Mission of the Soi Dog Foundation

Soi Dog Foundation is a not-for-profit, legally registered charitable organization, based in Phuket, Thailand, with the aim to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats and to better the lives and living conditions of the street and stray dogs and feral cats in Thailand, currently focused on the island of Phuket. 

Foundation document in Thai. Takes 9 seconds to open with 56k connection.	Foundation document translated into English. Takes 14 seconds to open with 56k connection.

Please note the previous president has resigned. Dr Prasit is now the president of Soi Dog Foundation.

The most important tasks, the physical work of helping the street and stray dogs, is done in Thailand by volunteers, people who donate their time, effort and often much of their own money, as well as paid local employees.

Objectives of the Soi Dog Foundation

 Minimize suffering of the street and stray dogs as well as feral cats through sterilization and vaccination.

 Treat the sick and/or injured who are otherwise left suffering those who otherwise go hungry.

Create a better and safer environment for the people and the animals.

Educate the people about the benefits of cats and dogs to themselves and the society at large and teach humane treatment of these animals

Our method to achieve our objectives

Efficient and humane sterilization programs with cooperation of the local government, local veterinarians, visiting veterinarians from abroad and residents, both local and expatriates.

Assist local government authorities

 Vaccinate all animals for main contagious diseases, including rabies.

Boarding and treatment at privately run clinics of sick and injured animals. E.g. for mange, venereal disease, maggot-infested wounds, road accidents, etc.

Feeding of community/stray dogs and cats in various locations. E.g. local temples and beaches.

Raising funds locally and abroad to finance the work needed Education programs for local children and adults.

 Field clinic work in action is used to educate the public by putting up poster boards and speaking to school children and adults explaining why and what we are doing is important, giving advice about proper animal care, talking about the benefits of having pet companions, and trying to instill a sense of individual and communal responsibility for animals, especially for those in distress.

Lectures at schools and community gatherings covering the aforementioned topics. Documentation issued and lectures held to local business owners and community leaders to stress the importance of catch-neuter-release programs and to assist them with keeping healthy animals in and around their premises. 

With the blessing of local veterinarians and the local government, we also focus on owner dogs and cats of people who cannot afford private clinics, because that is where most of the infamous temple dogs and cats come from.  While doing so, we educate and always ask for a donation, however small, in order to build on taking ownership of problems rather than just letting it be.

Encourage local people to adopt Soi dogs -- they belong in this environment.  

Their future is not bright

In September 2003, the Thai government started a new campaign to reduce the number street dogs in Bangkok, primarily to make a better impression on foreign dignitaries visiting the city for the APEC meetings scheduled for October. Thousands of dogs have been brutally captured, sterilized and transported to special camps in the ‘province’, where the dogs are kept in huge packs, in horrible conditions, for the rest of their ‘natural’ lives. Meanwhile, however, we have found out that there is no budget to feed these animals and that the numbers are dwindling not only to incredible dog fights, disease, infection and starvation, but also because they are clandestinely sold to dog-meat-eating areas in Northern Thailand and neighboring countries. Can you imagine the horror and fright and pain these animals must have gone through prior to finally breathing their last breath! Phuket has similar plans for its street and stray dogs – proclaiming that the island will be free of stray dogs by 2005 in order to make a better impression on the tourists. Phuket, however, has additional issues with regard to the Muslim communities residing there.  According to Islam, dogs are unclean and not supposed to be touched. Most Muslim people do like cats and keep them as well.  Also, many Muslims will not harm dogs but simply avoid them.  However, very often dogs are poisoned and this practice is also used to avenge themselves against people who do have dogs for whatever reason. In the absence of poison, dog are beaten to death.