|
SDF continues to expand our sterilization/desexing program, which is the only long term solution to the stray animal population here. We will always continue to take in, dogs and cats that have been the victims of appalling cruelty and neglect. Often requiring months of treatment these animals can never be returned to the situation that brought them to us in the first place. Whilst every effort is made to find good homes, many will be with us for life. That is why our sponsorship program is so important. Read John’s story of Humphrey and Shanti and please consider sponsoring a dog or cat today. We can and will continue to help these animals but can only do it with your help. |
|
Dear Friends and Supporters,
After nearly seven years helping animals here there is really nothing that shocks me anymore. Man’s inhumanity to our fellow creatures never ceases to amaze and appall me. I think I have seen just about everything that man can and does do to inflict pain and suffering on innocent creatures, and some of these are simply too horrific to share with people as it is not our intention to shock. Cruelty to animals happens everywhere even in the most advanced of nations. The main difference here is that there are simply no laws to help them, and without Soi Dog’s supporters and The Soi Dog Foundation no one is prepared to help them.
Often when we get a call the animal has clearly been suffering for weeks and been seen by probably hundreds or thousands of people who simply choose to ignore it. It always makes me worry as to how many we simply never hear about. Only 2 weeks ago my wife, Gill called me from the shelter in floods of tears in sheer frustration after a dog was brought to the shelter. This dog had been in this condition for weeks yet nobody called us until too late. One cannot imagine the agony he was suffering. You can read a poem Gill wrote in a two angry minutes with tears pouring from her eyes: Click Here to read Gill’s Poem.
Last week among the many dogs who came in for treatment were 2 dogs, that although completely different situations, typify the things we see almost on a daily basis. |
Humphrey |
Humphrey was picked up in Patong the main vacation destination here on
Phuket. A foreigner living here had managed to barricade the dog in an
empty lot on a building site he was working on. Local people advised that
the dog had been attacked a few days earlier by a local man and the top of
his head had been sliced off with a large blade. Fortunately the skull was
intact and no entry was made into the brain, though on arriving at the
shelter an estimated 300 maggots had to be removed from the wound. Dr. Su
confirmed that the wound was caused by a sharp blade. Thanks to her
treatment, only one week later the flesh is already regenerated and the
wound is beginning to shrink. Of course, Humphrey cannot be returned to
where he was found. |
|
Shanti |
Shanti is no more than 6 months old and a great example of why our sterilization program (over 27,000 animals now sterilized), is so vital to prevent ongoing suffering. Unwanted puppies are usually dumped. We have found them in bags down wells, on the main highway, and of course dumping at temples is also very common. We also know that they are sometimes sold to labor camps to be used as food. Another popular dumping ground is the hundreds of rubber plantations that cover Phuket. These plantations offer no food, other than the rubber sap that is collected in coconut shells tied to the trees. With nothing else to eat, the puppies are attracted in desperation to the rubber sap which our Thai staff tells us smells something like a cross between fish and chicken. This of course is fatal to eat. Shanti was the last survivor of a litter dumped in a plantation close to a new school here. How he managed to survive is a mystery although we were told a local woman would throw him a few grains of rice as she passed, but it was one of our volunteers whose son attends a nearby school who spotted him last week and called us. Shanti was terrified of humans and it took our dog
catchers 3 days before they were able to get a hold of him. He is now at
the shelter suffering from demodec mange and a fungal infection on his
face. He very rapidly however lost his fear of humans and cuddles close to
Gill when she is at the shelter. |
|
Sponsorship is totally in your control - you can pause, stop, or adjust your donation at any time online. There is no easier and more effective way for you to help the animals here.
John Dalley The Soi Dog Foundation
Please check out The Soi Dog Foundation on the
following Networking Sites for regular updates and information. Although you have received this newsletter some emails (such as Sponsorship updates) are treated as spam or otherwise banned as they originate out of Thailand. Please add the domain @soidog.org to your "safe senders" list or equivalent in your email program or hosted email system (Hotmail, Yahoo etc.). Please also forward this email on to your friends and family. |
Web site design, development, CMS & hosting donated by MGB Software