I took a bike ride to the Mae Kuang Dam outside of Doi Saket. Beside the road, not near any houses or buildings, there's a big cage with a banner in it. I took a closer look. My translation of the banner is thus:

"To all charitable people,

Please give food to the dog(s) in the cage

At present, there is a project underway to build a rabies-free area

belonging to Luang Neua local government and the Mae Kuang Dam."

You can't spit in that area without hitting a dog. Most of them appear to be harmless. The ones near the workers' homes are more territorial and chase cyclists. However, there are no dogs in the cage, and I have never seen one in the cage. There are some empty bowls lying around.

I wonder how this is supposed to work. Do they expect us cyclists/sightseers/wanderers to remember to bring dog food with us on our trips to the dam? Make a special trip? It seems odd to put this cage in such an isolated place. Maybe it's meant to capture feral dogs, but I see no evidence of a tripwire or little man standing by ready to slam the gate shut. I went inside to shoot the banner and I didn't get trapped.

One thing I admire about Thai people is their compassion for animals, children, the elderly and the sick, but sometimes it seems misguided, impractical or just for show. I would have thought that feeding feral dogs would contribute to the spread of rabies, not the other way around. There is no donation box nearby, so they're not soliciting funds for their "project." Not to meddle, but I don't think this is a well-thought out plan.

Anybody reading who's local to Luang Neua who knows what might be going on here? Any amateur/retired/practicing veterinarians who can enlighten us on this brilliant strategy for reducing rabies in the area of the dam.

(Yes, I'm the one doing the photos of the rising water level: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/840743-water-level-at-mae-kuang-dam/#entry9623519 )

re

Anybody reading who's local to Luang Neua who knows what might be going on here? Any amateur/retired/practicing veterinarians who can enlighten us on this brilliant strategy for reducing rabies in the area of the dam.

im not a local but i can tell you what went on in that area a few years ago

a team from lanna dogs and the boss of tessaban luangnuae and his men which is not far from the dam

used to round up the dam cats and dogs also lthe ocal soi dogs about once a year ,

steralize them give them a health check over and anti rabies jabs also a bright yellow collar so the locals knew which cats and dogs had been done

now ... i dont know coz im not a cat or dog cleaner upper after the ops any more

dave2

ps ... we also put a date / year tattoo in every cat and dogs ear to show it had been steralized and had an anti rabies jab !

if you want to know more go and ask the boss of the tessaban

hes a nice man and speaks a little english