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

[Chonburiram]

Pet dog's stolen translates to pet dog's sold... In stupid Northeast Thailand the going rate is one plastic wash bowl for one canine vermin.

[Thai at Heart]

Pet dog's stolen translates to pet dog's sold... In stupid Northeast Thailand the going rate is one plastic wash bowl for one canine vermin.

I heard that one years ago. Maybe true.

[Luk Mhee]

I was wondering where all the Soi dogs went to, and why the grilled pork on stick sold by the street venders started to be so soft and palatable.

[long klong]

No doubt cruelty to dogs deserves criticism but what about people who adopt street dogs and let them become a nuisance to their entire neighbourhood.

Almost every residential area has at least one or two such people whose adopted former street dogs( sometimes as many as four or five) keep howling most of the night. During the day some of these wild looking dogs are let loose or even when they are on a leash they bark and growl scaring the children.

Does their love of street dogs absolve them of any consideration towards their neighbours? Someone once said that the first responsibility of a dog lover is to make sure that he does not cause trouble to his neighbours. Homes should not be turned into kennels. You can't be kind to to stray dogs and be unpleasant and unreasonable to your fellow human beings.

[Bindholt]

Well said. You can eat any kid of meat if you ask me, as long as it is not endangered species. It is how you treat the animals when they are alive which is the main thing. It is how you make an effort of taking their life with as little pain as possible which shows if you are a human or just a psychopathic monster. And saddly there are too many ignorant psychopathic monsters in the animal trade. May they be skinned alive. That will teach them..

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?

[EyesWideOpen]

Thai dogs on their way to Vietnam. This was shot in Laos near to the border....

A very sad photo.... :-(

[crazydrummerpauly]

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

...be ! :-)

[dkitti]

After reading all of the posts here, it seems that 99.9% wanting to get rid of the soi dogs are foreigners, and I would also say that all are men. I say to you this is not your country and if you don't like it go home. It seems that all of you complaning are from the Issan area. Most thai people have no problem living with the dogs. Being married to a thai for a long time and staying there for a while I had no problem with the dogs. This is not about people eating dog meat, it is about how they are being killed that is the problem. And to all of you I say I hope someday you all come back in another life as a dog and be treated the same.

[MMarlow]

Thai dogs on their way to Vietnam. This was shot in Laos near to the border....

A very sad photo.... :-(

What's so particularly sad about those photos? Seen many similar situations where the dogs were transposed with pigs, no-one seems to think that's sad even though it is exactly the same thing.

[Thai at Heart]

After reading all of the posts here, it seems that 99.9% wanting to get rid of the soi dogs are foreigners, and I would also say that all are men. I say to you this is not your country and if you don't like it go home. It seems that all of you complaning are from the Issan area. Most thai people have no problem living with the dogs. Being married to a thai for a long time and staying there for a while I had no problem with the dogs. This is not about people eating dog meat, it is about how they are being killed that is the problem. And to all of you I say I hope someday you all come back in another life as a dog and be treated the same.

Huh? Yes, 99% of the people on here wanting to get rid of street dogs are farang males because 99% of the people on this discussion board are farang males.

And my missus is Thai and she can't stand people randomly feeding street dogs. We have lost 4 pet rabbits to them. Nice.

[The stuttering parrot]

Well after reading the op I think thai visa has gone to the dogs!

The OP is barking up the wrong tree.

Some of the responses are barking mad!

Sorry my comments are a bit ruff but it's early and I had a big night.

So I'm off to have the hair of the dog.

[bmanly]

After reading all of the posts here, it seems that 99.9% wanting to get rid of the soi dogs are foreigners, and I would also say that all are men. I say to you this is not your country and if you don't like it go home. It seems that all of you complaning are from the Issan area. Most thai people have no problem living with the dogs. Being married to a thai for a long time and staying there for a while I had no problem with the dogs. This is not about people eating dog meat, it is about how they are being killed that is the problem. And to all of you I say I hope someday you all come back in another life as a dog and be treated the same.

Soi dogs are ok if they are taken care and are not left with infectious diseases that can kill humans. I had to have 5 rabies shots over a 4 week period because I was bitten by an uncared for soi dog. I know plenty of Thais who can't stand soi dogs either and are frightened to walk down their own soi. What do you suggest we do with those Thai people? Where can we send them they are home?

I saw with my own eyes a pack of 6 soi dogs rip apart one dog in the most vicious savage attack. Pulling on each limb, it was the most horrible dog on dog attack I had ever seen or heard. What do you suggest we do those attacking dogs? What if that was a human being attacked?

[sweatalot]

I am not going into the abhorrent practice of skinning alive, nor any kind of torturing dogs.

I do not care about soi dogs who are not owned and have no relationship to humans.

I understand they could be a problem and eating them could be a solution

What is terrifying for me is steeling pet dogs.

And the article says, it is not the soi dogs who are caught / stolen but the pet dogs which are better fed and in a better shape.

I love my dogs dearly, and I do not love the thought, they could be abducted and suffer.

May be my feelings in that case are not too different if that happened to a child.

Do you really believe that these gangs are stealing thousands of pet dogs from inside peoples houses?

When there is an enormous supply of reasonably well fed street dogs. If people didn't let their pets freely roam around the streets they wouldn't get rounded up.

I am sorry but there seems to be a misunderstanding of what a pet means. A pet is an animal that is under the supervision of its owner. This does not include opening the gate and allowing it to roam.free to CR*p as it seems fit on the street, or sit outside the owners property for the day.

Thank you TaH,

here is what the articls says.

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.

Well I ask again. Do you genuinely believe it?

Thousands of pets stolen from inside peoples houses per day. So then I ask, are these so called pets housed Thai style roaming around moobhans and streets casually coming back to the house for food, before returning to roaming the street.

I say this, because there is a woman on a street behind my house who feeds a pack of dogs every day. They howl at the sky every night from somewhere near her house, they chase cars and bikes and bit my neighbor once.

She feeds them, but she definitely does not house them. If this is the definition of a pet, it is very different to mine.

My dog is a pet. He stays at home until I walk him. If he gets out, I go and find him and bring him home. He's lively and is my responsibility. Likewise, my koi carp are pets too, although they do not leave the premises. Funnily also, my kids are my responsibility, they live IN my house.

we have got a few rai of land around our house with a fence around. I am happy that our pet dogs can roam free in that area. Only the husky has to stay in a separate area of 150 sqm during the night because she is very skillfull in escaping and killing the neighbours chicken. But during the night somebody who knows abour our "valuable" dogs could manage to get them. Anyway I do not think it likely to happen.

I do not worry about the dogs inside the houses, but I know many pet dogs stay inside the premises with the gate open. They do not leave or go far, but easy for thieves to get them.

[pitchag]

meat is murder ..

i agree Thai beef is murder ,bought a steak the other day Marinated it it for hours cooked it real slow and then it took me almost an hour to eat it, could have used it to sole my shoe

[Bkungbank]

Dog never eats dog , only man eat man in manner of cheating others so i think man worst then a dog if done something bad.

[steve73]

quote from OP:

“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.”

I'm surprised that no one has suggested this thread be moved to the Golfing Forum....!

Edited April 21, 2014 by steve73

[hughben]

Thai dogs on their way to Vietnam. This was shot in Laos near to the border....

A very sad photo.... :-(

What's so particularly sad about those photos? Seen many similar situations where the dogs were transposed with pigs, no-one seems to think that's sad even though it is exactly the same thing.

What is sad?

That some could have been someone's pet. That they could be beaten with a club to soften their meat before death. That they could be skinned alive.

Saying NO-ONE seemed to think something was sad (more like you thought it wasn't) is myopic.

Someone mentioned earlier that no farangs ate shark. Well, maybe in Thailand it doesn't sell well with foreigners. Most would assume China are the major players, but the USA are the 2nd largest importers of shark fin on the planet.

That can't just be for the Chinese communities of San Fransisco or New York.

Regarding dog meat (and cat meat) in Asia - In China it is only sold in some provinces. Other provinces won't touch it. Guang Dong seems to be the place where cats (4 million a year) and dogs are on the menu (and monkey brain - eaten whilst alive). With the younger generation (as in South Korea) there is a growing consensus that eating these animals (that are becoming pets) is wrong. A growing number are becoming aware and are horrified.

However, you do get nut cases like this young woman who ate her friends cat.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2589390/Outrage-young-Chinese-woman-posts-picture-making-CAT-SOUP-using-live-cats-paws-cut-boiled-rest-creature.html

And in some places in China, the mere sight of a dog can end up in uncivilised savagery like this:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/441130/Animal-cruelty-in-China-exposed-as-dogs-killed-in-street-by-laughing-mob-including-police

Would the pro-kill soi dogs brigade rather Thailand was like that place in China?

In Korea they only eat one kind of specially bred dog.

Vietnam - I am not so sure about. But looking at how disgracefully they treat bears for their bile, one could assume dogs are not treated humanely.

[Chris Lawrence]

Puts a new meaning on hush puppies.....

[Artisi]

Well after reading the op I think thai visa has gone to the dogs!

The OP is barking up the wrong tree.

Some of the responses are barking mad!

Sorry my comments are a bit ruff but it's early and I had a big night.

So I'm off to have the hair of the dog.

What - out all night roaming the streets and pissing on all the power poles.

[Tchooptip]

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.

If you bothered reading the article, you would know that the scum in this trade prefer to steal pets as they are in better shape and easier to deal with as more tame. Anyone involved in this savagery should burn in hell.

Anyone involved in this savagery should burn in hell.

Be reassured they will for sure, or if Buddhists reincarnated in soi dog !

[booky]

I've been led to believe that English buggy whips were made from dog leather and from my experience working with various leathers this doesn't surprise me. Strong thin leathers need to come from smaller animals. I was surprised to hear the tanned hides were smelly, maybe poor processing.

[Patrick Mills]

I think people should be able to eat what ever kind of meat they want, as long as it's not people's pets, and as long as the animal does not have to suffer. Skinning animals alive should be treated will extreme measures, perhaps losing fingers, or castration, and more severe cases, why not hands and feet, oh and you should do this while they are awake and with out medication, that would be fair. But education would be the Best Solution for everybody. A westerner from the US.

[boisian]

meat is meat....

My grandmother takes great pains to tell every waiter who attends our table that she is a vegetarian and could never eat meat on humanitarian grounds..........

she will only eat fish and chicken.

So meat is not meat.

but you should know, being named after spanish ham...... Jamon

[boisian]

Several years ago when I was teaching English to pharmacy students I suggested that perhaps one of them could compound a powder that would act as birth control and mild tranquilizer for soi dogs. Just a bit sprinkled on food put out for the dogs would work wonders. Regrettably no pharmacist has yet come up with such a magic potion. It is still probably a great idea and anyone who can compound such a medication could make a fortune just by advertising on TV.

would be wasted on the Thai 4 legged variety.

[Gonsalviz]

meat is murder ..

My food craps on your food.

[fred007]

ITS PUTS ANOTHER SPIN ON SHOES

CALLED HUSH PUPPIES