Dog Attacks 4 Year Old at Koh Chang White Sand Beach

[Keesters]

I fail to see how a soi dog could impregnate a pet or vice versa unless they manage to do it through the front gates inch square mesh screen!

[wilcopops]

there seems to be some confusion - restricting food supplies is NOT the same as "starving" the dogs.

All dogs will at some point "go to doggy heaven" - admittedly for the average Soi Dog, this is not a pretty process, usually involving a lot of puss pain and suffering - (the easy way out is under the wheels of a car.)

What happens if you restrict the food supply is that the number of dogs that can survive in an area is directly proportional to the amount of food available.

If there is less for certain natural behaviours cut in.

Weaker dogs are forced out of the area, and of course will have less chance to breed as a result, older dogs will die off quicker BUT........... Primarily the bitches don't come on heat as they instinctively know that there is not enough food around to raise a litter. (In fact if they DO have a litter it is quite possible the pups wil be eaten) This leads to an ever ageing dog population and BINGO! Bob's your uncle, less and less dogs.

Would not feeding but leaving dogs to scrounge what they can from bins comply with 'restricting'? And could this be seen as 'not cruel'?

Interested in your opinion. Thanks.

Assuming you "sealed off" all the bins, if people kept feeding, firstly the dogs would be attracted to that area so more and more would show up, and then if the food supply was adequate, they'd continue to breed.

there needs to be a change in public viewpoint on feeding of dogs. In fact a lot of Thai people feed particular packs on a daily basis - it is their attempt to make merit. So the Buddhist "church" as it were need to change their approval of this, which is of course a big ask.

another problem with this feeding of dogs is that it often involves just leaving a polythene bag of rice and stuff which the dogs then devour - sometimes including the bag, which in turn can kill them - or else the filthy bags just get blown around the streets.

Edited January 4, 2015 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

I am the most vigilant parent there is so unless you have small children please do not comment.

My daughter did NOT PROVOKE THIS ATTACK.

ACCEPT THIS IS A PROBLEM.

Mark, many people have never had children or have forgotten what it's like when they're young. Eyes in the back of your head etc. Doesn't matter how vigilant you are, these things sometimes happen.

The problems of stray dogs seems pronounced in Thailand. Couple of my elderly neighbors have been bitten whilst waling or cycling for exercise in our Moobaan, After dark you need a stick or something just in case. We have good security but still they wander in.

That dog is a biter and your daughter won't be the last victim and probably not the first. It needs dealing with. Hope she recovers quickly.

The other thing that everyone has to be concerned about is the possibility of contracting Rabies...sorry to say ...but it is something that will also have to be consider concerning the child's recovery and ..hopefully not...the possibility that the dog has Rabies.

Too many dogs fighting and biting and passing on any infections they have ...so...be aware and be vigilant.

Cheers

Rabies is a big problem in the Philippines.

Take a look at the Al Jazeera programme on it. in many ways it is similar to the Thai problem - 300,000 dog bites a year!

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2013/09/201391112511507415.html

"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 55,000 people across the world die of rabies every year."

Edited January 4, 2015 by wilcopops

[chrisinth]

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

there seems to be some confusion - restricting food supplies is NOT the same as "starving" the dogs.

All dogs will at some point "go to doggy heaven" - admittedly for the average Soi Dog, this is not a pretty process, usually involving a lot of puss pain and suffering - (the easy way out is under the wheels of a car.)
What happens if you restrict the food supply is that the number of dogs that can survive in an area is directly proportional to the amount of food available.
If there is less for certain natural behaviours cut in.
Weaker dogs are forced out of the area, and of course will have less chance to breed as a result, older dogs will die off quicker BUT........... Primarily the bitches don't come on heat as they instinctively know that there is not enough food around to raise a litter. (In fact if they DO have a litter it is quite possible the pups wil be eaten) This leads to an ever ageing dog population and BINGO! Bob's your uncle, less and less dogs.

Would not feeding but leaving dogs to scrounge what they can from bins comply with 'restricting'? And could this be seen as 'not cruel'?
Interested in your opinion. Thanks.

Assuming you "sealed off" all the bins, if people kept feeding, firstly the dogs would be attracted to that area so more and more would show up, and then if the food supply was adequate, they'd continue to breed.

there needs to be a change in public viewpoint on feeding of dogs. In fact a lot of Thai people feed particular packs on a daily basis - it is their attempt to make merit. So the Buddhist "church" as it were need to change their approval of this, which is of course a big ask.

another problem with this feeding of dogs is that it often involves just leaving a polythene bag of rice and stuff which the dogs then devour - sometimes including the bag, which in turn can kill them - or else the filthy bags just get blown around the streets.

Whereas I do agree with a no feeding policy, I would still have to think of the consequences if everyone stopped feeding them and all scraps where able to be stored 'dog free'.

As we are talking about an island here, the packs do not have the option of changing area and unless culled, will eventually revert to their primal instincts which is of course hunting. This, IMO, over time will lead to more dog attacks. Survival of the fittest, the wild 101.

Rock and a hard place.

Get rid of the problem, prevention is always better than cure..................

[cardinalblue]

What's the difference here between hit by a car bitten by mosquitoes or a soi dog? The owner said he let his guard down which implies lack of responsibility on his part...all three are known risks...

Was the dog on hotel property which would include hotel responsibility (maybe not in Thailand vs western laws?). In the west the hotel would have a policy and communication plan about known risks in your confines...

This would be an interesting court case well at least in the West...

In theory all accidents are preventable; in reality should be minimized with due diligence...

[jaywalker]

What's the difference here between hit by a car bitten by mosquitoes or a soi dog? The owner said he let his guard down which implies lack of responsibility on his part...all three are known risks...

Was the dog on hotel property which would include hotel responsibility (maybe not in Thailand vs western laws?). In the west the hotel would have a policy and communication plan about known risks in your confines...

This would be an interesting court case well at least in the West...

In theory all accidents are preventable; in reality should be minimized with due diligence...

Pu-lease???

The guy didn't let his kid go play in the middle of Sukhumvit, nor did he let his kid go play in the wolves' den at a zoo.

The kid was on a BEACH, normally enjoyed the world over as a family destination, unlike the middle of a roadway or in and amongst wild, vicious, and dangerous animals.

And.....what do mosquitoes have to do with this?

[HeijoshinCool]

been here 17+ years...never had a problem with the dogs...had loads with retarded drunk drivers Thai and westerners..sadly a child has been attacked..but how many people are injured daily by the drunk drivers,,should they be culled?

.

In civilized countries, drunk drivers are indeed "culled."

Either through apprehension and incarceration, or preferably, a single vehicle accident.

[wilcopops]

been here 17+ years...never had a problem with the dogs...had loads with retarded drunk drivers Thai and westerners..sadly a child has been attacked..but how many people are injured daily by the drunk drivers,,should they be culled?

.

In civilized countries, drunk drivers are indeed "culled."

Either through apprehension and incarceration, or preferably, a single vehicle accident.

they aren't "culled" - an environment is created where they find it hard to thrive.

[wilcopops]

I think that incidents like this should receive as much publicity as possible - I'm sure even the Thai authorities will be goaded into action if places like Koh Chang start getting known for their dangerous dogs.

Edited January 4, 2015 by wilcopops

[neverdie]

It must cut to be a foreigner in a country that gives more welcome and rights to stray dogs than the yearly visa opportunities afforded to them....you can see it in the anger in their posts. No normal human sees big in cruelty to animals no matter how superior they think they are.

You need to be very wary with children in any place that has dogs, any country but especially countries that have heaps of strays laying around, so unpredictable. It's not just Thailand, I'm sure you re aware. Maybe people expect the same controls and order as in their own western countries but surely those systems cost money, maybe the farang want to pay for it, maybe a new tax on visitors and expats could be applied to fix the issue.

Before the macho strike, I don't believe the OP did anything wrong, nor his child, they were probably just relaxing and enjoying their meal, something, who knows what triggered the dog off.

I would of thought the Restuarant would have chased aggressive dogs away as I've seen before. Maybe it's this mutts first time.

Anyway, speedy recovery for the OP's daughter & I hope some people here have their anger and cruelty tendencies examined by a professional.

[wilcopops]

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

there seems to be some confusion - restricting food supplies is NOT the same as "starving" the dogs.

All dogs will at some point "go to doggy heaven" - admittedly for the average Soi Dog, this is not a pretty process, usually involving a lot of puss pain and suffering - (the easy way out is under the wheels of a car.)

What happens if you restrict the food supply is that the number of dogs that can survive in an area is directly proportional to the amount of food available.

If there is less for certain natural behaviours cut in.

Weaker dogs are forced out of the area, and of course will have less chance to breed as a result, older dogs will die off quicker BUT........... Primarily the bitches don't come on heat as they instinctively know that there is not enough food around to raise a litter. (In fact if they DO have a litter it is quite possible the pups wil be eaten) This leads to an ever ageing dog population and BINGO! Bob's your uncle, less and less dogs.

Would not feeding but leaving dogs to scrounge what they can from bins comply with 'restricting'? And could this be seen as 'not cruel'?

Interested in your opinion. Thanks.

Assuming you "sealed off" all the bins, if people kept feeding, firstly the dogs would be attracted to that area so more and more would show up, and then if the food supply was adequate, they'd continue to breed.

there needs to be a change in public viewpoint on feeding of dogs. In fact a lot of Thai people feed particular packs on a daily basis - it is their attempt to make merit. So the Buddhist "church" as it were need to change their approval of this, which is of course a big ask.

another problem with this feeding of dogs is that it often involves just leaving a polythene bag of rice and stuff which the dogs then devour - sometimes including the bag, which in turn can kill them - or else the filthy bags just get blown around the streets.

Whereas I do agree with a no feeding policy, I would still have to think of the consequences if everyone stopped feeding them and all scraps where able to be stored 'dog free'.

As we are talking about an island here, the packs do not have the option of changing area and unless culled, will eventually revert to their primal instincts which is of course hunting. This, IMO, over time will lead to more dog attacks. Survival of the fittest, the wild 101.

Rock and a hard place.

Get rid of the problem, prevention is always better than cure..................

I think some people are having a problem getting round this "no feeding" thing. If you want to see the dog population reduce there are no circumstance in which you should feed these dogs.

The aim is to reduce or even eliminate the dog population. Eliminate is probably an unrealistic goal and whilst you have live dogs there will always be a chance of breeding.

This is why culling or neutering is seldom effective as in either case, you need to achieve nearly 100% to stop the breeding process. I've said on an island this is a more achievable prospect than on the mainland but it is still a tall order. There are in particular examples in Australia where entire alien species on small islands have been eradicated by conservationists. This has been very difficult especially when the food source is the native species one is trying to protect.

The main advantage of spaying a bitch is that it allows the animal to live on without the dangers of repeated pregnancies. Neutering can also make some dogs (not bitches) less aggressive.

FOOD - This is quite simple - "X" amount of food and support up to "Y" amount of dogs. Any population of any animal will level out at this point. if you reduce the amount of food, you reduce the amount of animals.

Dogs can breed from about the age of 6 months to a year old, pregnancy lasts about 2 months and a bitch will usually have about 6 pups....this can be up to 12!

A bitch living unsupervised, can have up to 2 litters a year and can continue this until ill health prevents it from happening........ this could mean over a dozen litters or so - imagine what that does to a bitch!

Packs - dogs form into groups or packs. You can watch this behaviour quite clearly in the Soi dogs. These groups are usually quite small and territorial - the territories are quite small too - literally being a few meters of a beach on one end of a Soi. You can see the dogs fending off intruders that have come too close to their territories.

Each group relies on a local food source - this is primarily what they can scavenge but also sometimes heavily increased by deliberate human donations.

If one restaurant suddenly sealed off all it’s bins and stopped handing out food to the dogs it will only be a matter of time before they go elsewhere in search of food. They will of course be met with opposition from other dog packs and will take time to settle again - during this time it is less likely the dogs will breed.

Over a period of a couple of years as food supplies dwindle so will the dog population. This requires the cooperation of the public - the first noticeable benefits will be the lack of rubbish strewn around by scavenging dogs and a reduction in the numbers in any one area.

Will the dogs on KC go off into the woods? Very unlikely - they are not suited to hunting in jungle and it is not normal behaviour - dogs are primarily scroungers and pack hunting in a jungle by dogs is not practical. If it was there would be hoards of dogs in there already.

The dog population on Koh Chang relies on us, the humans living and visiting the island. If WE take the attitude that feeding them is wrong and the local authorities pay more attention to how garbage is handled/disposed of, the population will fall. This is the great advantage over neutering and culls - the reduction in food supply will lead to a directly proportionate reduction in the dog population.

[wilcopops]

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

there seems to be some confusion - restricting food supplies is NOT the same as "starving" the dogs.

All dogs will at some point "go to doggy heaven" - admittedly for the average Soi Dog, this is not a pretty process, usually involving a lot of puss pain and suffering - (the easy way out is under the wheels of a car.)

What happens if you restrict the food supply is that the number of dogs that can survive in an area is directly proportional to the amount of food available.

If there is less for certain natural behaviours cut in.

Weaker dogs are forced out of the area, and of course will have less chance to breed as a result, older dogs will die off quicker BUT........... Primarily the bitches don't come on heat as they instinctively know that there is not enough food around to raise a litter. (In fact if they DO have a litter it is quite possible the pups wil be eaten) This leads to an ever ageing dog population and BINGO! Bob's your uncle, less and less dogs.

Would not feeding but leaving dogs to scrounge what they can from bins comply with 'restricting'? And could this be seen as 'not cruel'?

Interested in your opinion. Thanks.

Assuming you "sealed off" all the bins, if people kept feeding, firstly the dogs would be attracted to that area so more and more would show up, and then if the food supply was adequate, they'd continue to breed.

there needs to be a change in public viewpoint on feeding of dogs. In fact a lot of Thai people feed particular packs on a daily basis - it is their attempt to make merit. So the Buddhist "church" as it were need to change their approval of this, which is of course a big ask.

another problem with this feeding of dogs is that it often involves just leaving a polythene bag of rice and stuff which the dogs then devour - sometimes including the bag, which in turn can kill them - or else the filthy bags just get blown around the streets.

Whereas I do agree with a no feeding policy, I would still have to think of the consequences if everyone stopped feeding them and all scraps where able to be stored 'dog free'.

As we are talking about an island here, the packs do not have the option of changing area and unless culled, will eventually revert to their primal instincts which is of course hunting. This, IMO, over time will lead to more dog attacks. Survival of the fittest, the wild 101.

Rock and a hard place.

Get rid of the problem, prevention is always better than cure..................

You haven't got the idea of a dog pack quite right....packs are small and the dogs won't stay in an area with no food - they do have an option of changing area and may integrate with another pack - however all the time they are not breeding the numbers are being reduced bu "natural wastage" - i.e. old age, ill-health and accidental deaths.

A dogs natural instincts are not hunting - they are scavengers.

survival of the fittest is one of the most mis-understood expressions in history - it was said at a time when "fit" had a slightly different meaning. It actually means the survival of the most "SUITED' - as in fits in.......dogs thrive or "fit in" to an environment where rubbish abounds - they will not change species behaviour and suddenly become aggressive hunters.

it isn't a rock and a hard place - the problem is hearts and minds - if the locals (and visitors) are aware that providing food is the source of the problem, then the problem will in time be solved.

actually there are areas of Thailand with low "soi dog" populations and you'll find that there is little food for them. If you look at any country with near zero stray dog populations you'll find that the amount of food available is low enough to keep the populations of "stray" dogs to a level where they can be managed effectively by dog-catchers etc etc...

[wilcopops]

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

there seems to be some confusion - restricting food supplies is NOT the same as "starving" the dogs.

All dogs will at some point "go to doggy heaven" - admittedly for the average Soi Dog, this is not a pretty process, usually involving a lot of puss pain and suffering - (the easy way out is under the wheels of a car.)

What happens if you restrict the food supply is that the number of dogs that can survive in an area is directly proportional to the amount of food available.

If there is less for certain natural behaviours cut in.

Weaker dogs are forced out of the area, and of course will have less chance to breed as a result, older dogs will die off quicker BUT........... Primarily the bitches don't come on heat as they instinctively know that there is not enough food around to raise a litter. (In fact if they DO have a litter it is quite possible the pups wil be eaten) This leads to an ever ageing dog population and BINGO! Bob's your uncle, less and less dogs.

Would not feeding but leaving dogs to scrounge what they can from bins comply with 'restricting'? And could this be seen as 'not cruel'?

Interested in your opinion. Thanks.

Assuming you "sealed off" all the bins, if people kept feeding, firstly the dogs would be attracted to that area so more and more would show up, and then if the food supply was adequate, they'd continue to breed.

there needs to be a change in public viewpoint on feeding of dogs. In fact a lot of Thai people feed particular packs on a daily basis - it is their attempt to make merit. So the Buddhist "church" as it were need to change their approval of this, which is of course a big ask.

another problem with this feeding of dogs is that it often involves just leaving a polythene bag of rice and stuff which the dogs then devour - sometimes including the bag, which in turn can kill them - or else the filthy bags just get blown around the streets.

Whereas I do agree with a no feeding policy, I would still have to think of the consequences if everyone stopped feeding them and all scraps where able to be stored 'dog free'.

As we are talking about an island here, the packs do not have the option of changing area and unless culled, will eventually revert to their primal instincts which is of course hunting. This, IMO, over time will lead to more dog attacks. Survival of the fittest, the wild 101.

Rock and a hard place.

Get rid of the problem, prevention is always better than cure..................

You haven't got the idea of a dog pack quite right....packs are small and the dogs won't stay in an area with no food - they do have an option of changing area and may integrate with another pack - however all the time they are not breeding the numbers are being reduced bu "natural wastage" - i.e. old age, ill-health and accidental deaths.

A dogs natural instincts are not hunting - they are scavengers.

survival of the fittest is one of the most mis-understood expressions in history - it was said at a time when "fit" had a slightly different meaning. It actually means the survival of the most "SUITED' - as in fits in.......dogs thrive or "fit in" to an environment where rubbish abounds - they will not change species behaviour and suddenly become aggressive hunters.

it isn't a rock and a hard place - the problem is hearts and minds - if the locals (and visitors) are aware that providing food is the source of the problem, then the problem will in time be solved.

actually there are areas of Thailand with low "soi dog" populations and you'll find that there is little food for them. If you look at any country with near zero stray dog populations you'll find that the amount of food available is low enough to keep the populations of "stray" dogs to a level where they can be managed effectively by dog-catchers etc etc...

[jacko45k]

How awful for the child and parents.

And now we likely will experience Thai apathy.

Unless this becomes international and causes embarrassment and possible loss of tourism nothing will be done.

But they can react quite well if bad publicity results.

Hint....

Discussing dog behaviour and such rubbish does not address the problem, children will be in danger if feral dogs are roaming free.

Edited January 4, 2015 by jacko45k

[wilcopops]

How awful for the child and parents.

And now we likely will experience Thai apathy.

Unless this becomes international and causes embarrassment and possible loss of tourism nothing will be done.

But they can react quite well if bad publicity results.

Hint....

Discussing dog behaviour and such rubbish does not address the problem, children will be in danger if feral dogs are roaming free.

i've said earlier that if this becomes known on a broader platform that action may follow, but the other problem is that eve visitors to Thailand are not aware of the issues and how they ca be tackled.....all they see are the results or lack of them.

Visitors to Thailand are often very disturbed by the terrible condition some of these dogs are in and their first impulse is to give the animals some food....THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, but they need to understand why. hopefully some discussion on this thread might influence their actions in the future.

[malt25]

Koh Chang is long over due a cull of the scummy dogs that roam around the island. It is a huge problem, which could be dealt with swiftly and cheaply.

The island authorities are aware of this problem, but have done nothing about it.

I am sorry to hear that, which must have been a terrifying experience for your daughter, as well as the family. I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

it is not a cull that is needed...dogs should be neutered by there owners easy and cheap ..

If it's a beach dog, who's the owner ? You have any idea ???

Just sayin.

Cheers..... Mal.

[jacko45k]

How awful for the child and parents.

And now we likely will experience Thai apathy.

Unless this becomes international and causes embarrassment and possible loss of tourism nothing will be done.

But they can react quite well if bad publicity results.

Hint....

Discussing dog behaviour and such rubbish does not address the problem, children will be in danger if feral dogs are roaming free.

i've said earlier that if this becomes known on a broader platform that action may follow, but the other problem is that eve visitors to Thailand are not aware of the issues and how they ca be tackled.....all they see are the results or lack of them.

Visitors to Thailand are often very disturbed by the terrible condition some of these dogs are in and their first impulse is to give the animals some food....THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, but they need to understand why. hopefully some discussion on this thread might influence their actions in the future.

Of course, they need to tell children to stay clear of these animals and not to feed them.

I just think it is a better to remove them,

[wilcopops]

Koh Chang is long over due a cull of the scummy dogs that roam around the island. It is a huge problem, which could be dealt with swiftly and cheaply.

The island authorities are aware of this problem, but have done nothing about it.

I am sorry to hear that, which must have been a terrifying experience for your daughter, as well as the family. I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

it is not a cull that is needed...dogs should be neutered by there owners easy and cheap ..

If it's a beach dog, who's the owner ? You have any idea ???

Just sayin.

Cheers..... Mal.

Beenhere - again this shows an underlying misconception about this kind of dogs. they usually don't have an "owner" in the usual sense - they may have "attached" themselves to a particular establishment or person. Many Sois like to have a pack in the street as they bark at strangers - a form of security. Others believe they "make merit" by feeding these animals - they mistake it for "taking care of" which it isn't.

Occasionally the dog may have an "owner" but this is seldom the same kind of relationship we might have with a pet dog in the West

Edited January 5, 2015 by wilcopops

[malt25]

Koh Chang is long over due a cull of the scummy dogs that roam around the island. It is a huge problem, which could be dealt with swiftly and cheaply.

The island authorities are aware of this problem, but have done nothing about it.

I am sorry to hear that, which must have been a terrifying experience for your daughter, as well as the family. I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

it is not a cull that is needed...dogs should be neutered by there owners easy and cheap ..

I take it you live on Koh Chang, or are you just making an assumption? A cull of the strays is needed full stop. Otherwise the dog problem will continue. Neutering will be useful after a cull.

been here 17+ years...never had a problem with the dogs...had loads with retarded drunk drivers Thai and westerners..sadly a child has been attacked..but how many people are injured daily by the drunk drivers,,should they be culled?

Maybe that would be a good start to being #2 on the road fatality chart. Me says tongue in cheek.

[DP25]

Maybe people expect the same controls and order as in their own western countries but surely those systems cost money, maybe the farang want to pay for it, maybe a new tax on visitors and expats could be applied to fix the issue.

The stray dog problem in Thailand isn't caused by lack of money but by cultural attitudes towards dogs. It is considered by the public to be unacceptable for dogs to be culled and any attempt is met with howls of protests. This is a country where even most veterinarians will refuse to euthanasia a dog, even one that is sick and suffering. Most Thais consider feeding stray dogs to be a merit making activity, temples are normally overrun with dogs and vendors outside even sell cheap meat specifically to give to them. Thais simply consider huge numbers of stray dogs roaming the streets to be normal, even a positive thing as they can gain merit by feeding them, and the idea of killing them is abhorrent to most. There is not much foreigners can do to change the stray dog situation here.

[ubonr1971]

go to the bangkok post with this story and then perhaps something might happen but probably not

[Toknarok]

Maybe people expect the same controls and order as in their own western countries but surely those systems cost money, maybe the farang want to pay for it, maybe a new tax on visitors and expats could be applied to fix the issue.

The stray dog problem in Thailand isn't caused by lack of money but by cultural attitudes towards dogs. It is considered by the public to be unacceptable for dogs to be culled and any attempt is met with howls of protests. This is a country where even most veterinarians will refuse to euthanasia a dog, even one that is sick and suffering. Most Thais consider feeding stray dogs to be a merit making activity, temples are normally overrun with dogs and vendors outside even sell cheap meat specifically to give to them. Thais simply consider huge numbers of stray dogs roaming the streets to be normal, even a positive thing as they can gain merit by feeding them, and the idea of killing them is abhorrent to most. There is not much foreigners can do to change the stray dog situation here.

Quite correct it's a cultural thing. Although in general Thais don't 'love' their dogs as pets like we do in the Western World, because of their Buddhist beliefs they are reluctant to get rid of them. Contrast that with the Muslim belief. Most Muslims believe dogs to be 'unclean' and rarely treat them as pets. http://islam.about.com/od/islamsays/a/Dogs-In-Islam.htm

[hugh2121]

Nobody seems to ask "what did this child do to provoke the attack?". Did the dog attack anybody else? I very much doubt that the dog singled her out and went after her. Parents, KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM STRAY DOGS IN ALL COUNTRIES. Yes, there are many stray dogs here in Thailand, I have encountered many and always found that if I leave them alone, they show no interest in me. With their fur coats and inability to sweat they are even hotter than we are and just need to be left alone. Parents, beware your children approaching them. Best wishes to the little girl.

[wilcopops]

Maybe people expect the same controls and order as in their own western countries but surely those systems cost money, maybe the farang want to pay for it, maybe a new tax on visitors and expats could be applied to fix the issue.

The stray dog problem in Thailand isn't caused by lack of money but by cultural attitudes towards dogs. It is considered by the public to be unacceptable for dogs to be culled and any attempt is met with howls of protests. This is a country where even most veterinarians will refuse to euthanasia a dog, even one that is sick and suffering. Most Thais consider feeding stray dogs to be a merit making activity, temples are normally overrun with dogs and vendors outside even sell cheap meat specifically to give to them. Thais simply consider huge numbers of stray dogs roaming the streets to be normal, even a positive thing as they can gain merit by feeding them, and the idea of killing them is abhorrent to most. There is not much foreigners can do to change the stray dog situation here.

Quite correct it's a cultural thing. Although in general Thais don't 'love' their dogs as pets like we do in the Western World, because of their Buddhist beliefs they are reluctant to get rid of them. Contrast that with the Muslim belief. Most Muslims believe dogs to be 'unclean' and rarely treat them as pets. http://islam.about.com/od/islamsays/a/Dogs-In-Islam.htm

I mentioned this earlier in the thread - however their is a habit of rolling out the word "culture" as if it's some catch-all to excuse any kind of behaviour.

In reality what is needed - as I said earlier - is a change in public perception. Making merit is doing something "good" if this is altered the the problem ca be tackled - yes there are different concepts about animals in Thailand and in other countries they have been overcome - just putting it down to "culture" is not actually an excuse.

As for money - well Thailand has money - it isn't a po0or country and labour costs are still incredibly low - the actual costs of sealing bins and properly organising garbage disposal not only AREN"T costly the benefits to public health would likely as not outweigh any cost in a very short time.

as for Islam, well I mentioned some areas of Thailand being relatively dog-free - if you go to areas like Ranong with large Muslim communities, you'll notice the absence of dogs.

Edited January 5, 2015 by wilcopops

[konying]

Let's see how the soi dog lovers defend this mutts right to exist. I hope the little girl recovers from her traumatic experience without physical scarring.

Not too hard. OP States we were having breakfast , so how exactly did parents allow for child to wonder off on the beach with street dogs ?

Yes it is terrible and speedy recovery to a little girl, but hate to be the bashing spoiler, parents are 100 % responsible and are to blame

You really are an apologist of the worst sort

Not at all.

Dog is an animal with limited capabilities , what is humans excuse?

Supposedly humans are superior beings, and yet child is left unattended with wild animal

[konying]

Let's see how the soi dog lovers defend this mutts right to exist. I hope the little girl recovers from her traumatic experience without physical scarring.

Not too hard. OP States we were having breakfast , so how exactly did parents allow for child to wonder off on the beach with street dogs ?

Yes it is terrible and speedy recovery to a little girl, but hate to be the bashing spoiler, parents are 100 % responsible and are to blame

Hope you get bitten, soon, while your back is turned.

That way you can't blame the dog, just yourself.

You're saying stray violent dogs have more rights than human children. What idiocy!!!

=============

As for somebody asking if drunk drivers should be culled - YES.

Hate to tell you I am not stupid enough to turn my back to a wild dog,

And if I was stupid enough, I surely would blame myself and not the animal

[wilcopops]

Nobody seems to ask "what did this child do to provoke the attack?". Did the dog attack anybody else? I very much doubt that the dog singled her out and went after her. Parents, KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM STRAY DOGS IN ALL COUNTRIES. Yes, there are many stray dogs here in Thailand, I have encountered many and always found that if I leave them alone, they show no interest in me. With their fur coats and inability to sweat they are even hotter than we are and just need to be left alone. Parents, beware your children approaching them. Best wishes to the little girl.

Actually I'd say that is a pretty facile post - c baby girl did to provoke an attack are really quite spurious. The problem is that there are too many dogs around without proper minders.

You can't generalise about street dogs' behaviour; it is always unpredictable. Rabies ca make dogs' have very unpredictable and dangerous behaviour. Thailand has an estimated 10 million stray dogs, with as many as 1 in 10 dogs in Bangkok estimated to be infected with rabies. In one study, 13 dog bites per 1000 people visiting Thailand were reported...on top of all the locals who get bitten.

Not all dogs in Thailand behave in the same way and in fact an individual animal's behaviour can change quite radically depending on the circumstances - time of day, weather, whether or not they have pups, are in heat etc etc......

this is a HOLIDAY island and the dogs are a spin-off from this - if the island wants to maintain its image the dogs need to be dealt with.concerns about what a

[wilcopops]

Nobody seems to ask "what did this child do to provoke the attack?". Did the dog attack anybody else? I very much doubt that the dog singled her out and went after her. Parents, KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM STRAY DOGS IN ALL COUNTRIES. Yes, there are many stray dogs here in Thailand, I have encountered many and always found that if I leave them alone, they show no interest in me. With their fur coats and inability to sweat they are even hotter than we are and just need to be left alone. Parents, beware your children approaching them. Best wishes to the little girl.

Most of your post is absolute nonsense - and your ideas of the dogs being "hotter than we are" is quite risible - you need to find out how dogs keep cool.

[wilcopops]

Let's see how the soi dog lovers defend this mutts right to exist. I hope the little girl recovers from her traumatic experience without physical scarring.

Not too hard. OP States we were having breakfast , so how exactly did parents allow for child to wonder off on the beach with street dogs ?

Yes it is terrible and speedy recovery to a little girl, but hate to be the bashing spoiler, parents are 100 % responsible and are to blame

Hope you get bitten, soon, while your back is turned.

That way you can't blame the dog, just yourself.

You're saying stray violent dogs have more rights than human children. What idiocy!!!

=============

As for somebody asking if drunk drivers should be culled - YES.

Hate to tell you I am not stupid enough to turn my back to a wild dog,

And if I was stupid enough, I surely would blame myself and not the animal

I think this qualifies for the most facile post of the thread award!

[StefanBBK]

As a parent I would like to express my sympathy with the OP. All this talk about not paying enough attention is utter rubbish. We are watching our kids well and still accidents happen, unfortunately. Nothing to do with negligence!