs are now operating over a wide area and ‘rumor’ has it they are also operating here – though have no concrete evidence of this yet,” said Mr Dalley.

“Over new year [holidays], we do have concrete evidence of dogs being used for food at labor camps, but they generally go for black dogs and not Maltese types, so that is highly unlikely,” he added

Mr Dalley encouraged Mr Lamine to check the Soi Dogs Facebook page, more particularly the recent photos.

“You will see [that] many dogs of this type have been intercepted in recent raids as [they are] popular in Vietnam and China. Do check that yours is not amongt them. Many of these are now in Bangkok at our center there,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12133.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-28

[TheWalkingMan]

Low risk crime for the bad guys.

[ATR]

I don't know the circumstances or details of this particular incident, and I empathize with the trauma of losing a dog. That said, I think this is another reason why people should be doing a better job of keeping track of and controlling their dogs when they take them to public places like the beach. The fact is most of Phukets beaches are crowded (especially during high season) and that we must remember that the beaches must be shared by all. I regularly take my dog to the beaches here in Phuket and I never let it out of my sight. If the beach is crowded I keep it on a leash. The reasons for this being the dog's safety and also out of consideration for other people at the beach. Some dog owners don't realize that their cute dog may be seen as a nuisance by others.

I hope the owner gets his dog back.

[sparebox2]

Maybe the Vietnamese have arrived.

Old habbit die hard.

[thaiIand]

no bad guys there, the pedigree dogs thiefs are usualy your neighbors who dont want to pay for a dog.

[JulesMad]

Mickey is not likely to be dog-napped for the food-market... Not enough meat on the bones

More likely for the ransom money, he looks very friendly....

[stevenl]

Disappeared from Nai Harn Beach, ah that beach where dogs are not allowed.

[F1fanatic]

Disappeared from Nai Harn Beach, ah that beach where dogs are not allowed.

I thought they were before around 8 a.m.? Mind you I could be wrong, and would not dream of taking my dog to a tourist beach anyway.

I was involved in a car accident a few years ago and one of my dogs ran away. Making reward posters for his return I consulted a couple of vets who both told me I was offering too much money - it would only encourage others to steal my other (pedigree) dog for the 'reward'. How sad is that?

[dartvidar]

Dog owners should first of all not bring their dogs to the beach. If you then not track your dog and it's running around on the beach alone I just say somnana.

[herb59]

they are a nuisance for others. shitting everywhere, barking at night,.... no birth, health control. and stray dogs, for what?? reduce them. better for the dogs and the humans!!

[steelepulse]

How does a dog get stolen if he's on a leash and has an attentive owner ?

Edited January 29, 2012 by steelepulse

[F1fanatic]

they are a nuisance for others. shitting everywhere, barking at night,.... no birth, health control. and stray dogs, for what?? reduce them. better for the dogs and the humans!!

I feel the same way about children . The parents of ill-behaved children are even more irritating - believing that nobody should have a problem with their kids bad, noisy behaviour - as, 'they are just children'.....