Thai police rescue 1,300 caged dogs from smugglers

BANGKOK, May 7, 2013 (AFP) - Around 1,300 dogs crammed into cages have been seized in less than a week in Thailand's northeast border region, officials said Monday, amid concerns that the canines were destined for overseas dinner plates.

Around 300 dogs were found Monday in Bueng Kan province, according to local police, while authorities in neighbouring Sakon Nakhon province said 400 dogs were found Sunday, following a haul of 600 a few days before.

On Sunday, villagers in Sakon Nakhon told police "they heard sound of dogs whining and barking in scrubland", according to local provincial police chief Polsak Banjongsiri.

"When we arrived, we found more than 400 dogs abandoned in about a hundred cages," he told AFP.

"Some dogs are strays, some have been sold by their owners," he said, adding that they were destined to be trafficked to neighbouring countries.

The rescued animals were taken to the already overcrowded Animal Quarantine Centre in nearby Nakhon Phanom province.

"This is a trans-national network to take them to neighbouring countries. Most of them are for people's food -- the meat trade -- they would have been butchered," said the centre's head Chusak Pongpanich.

Dogs are an essential part of cuisine marking the end of the lunar month for older traditionalists in nearby Vietnam.

An increase in animal ownership in the communist nation has also seen growing ranks of thieves go from small town to small town in rural areas stealing pets to sell to dog meat restaurants.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-05-07

Is it against the law to eat dog meat or to take them across a border into another country for whatever reason?

Not to be unsympathetic towards animals being treated poorly, but what will happen to them now ?

Will they be released back onto the streets ? or sold onto neighbouring countries though 'agreed' channels this time ?

This whole issue comes from a 'non-cull' in the first place. Is it not more kind to control the numbers than to the permit the stray population to expand beyond control to such a degree whereby its even profitable for the streets are periodically 'cleared' by these 'meat wagons' and 'canine traffickers' ?

Dont they go to a reserve on Uthai Thani (where i assume theyll be quietly destroyed).

Perhaps the police could do something about all the aggressive dogs I come in contact with almost every day on my jogging route*?

Well, presumably there is some requirement for live export of animals, but I still don't get why this is such an enormous issue. As someone asked, is it illegal to sell or eat dogs?

If it is in such demand, why on earth doesn't someone get into farming them, like they do in Korea?

these smugglers make me sick, and should be caged themselfs !!

these smugglers make me sick, and should be caged themselfs !!

I still can't work out what they are actually guilty of. Animal cruelty?

these smugglers make me sick, and should be caged themselfs !!

By having them be caged, would that not make you complicit in the very crime you suggest they be caged for?

Just make it legal to eat / export dog meat and impose the same controls as any other meat.

It's just meat.

Charges from a previous court conviction for attempted cross border dog smuggling of 2,000 dogs. Four months prison, plus approx 20,000 baht fines, fines reduced by half for pleading guilty. Most of the dogs later died, assume for lack of veterinary care.

trading dogs without permission; transporting dogs without permission; cruelty against animals; and having in their possession dogs that weren't yet vaccinated by a veterinarian.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/501074-jail-terms-for-dog-smugglers/

I wish they would take the dogs from our street...

Not to be unsympathetic towards animals being treated poorly, but what will happen to them now ?

Will they be released back onto the streets ? or sold onto neighbouring countries though 'agreed' channels this time ?

This whole issue comes from a 'non-cull' in the first place. Is it not more kind to control the numbers than to the permit the stray population to expand beyond control to such a degree whereby its even profitable for the streets are periodically 'cleared' by these 'meat wagons' and 'canine traffickers' ?

if for ones they can do something intelligent,eat ....sell or kill those damned dogs ,and keep the streets a little safer ......no they will release these dangerous ,accidents causing dogs back on the street !

Unbelievable !

Hundreds of people die every year in accidents with dogs,thousants become criple .....and still they do nothing to this filthy problem ?

And now the stupid comments of the so called animal -lovers?

Why wouldn't the Vietnamese set up some type of feedlot, so they don't have to import?

Why rescue dogs just to let them die later?

Why isn't there a legal process for dog exporting?

"Chicken" meals will now be more expensive in northeast.......

Not to be unsympathetic towards animals being treated poorly, but what will happen to them now ?

Will they be released back onto the streets ? or sold onto neighbouring countries though 'agreed' channels this time ?

This whole issue comes from a 'non-cull' in the first place. Is it not more kind to control the numbers than to the permit the stray population to expand beyond control to such a degree whereby its even profitable for the streets are periodically 'cleared' by these 'meat wagons' and 'canine traffickers' ?

if for ones they can do something intelligent,eat ....sell or kill those damned dogs ,and keep the streets a little safer ......no they will release these dangerous ,accidents causing dogs back on the street !

Unbelievable !

Hundreds of people die every year in accidents with dogs,thousants become criple .....and still they do nothing to this filthy problem ?

And now the stupid comments of the so called animal -lovers?

I think you're confusing issues here. Yes there may be a problem with excessive dogs although I don't see much of it in my area out of town. The fact is what they are ding is illegal and also you need to keep in mind what happens to them before they get eaten. http://www.soidog.org/en/dogmeat/

I'd be happy if the sick ones were humanely put down but of course not all are sick and many are stolen.

If the government set up a program that the female street dogs were spayed for one year the problem would be reduced dramatically. Far less cruel than having so many wild dogs that scavenge around looking for food. They are usually less than a year old before they are pregnant. Around my workshop I see them have five or six pups, within a couple of weeks only one or two have survived and within not many months one of the pups is pregnant also. The locals poison them and I've even seen them with rear legs tied together to stop the nastier ones. They really are a problem. We all see them knocked down by cars on a daily basis as well as chasing motorbikes and Joggers causing accidents.This would in turn stop the meat trade which is very cruel to a mans best friend.

Perhaps the police could do something about all the aggressive dogs I come in contact with almost every day on my jogging route*?

I'm sure the local police will rush to your aid and solve your proble, thats their job to help expat joggers. YOU WISH

What a waste of manpower & money that would be, I think they have better ways of spending their time than rush to the aid of 1 person in a country of how many million ? If anything its the responsibility of the local councils to contol dog populations I think you will find.

Before coming to LOS i quite liked dogs - not crazy 'bout them, but ok with them - now i hate them en masse after several near-maulings to such an extent that though i don't agree with this criminal trade, i do think the world would be a better place with a huge reduction in dog numbers.

If the government set up a program that the female street dogs were spayed for one year the problem would be reduced dramatically. Far less cruel than having so many wild dogs that scavenge around looking for food. They are usually less than a year old before they are pregnant. Around my workshop I see them have five or six pups, within a couple of weeks only one or two have survived and within not many months one of the pups is pregnant also. The locals poison them and I've even seen them with rear legs tied together to stop the nastier ones. They really are a problem. We all see them knocked down by cars on a daily basis as well as chasing motorbikes and Joggers causing accidents.This would in turn stop the meat trade which is very cruel to a mans best friend.

I believe there is a government scheme that pays for spaying and neutering but of course this doesn't help with strays. I think some charities try to deal with this though. Not surprised with what you say about poisoning. All such good Buddhists aren't they?

Not to be unsympathetic towards animals being treated poorly, but what will happen to them now ?

Will they be released back onto the streets ? or sold onto neighbouring countries though 'agreed' channels this time ?

This whole issue comes from a 'non-cull' in the first place. Is it not more kind to control the numbers than to the permit the stray population to expand beyond control to such a degree whereby its even profitable for the streets are periodically 'cleared' by these 'meat wagons' and 'canine traffickers' ?

if for ones they can do something intelligent,eat ....sell or kill those damned dogs ,and keep the streets a little safer ......no they will release these dangerous ,accidents causing dogs back on the street !

Unbelievable !

Hundreds of people die every year in accidents with dogs,thousants become criple .....and still they do nothing to this filthy problem ?

And now the stupid comments of the so called animal -lovers?

I think you're confusing issues here. Yes there may be a problem with excessive dogs although I don't see much of it in my area out of town. The fact is what they are ding is illegal and also you need to keep in mind what happens to them before they get eaten. http://www.soidog.org/en/dogmeat/

I'd be happy if the sick ones were humanely put down but of course not all are sick and many are stolen.

It would not be so easy for dogs to be stolen if their owners took proper care and responsibility of them by keeping them within their homes, on a leash, or behind a fence.

In reality, what owners do is simply let their dogs have free reign of the neighborhood, free to raise all kind of havoc.

In my mind, these dogs are fair game.

Not to be unsympathetic towards animals being treated poorly, but what will happen to them now ?

Will they be released back onto the streets ? or sold onto neighbouring countries though 'agreed' channels this time ?

This whole issue comes from a 'non-cull' in the first place. Is it not more kind to control the numbers than to the permit the stray population to expand beyond control to such a degree whereby its even profitable for the streets are periodically 'cleared' by these 'meat wagons' and 'canine traffickers' ?

if for ones they can do something intelligent,eat ....sell or kill those damned dogs ,and keep the streets a little safer ......no they will release these dangerous ,accidents causing dogs back on the street !

Unbelievable !

Hundreds of people die every year in accidents with dogs,thousants become criple .....and still they do nothing to this filthy problem ?

And now the stupid comments of the so called animal -lovers?

Having just seen that inhuman video on the treatment of these anilmals, I hope there will be an end to stupid <deleted> comments either in jest or actually meant, when it comes to this disgusting "trade" that's obviously a real problem.

The problem arises when they start stealing pets from the houses, I seen a white one with a collar on and in good condition, culling should involve rounding up these disease ridden street dogs , most with mange, worms etc, from large towns, cities and destroying them properly and officially, the low life of Thailand have seen something that can be exploited ,called animal trafficking.

these smugglers make me sick, and should be caged themselfs !!

I still can't work out what they are actually guilty of. Animal cruelty?

you should change your user name to NO HEART just hope you never need to be rescued by one,you want to look up how they die before being eaten.

if for ones they can do something intelligent,eat ....sell or kill those damned dogs ,and keep the streets a little safer ......no they will release these dangerous ,accidents causing dogs back on the street !

Unbelievable !

Hundreds of people die every year in accidents with dogs,thousants become criple .....and still they do nothing to this filthy problem ?

And now the stupid comments of the so called animal -lovers?

They are not released back onto the streets, those that survive are taken to a government shelter in Nakhon Phanom. But don't let the facts get in the way of your uninformed ranting.

Anyone who's witnessed the transportation of pigs wouldn't ever forget it when the next tuck in to their cow puut moo - I never will and that's for sure.

They are not released back onto the streets, those that survive are taken to a government shelter in Nakhon Phanom. But don't let the facts get in the way of your uninformed ranting.

And what then? Doesn't the OP says the place in Nakon Phanom is already overcrowded.

Why don't you go help look after them if you are so concerned?

Been through all this before and I still haven't seen any of the animal lovers turn up here and adopt any of these beautiful misunderstood animals which have taken over some places so it's dangerous to even go there.

Got to go back for my fourth rabies and anti tet injection in a couple of weeks after getting bitten by one while riding my bike down the road, only cost a couple of thousand B so far, but what the heck, nothing else to spend it on.

Yep dog lovers unite, PM me and I'll arrange to show you where they are and you can each take several home and give them love and attention.

Delicious Vietnamese food
www.saigon-recipe.com
Healthy Vietnamese dishes on Suk49. Cool and comfortable atmosphere.

This ad under post #10. Ironic, however it's a great restaurant and great food.

If Thailand only had an animal control ministry they could go around Thailand and spay/nutter them. Silly to let dogs just breed like rats and make a mess of your country. A large part of the garbage problem comes from the dogs getting into the garbage to find food. Then there is the whole issue of the dogs being road hazzards.

I am all for the dogs being eaten, just make sure they are not mistreated before they are eaten.