Going through hell for leather: Thailand's dog meat trade

[Lite Beer]

Going through hell for leather: Thailand's dog meat trade

BANGKOK: Dog leather ... it's soft, fine-textured and readily distinguishable from other leathers due to its foul smell and scars, says Chanin Chitkomut, who encountered the product several years ago.

“If you’re not an expert, you might mistake it for sheep hide,” said Mr Chanin, who was raised in the leather industry since.

The president of the Thai Footwear Association said the strong odour makes dog skin a less attractive option for factories to manufacture as golf gloves and drums, but the shortage of cowhide had prompted some shoe-makers to use it as linings to lower costs.

Illegal live dog exports to countries such as Vietnam has long existed here. But recent, increased pressure on smugglers has forced them to change their tactics and, in doing so, they have expanded their trade to include slaughtering, skinning and tanning the animals.

THE DOG SMUGGLING TRADE

Thai police only started to make a serious effort in the crackdown a year ago, when Pol Sub Lt Lamai Sakonpitak, a police sub-inspector, was asked to be part of a unit to suppress smuggling and the trade in animal parts.

In January, the team of seven, headed by Pol Maj Gen Surapol Pinijchop, successfully raided a tannery where butchers were caught among piles of dog carcasses and skin. Pol Sub Lt Lamai said the leather would be sent to a dealer in the south of Thailand in shipments of 400-500 pieces, and then shipped to China and Japan.

Police attempted to raid a second tannery in Sakon Nakhon, owned by a Bangkok native, but the place had been closed down.

Pol Sub Lt Lamai said police had seen a decline in live dog smuggling. In the past, smugglers would transport the dogs to forests and load them on trucks in the early hours of the morning. They would then be transported to Vietnam through Laos.

“But since October last year, the situation has changed and traders have been slaughtering dogs in forests, where the meat is dried and sold in Sakon Nakhon’s Ta Rae district and the skin sent to tanneries,” he told Spectrum.

John Dalley, co-founder and vice-president of the Soi Dog Foundation, the largest not-for-profit organisation dealing with stray dogs and cats throughout Southeast Asia, said large-scale transport had not been happening for several months, as the police had taken more interest in it now.

“In mid-2011, the trade was very open. No one bothered to stop any trucks,” Mr Dalley said.

But the main reason, he believes, is the conferences that animal rights groups have had with government representatives from Thailand, Vietnam and Laos within the past year whereby the Vietnamese government ratified an agreement to stop the importation of live dogs into Vietnam.

The purpose was to implement a ban on the mass transportation of live dogs from Thailand and other Asean countries into Vietnam based on the call for action to eliminate rabies by 2020. “When you’re transporting 2,000 dogs in huge trucks, some dogs escape from one cage to another and spread rabies,” Mr Dalley said.

Thailand has a large dog population, and unwanted dogs can be purchased very cheaply.

“They are then sold to criminal dealers in Thailand. They in turn sell them to Vietnam and the money goes up and up. Poor people in Isan when the rice is growing, can earn income by collecting dogs and selling them,” Mr Dalley said. “It’s gone on for years and plenty of money can be made out of it.”

But Mr Dalley warned that the vast majority are stolen pet dogs, as they are generally healthier and in a good condition. Pet dogs are far more prized than strays, causing them to fetch a higher price both for meat and skin.

“Genuine stray dogs are too difficult to catch and they do not come near people. Dog snatchers are not going to waste time on dogs like that,” he said.

He said many of the animals died in circumstances of unspeakable cruelty, with some being flayed alive.

"I have heard that skinning is easier when alive though can find no evidence to support that," he said. "There is also a belief that if the dog suffers pain then the adrenalin produced improves the meat. Again [there is] no scientific evidence to uphold this."

Mr Dalley said the skin was often exported to Japan, China and Taiwan for use in the construction of musical instruments such as drums and traditional guitars, but that it also sometimes ended up in pet stores in the form of rawhide bones, a popular chew treat for pet dogs.

In 2011, the Thai Veterinary Medical Association estimated that half a million Thai dogs were involved in the dog meat and skin trade. Although the industry is centred in Sakon Nakhon, it is widespread in Northeast Thailand.

The dogs, which are rounded up from all over the country, are transported to Sakon Nakhon’s Ta Rae district and slaughtered there or transported live over to Vietnam.

“We hear more that dogs are killed locally close to where they are picked up, put into ice bins and transported that way, because it’s obviously harder to stop a truck loaded with ice bins than live dogs,” Mr Dalley said.

WHERE THE LAW STANDS

Unlike in Vietnam, where the consumption of dog meat is legal, Thailand has several laws to deal with the dog meat and skin trade.

A police officer can legally stop any vehicle transporting dogs and ask to see a trade, transportation and vaccination permit. If none is present, the offender can be charged with violating laws for animal cruelty, the transmission of rabies and contagious diseases as well as the transportation and trade of animals without permission.

If the vehicle was found near a border, the act violates a customs regulation pertaining to the export of live animals.

Between August 2011 and September 2013, the police arrested 49 offenders and took possession of 10,463 dogs in 10 northeastern provinces. But very few of the offenders were imprisoned, a situation that offers little deterrent.

“If penalties were increased and the courts impose a penalty, particularly on repeat offenders, then certainly it will be a deterrent,” Mr Dalley said. But he acknowledged that part of the problem was due to corruption, which is widespread throughout the region. Mr Dalley said he knew of a tannery operator who described the exported skin as something else and paid customs additional money.

Chaichan Laohasiripanya, secretary-general of the Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA), said activists were pushing for animal cruelty legislation that would raise the maximum penalty to 20,000 baht from the current 1,000 baht, and the prison sentence from one month to one year.

In 2012, 12,000 signatures were collected and submitted to parliament, which passed the first reading in October that year and the second reading in November last year. A third reading was not conducted due to the dissolution of parliament in December. Mr Chaichan said once a government was installed, the process of passing the legislation should not take long as parliament had already ruled on the issue.

EASY CASH

For Mr Chanin of the Thai Footwear Association, the use of dog hide is an alternative for the leather industry, as the skin is a by-product of its meat. “Everyone in the leather industry has had experience with dog hide,” he told Spectrum. “The manufacturers know [that they are being sent dog leather], but as long as the demand for dog meat exists, there will always be a supply of dog skin.”

Mr Chanin claimed that some of the leather is sent to factories in Bangkok, and offers would be made to leather-goods producers.

“Tanneries would approach shoe manufacturers and ask them [the shoe-makers] if they wanted to use dog leather as lining, due to the large amount of visible markings,” he said, adding that dog scrotums were soft and flexible, and were known to be highly prized for golf gloves. “But now, the tanneries are not as open as they used to be.”

According to the Thailand Textile Institute, the country exported US$724 million in leather goods last year, a 10.89% increase from the previous year. Major export markets include Hong Kong, Vietnam and China.

The Thai Tanning Industry Association said there were about 180 tanneries producing 15,000 tonnes of leather per year, or 15 million square feet per month, which could cover 300 football fields.

The association said 97% of hides came from cows and buffaloes, of which about 36% was from local slaughter.

Somkiaet Bongkotpannarai, a leather consultant at Sky Leather Co, denied that dog leather was used on a commercial scale.

“I have heard about this happening, but it’s nothing but a myth. What they are doing is only in special circumstances and for the lower market,” said Mr Somkiaet, who is also president of the Thai Leather Cluster. “Personally, I have never seen or touched dog skin.”

He also denied that there was a shortage of leather supplies, although last year domestic leather prices increased by 250% over 2011-12.

Although Pol Sub Lt Lamai said dog tanneries existed no more than a year ago, Mr Chanin said the practice had existed in Thailand for more than 40 years, and normal tanneries also treated dog skin on some occasions. However, it had not been popular because of the stronger than usual odour.

“Live dogs that can smell the odour from dog leather will start to bark and show signs of fear,” Mr Chanin said. “It’s like they know.”

WHAT COULD BE DONE

Watchdog Thailand and Soi Dog work hand in hand to stop the dog meat trade.

Soi Dog pays rewards to authorities and locals who provide information or are involved in successful arrests. It is currently financing the production and erection of hundreds of large banners offering rewards for information throughout the Northeast.

Dogs seized by police are evidence, and they are initially taken to Nakhon Phanom where they are treated, vaccinated and sterilised. Once released from the court's jurisdiction they are then transferred to Soi Dog’s Buri Ram treatment facility.

Because dogs were not classified as livestock, the Livestock Development Department has no budget to care for them, said Mr Dalley.

“In 2011 and 2012, over 80% of dogs intercepted died within a few months of disease and starvation, which is why we intervened,” he said.

Soi Dog provides food and medication for all dogs rescued from the dog meat trade, with average spending of more than one million baht per month. To date, the organisation has invested about 12 million baht in its Buri Ram site, and there are plans for a hospital there. The Buri Ram facility has capacity for 3,500 dogs and additional shelters will eventually increase this to 5,000. More land is available if needed, though Soi Dog’s aim is to stop the business, not continually intercept dogs.

“Many people, particularly foreigners, ask why the dogs are not euthanised. As one noted Thai politician recently said to me, it is not acceptable in Thailand to humanely euthanise animals, though it is acceptable for them to die from starvation and disease in neglected shelters,” Mr Dalley said.

Local campaign group Watchdog Thailand said the root of the problem lied in the corruption of government agencies such as the army, marines and police.

While many dismiss the dog meat trade as a way to lower the population of stray dogs, Mr Chaichan said the best way to solve the problem was to get them castrated and vaccinated against rabies.

But he said solving the problem at its roots, such as through education, would provide benefits towards the larger population. Mr Chaichan’s organisation conducts regular talks with primary school students, teaching them that animals need five types of freedom: food, shelter, health, freedom from stress and fear, and the freedom to behave naturally.

“If any one of them is violated, [the act] is considered cruelty towards animals,” he said. “We need to reform our education system.”

A MATTER OF TASTE

With the growing pet culture, people are becoming more actively involved in trying to stop the dog meat industry. Bangkok has a large animal welfare movement, but villages in the Northeast portray a totally different image.

Dog meat was part of Kan Srisuk’s diet since he was a teenager in Surin’s Muang district. He estimates 20% of his home town consume dog meat, but figures are much higher in Sakon Nakhon, where the practice is more popular.

“I saw my friends eating [dogs], so I tried some myself. It is believed that black dogs can enhance strength,” said Mr Kan, who is now in his fifties.

Dog meat consumption is most popular in Sakon Nakhon, where Vietnamese, including those of Roman Catholic descent, migrated 130 years ago. It is also popular in Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Sakon Nakhon, Yasothon and Roi Et provinces.

Dog meat would be sold at roadside stalls, identified by a butchered dog head hanging in front.

Asked about his opinion on those who consider dog-eaters odd, Mr Kan said it was a matter of perspective. “How can you prohibit it when dog-eaters view it as something normal? As long as the dogs are not stolen, I think it’s normal,” he said.

Selling dog meat is illegal, but Pol Sub Lt Lamai said it would be better to address the issue at its root, which is at the point of slaughter.

Like Mr Kan, the Soy brothers and sisters from Cambodia who now work at a construction site also got into the habit of eating dog meat as teenagers in Kampong Cham, which borders Vietnam. In both cases, the dogs were not raised for consumption, but rather provided for free by neighbours.

“It’s the most delicious meat of all and it’s so soft. I like dog curry,” said Soy Wan Ni.

-- Phuket News 2014-04-20

[WoopyDoo]

There are a few soi dogs around here that I wouldn't miss to be honest... You literally can't walk the streets after dark.

[Thaiisnotrequired]

“It’s the most delicious meat of all and it’s so soft. I like dog curry,” said Soy Wan Ni.

Edited April 20, 2014 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[noitom]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

“It’s the most delicious meat of all and it’s so soft. I like dog curry,” said Soy Wan Ni.

Incredibly poor Thai journalism to end a story with this preposterous quote.

[JeremyBowskill]

I am a dog lover and have a beautiful Rottie. However, I also see no difference between eating dog or any other meat. It's only our geographical point of birth and cultural upbringing that dictates our perspective. As I have said before, Thais for example, find rabbits hanging up in butchers windows quite distasteful but have no qualms about munching on a rat in Essan. Dog curry may well be excellent..... I'm sure my dog hopes I never get hard up enough to ever have to find out.

Edited April 20, 2014 by JeremyBowskill

[Artisi]

Let's start a campaign to eat all the soi dogs in Thailand. Just think how much tidier and safer it would.

[focus27]

When I lived out in the sticks, I had my best dog stolen while I was away for a few days. Of course, the villagers couldn't really tell me exactly what happened, but as the stories of a mysterious pickup truck stealing dogs in the stealth of night grew into their consensus confabulation, I accepted that the story had a grain of truth: my neighbours ate my dog!

This was also linked to an upswing in drug use following the last military coup, as the number of useless, wasted men increased - but that's another story.

(Many other such stories from the heart of darkness - I left before I retaliated.)

[JohnThailandJohn]

A little too long to read but assume this is the same story that pops up fairly regularly. I find it very sad anybody would harm a dog unless it is for survival but interesting we generally place more concern on a domestic animal (even if roaming free) than other animals such as chicken or cow since they all want to survive and all feel pain. Kind of like feeling less about a child or retarded person being killed because they are less intelligent than other humans. Also interesting if you look at most donation boxes, the ones with the pictures of dogs on them will almost surely have more money than the ones showing disabled children. No judgement, just interesting but I can't help but consider what a great business it must be, financial wise, to stick plastic boxes around with pics of sad looking dogs and just rake in the money ... hopefully that is not the case but I never trust those donation boxes in any place or country unless they are located on the premises of the person asking for the money then at least I know who it is going to just not what it is actually being spent on.

[Loles]

Very long and tearful OP.

I like the dog so much, and I have two, but the dog case is full crazy in TH.

Just last night was attacked by soi dogs and I missed they would went to the Vietnam soup well already.

If you look around every-where just see wild soi dogs, and they are big cause the smalls die before without food in pack.

They are exactly life-threatening for children and elder people.

I have to say too I'm fed up these soi dogs cause they are look like a wolf-pack and not the dog which we like.

So if some-one catch them and send to the soup I guess this is not so big problem. Don't be hypocrite the over stock dogs will be send to the streets.

AND you are live in Asia when many people eat the dog.

Why do you eat chicken, goose, duck, pig, cattle, goat, sheep, fish, snail, shrimp, turkey or what-ever you like?

And why do you think bad about those people who eat dog, grasshopper, monkey, shark, ant-eggs or what-ever they like?

The western people think the good way only those way which they used and make a judgement very easy.

[hughben]

Pure scum who steal pets.

If I had a dog stolen and caught the scum that did it, I wouldn't be responsible for my actions.

It is not only Thailand where pet dogs are stolen.

In China, pets are stolen for their fur. (And the practice of skinning for fur is probably going on in Thailand too).

A report last year, found many of the creatures in cages still had their collars on awaiting their skinning whilst alive. There is a video on youtube of a dog being skinned alive for its fur from the report.

I think one of the reasons there are outcries with dogs being eaten is they are so much a part of human existence. From guide dogs to rescue dogs to hunting dogs to guard dogs etc.

That is more so in Asia now as more are outraged.

I bet those who eat dogs would be the first to welcome rescue dogs if there was say a natural disaster and their relatives needed to be found in some rubble.

[Thai at Heart]

Of course if there weren't millions of street dogs the business wouldn't exist at all....

[Thaiisnotrequired]

Very long and tearful OP.

I like the dog so much, and I have two, but the dog case is full crazy in TH.

Just last night was attacked by soi dogs and I missed they would went to the Vietnam soup well already.

If you look around every-where just see wild soi dogs, and they are big cause the smalls die before without food in pack.

They are exactly life-threatening for children and elder people.

I have to say too I'm fed up these soi dogs cause they are look like a wolf-pack and not the dog which we like.

So if some-one catch them and send to the soup I guess this is not so big problem. Don't be hypocrite the over stock dogs will be send to the streets.

AND you are live in Asia when many people eat the dog.

Why do you eat chicken, goose, duck, pig, cattle, goat, sheep, fish, snail, shrimp, turkey or what-ever you like?

And why do you think bad about those people who eat dog, grasshopper, monkey, shark, ant-eggs or what-ever they like?

The western people think the good way only those way which they used and make a judgement very easy.

It is not the eating of dogs anybody seems to be offering complaint about. Most farang accept this Asian tradition.

It is the way the dogs are treated, many skinned ALIVE, and even some have their meat cut off them, when still ALIVE! That is the abomination.

Nobody is being hypocritical here about dog-eating... it is the treatment and death of the animals that's at point.

And... no.... most Farang do not eat shark... for your info. We are well aware of the lessening shark population, well actual rapid decline in populations, yet again an Asian preference!

Also, your icon represents the flag of Argentina, which is considered a Western country... where 97% are whites. Which hemisphere would you say you come from, when digging at Western thoughts?

[Pimay1]

Friday my old girlfriend and I went to Sakon Nakhon. Of course I took my little dog Rambo pictured below as he won’t let me leave the house without him. On the way back we decided to get something for Rambo to eat. We stopped just outside Sakon Nakhon at a roadside stand. The old gf bought some hot dogs because Rambo dearly loves hot dogs. I tried to give him a bite and strangely enough he wouldn’t eat it. First time I’ve seen this. The old gf took a bite and said this is a dog meat hot dog. I chucked them out the window.

[Seastallion]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

“It’s the most delicious meat of all and it’s so soft. I like dog curry,” said Soy Wan Ni.

Incredibly poor Thai journalism to end a story with this preposterous quote.

?? What's preposterous about it? Someone's opinion that a particular type of meat is delicious is not preposterous at all. For all you know, dog curry may very well be delicious. Personally, I prefer goat curry. Dog is better BBQed. But that's just my opinion.

[Seastallion]

Friday my old girlfriend and I went to Sakon Nakhon. Of course I took my little dog Rambo pictured below as he won’t let me leave the house without him. On the way back we decided to get something for Rambo to eat. We stopped just outside Sakon Nakhon at a roadside stand. The old gf bought some hot dogs because Rambo dearly loves hot dogs. I tried to give him a bite and strangely enough he wouldn’t eat it. First time I’ve seen this. The old gf took a bite and said this is a dog meat hot dog. I chucked them out the window.

Rambo.JPG

I hope you''re not someone who complains about Thais littering.

[Seastallion]

Very long and tearful OP.

I like the dog so much, and I have two, but the dog case is full crazy in TH.

Just last night was attacked by soi dogs and I missed they would went to the Vietnam soup well already.

If you look around every-where just see wild soi dogs, and they are big cause the smalls die before without food in pack.

They are exactly life-threatening for children and elder people.

I have to say too I'm fed up these soi dogs cause they are look like a wolf-pack and not the dog which we like.

So if some-one catch them and send to the soup I guess this is not so big problem. Don't be hypocrite the over stock dogs will be send to the streets.

AND you are live in Asia when many people eat the dog.

Why do you eat chicken, goose, duck, pig, cattle, goat, sheep, fish, snail, shrimp, turkey or what-ever you like?

And why do you think bad about those people who eat dog, grasshopper, monkey, shark, ant-eggs or what-ever they like?

The western people think the good way only those way which they used and make a judgement very easy.

It is not the eating of dogs anybody seems to be offering complaint about. Most farang accept this Asian tradition.

It is the way the dogs are treated, many skinned ALIVE, and even some have their meat cut off them, when still ALIVE! That is the abomination.

Nobody is being hypocritical here about dog-eating... it is the treatment and death of the animals that's at point.

And... no.... most Farang do not eat shark... for your info. We are well aware of the lessening shark population, well actual rapid decline in populations, yet again an Asian preference!

Also, your icon represents the flag of Argentina, which is considered a Western country... where 97% are whites. Which hemisphere would you say you come from, when digging at Western thoughts?

I think if you believe the PETAesque propaganda about skinning alive, you should be very careful around Nigerian bankers who have unclaimed millions.

[winstonc]

meat is murder ..

[Pimay1]

Friday my old girlfriend and I went to Sakon Nakhon. Of course I took my little dog Rambo pictured below as he won’t let me leave the house without him. On the way back we decided to get something for Rambo to eat. We stopped just outside Sakon Nakhon at a roadside stand. The old gf bought some hot dogs because Rambo dearly loves hot dogs. I tried to give him a bite and strangely enough he wouldn’t eat it. First time I’ve seen this. The old gf took a bite and said this is a dog meat hot dog. I chucked them out the window.

Rambo.JPG

I hope you''re not someone who complains about Thais littering.

That's a good one. I have a small plastic trash container in the truck. The hot dogs went out the window and the ever present plastic bag went in the trash. And yes I do complain about litter bugs.

[Thaiisnotrequired]

Friday my old girlfriend and I went to Sakon Nakhon. Of course I took my little dog Rambo pictured below as he won’t let me leave the house without him. On the way back we decided to get something for Rambo to eat. We stopped just outside Sakon Nakhon at a roadside stand. The old gf bought some hot dogs because Rambo dearly loves hot dogs. I tried to give him a bite and strangely enough he wouldn’t eat it. First time I’ve seen this. The old gf took a bite and said this is a dog meat hot dog. I chucked them out the window.

Rambo.JPG

I hope you''re not someone who complains about Thais littering.

That's a good one. I have a small plastic trash container in the truck. The hot dogs went out the window and the ever present plastic bag went in the trash. And yes I do complain about litter bugs.

TWO COOL hits in one.

You didn't litter, and put the plastic bag in the trash container courteously, and you fed the next soi dog in preparation for a few more healthy hotdogs.

Recyclability at its best.

[Thaiisnotrequired]

Very long and tearful OP.

I like the dog so much, and I have two, but the dog case is full crazy in TH.

Just last night was attacked by soi dogs and I missed they would went to the Vietnam soup well already.

If you look around every-where just see wild soi dogs, and they are big cause the smalls die before without food in pack.

They are exactly life-threatening for children and elder people.

I have to say too I'm fed up these soi dogs cause they are look like a wolf-pack and not the dog which we like.

So if some-one catch them and send to the soup I guess this is not so big problem. Don't be hypocrite the over stock dogs will be send to the streets.

AND you are live in Asia when many people eat the dog.

Why do you eat chicken, goose, duck, pig, cattle, goat, sheep, fish, snail, shrimp, turkey or what-ever you like?

And why do you think bad about those people who eat dog, grasshopper, monkey, shark, ant-eggs or what-ever they like?

The western people think the good way only those way which they used and make a judgement very easy.

It is not the eating of dogs anybody seems to be offering complaint about. Most farang accept this Asian tradition.

It is the way the dogs are treated, many skinned ALIVE, and even some have their meat cut off them, when still ALIVE! That is the abomination.

Nobody is being hypocritical here about dog-eating... it is the treatment and death of the animals that's at point.

And... no.... most Farang do not eat shark... for your info. We are well aware of the lessening shark population, well actual rapid decline in populations, yet again an Asian preference!

Also, your icon represents the flag of Argentina, which is considered a Western country... where 97% are whites. Which hemisphere would you say you come from, when digging at Western thoughts?

I think if you believe the PETAesque propaganda about skinning alive, you should be very careful around Nigerian bankers who have unclaimed millions.

Idiotic statement of denial. Youtube is your friend, in this instance.. if you don't believe....

Also, how does youz nows I is not a Nigerian banker wiv 5$,000,000,000 lefts from yourz uncle?

[hughben]

Very long and tearful OP.

I like the dog so much, and I have two, but the dog case is full crazy in TH.

Just last night was attacked by soi dogs and I missed they would went to the Vietnam soup well already.

If you look around every-where just see wild soi dogs, and they are big cause the smalls die before without food in pack.

They are exactly life-threatening for children and elder people.

I have to say too I'm fed up these soi dogs cause they are look like a wolf-pack and not the dog which we like.

So if some-one catch them and send to the soup I guess this is not so big problem. Don't be hypocrite the over stock dogs will be send to the streets.

AND you are live in Asia when many people eat the dog.

Why do you eat chicken, goose, duck, pig, cattle, goat, sheep, fish, snail, shrimp, turkey or what-ever you like?

And why do you think bad about those people who eat dog, grasshopper, monkey, shark, ant-eggs or what-ever they like?

The western people think the good way only those way which they used and make a judgement very easy.

It is not the eating of dogs anybody seems to be offering complaint about. Most farang accept this Asian tradition.

It is the way the dogs are treated, many skinned ALIVE, and even some have their meat cut off them, when still ALIVE! That is the abomination.

Nobody is being hypocritical here about dog-eating... it is the treatment and death of the animals that's at point.

And... no.... most Farang do not eat shark... for your info. We are well aware of the lessening shark population, well actual rapid decline in populations, yet again an Asian preference!

Also, your icon represents the flag of Argentina, which is considered a Western country... where 97% are whites. Which hemisphere would you say you come from, when digging at Western thoughts?

I think if you believe the PETAesque propaganda about skinning alive, you should be very careful around Nigerian bankers who have unclaimed millions.

Oh dear me.

How is skinning alive an animal propaganda?

I suppose you think this is all lies:

This is from the Daily Express Newspaper in the UK.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/381117/Animals-electrocuted-strangled-and-skinned-alive-The-true-face-of-China-s-fur-farms

Here is the video the Express did.

Warning to those with empathy - it's barbaric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4fjAxT2lLw]

[Dogmatix]

There was a great story from Vietnam about some villagers who beat to death two men who had been stealing their pets. To show solidarity and make life more difficult for the police and the court 90 villagers went to the local police station to confess involvement in the beating after only 3 of them had been arrested.

It is about time that Thais taught a lesson to this scum too. The government will never do anything because police are only interested in getting bribes from the dog meat traders. The prime minister has even refused to make the trade in poached elephant parts illegal because there are too many Thai vested interests.

A society totally driven by greed with no moral compass whatsoever.

[Thai at Heart]

There was a great story from Vietnam about some villagers who beat to death two men who had been stealing their pets. To show solidarity and make life more difficult for the police and the court 90 villagers went to the local police station to confess involvement in the beating after only 3 of them had been arrested.

It is about time that Thais taught a lesson to this scum too. The government will never do anything because police are only interested in getting bribes from the dog meat traders. The prime minister has even refused to make the trade in poached elephant parts illegal because there are too many Thai vested interests.

A society totally driven by greed with no moral compass whatsoever.

Of the traded dogs, what percentage are pets. As sad as it is, this whole industry survived because there is no control of street dogs.

Even sadder, imagine how many street dogs there would be if they didn't cull them like this.

[ezzra]

Don't want to sound cruel or insensitive to the dog's plight here in Thailand, but I like to think

that there is a silver lining there, can you imagine the country over run with soi dogs

feral and just abandoned dogs? The Thai people with their misguided affection to all thing feral

couldn't care less and will keep feeding those poor animals as a merit making act...

[h90]

I am a dog lover and have a beautiful Rottie. However, I also see no difference between eating dog or any other meat. It's only our geographical point of birth and cultural upbringing that dictates our perspective. As I have said before, Thais for example, find rabbits hanging up in butchers windows quite distasteful but have no qualms about munching on a rat in Essan. Dog curry may well be excellent..... I'm sure my dog hopes I never get hard up enough to ever have to find out.

Pigs and cows can be very lovely animals and still we eat them. Also we eat horse in Austria....some Thais who eat almost everything that moves beside rabbits and horses find that shocking.....

As you say: depening in which culture you grow up.

[PaulHamon]

meat is meat....

[tcris52]

12-14 dogs in my soi of 8 homes. No, they are not wild but are kept in or near fenced homes. One barks and they all bark (they are going right now). Since they are outside, they are liable to go off at any time of the day or night. "Owners" don't seem to care and the neighbors will not do anything to take the situation in hand.

These would be great candidates for the factory.

[jcisco]

It is disgusting to know someone would skin an animal alive. It wouldn't take too long to put it out of pain and misery, I am sickened.

[sabaii69]

So, is that why they call feet 'dogs'?

[KevinB]

Let me start by saying I'm a great dog lover before I get trolled for my opinions below.

Many of the posts here seem to forget the facts of life in SE Asia - the main religion here - Buddhism believes in re-incarnation and that is the reason why the average Thai won't kill a dog - for them they are re-incarnated individual souls which have been moved down the ladder of life a few notches because of their bad behaviour during a previous earthly existence - and you may notice, if you go to any neighbourhood temple, there are many dogs hanging around - this by the way is taken as good sign - the dogs there, if peaceful and well behaved, might progress after this cycle into something higher. Which is why the monks feed them.

Now as the structure of the region has changed so a mix of cultures has expanded - Vietnamese and Chinese groups (some non-Buddhism) are now common across all the countries - some of these groups have a tradition of eating dogs. The Koreans think that dog meat is a delicacy and like it because of it's softness and strong taste - they also believe that if the dog suffers real pain before it finally dies the meat is much tastier - that's the reason why they often put dogs in cages and place them over a fire so that the animal has it's paws and hair burnt - the more they howls in pain the better the meat will taste - so people are prepared to pay much more for the meat prepared in this way.

The other factor affecting the trade in live dogs is the growing income of many of the countries in SE Asia. Where ever you are in the world more money = better food - normally more meat, fish and sea food being added to the traditional diet which normally consists of rice and vegetables. As income raise so does the demand for better food items. In Russian at the moment the sudden increase in the super rich has rapidly increased the internal demand for caviar which used to be mainly exported to the tables of Europe and America. Growing wealth of the Japanese since the war has now turned sharks into an endangered species (shark fin soup - an elite dish). Reefs around the world are being ripped to pieces as fishing boats vacuum them to get crayfish and lobster to meet the rapidly growing demand from the restaurants of the world. Everyone is trying to impress their girl friend by ordering lobster - even the billions in China.

So as global trade and inter-regional markets grow so the surplus dog population in Thailand moves from simply troublesome Soi dogs to a source of valuable meat that someone is prepared to pay for (and a good source of income for some guy sick of working for a minimum wage on a rice farm). If the authorities clamp down on it - it will only make the item rarer, more desirable and then it will fetch a higher price - making it even more lucrative to grab dogs here and ship them to more expensive dog meat restaurants in the Region.

Like all cultures we are sensitive about our pets and very adverse to other peoples "strange" delicacies - I won't sit and munch crickets or pop salted silkworm pupae into my mouth but I can hardly criticise my in-laws for doing it. They think that blue cheese is a total abomination - I have to fight to make sure my mother-in-law doesn't chuck my expensive Danish Blue out the fridge and into the bin because it is "off".

While some are horrified about eating dogs and cats there are others in this same group who might love foie gras - a liver pate which is made by ramming food down a goose's neck with a rod until its liver becomes "diseased" and engrossed. We accept eggs from battery chickens kept in the most appalling conditions and gladly eat pigs which haven't had the nicest of lives in a piggery.

So as the number of dogs continue to multiple in Thailand more are going to be taken away and eaten by those that love their soft meat. In some way, as many posters have already noted they would welcome a quick dog harvest in their area, I think we just have to accept this local SE Asian phenomenon - it will continue to grow as ASEAN opens more borders, increases regional trade and economies generate rapidly improving incomes.