Regardless of whether you like to feed them, avoid them, or chase them away with rocks and harsh words, there’s no denying that Thailand in general, and Bangkok in particular, has its fair share of soi dogs (i.e. street dogs). It’s difficult to reliably estimate the number of stray dogs in Thailand, but there are anywhere between 300,000 and 500,000 soi dogs in Bangkok alone. Reducing these numbers can be a daunting task, especially since euthanasia is not an acceptable practice, as Thailand is a largely Buddhist country which forbids the taking of any life.
Luckily, even though the provincial and local administrations seem to be always busy with other “more pressing” matters, there are still people out there who very much care and are willing to put in the time and effort to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats. One such selfless animal lover is Gregg Tully, a 37 year old American who has been acting as Managing Director at Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) for more than a year now.
Based in Mai Khao, Phuket, from where he coordinates the efforts of other like-minded volunteers, Gregg joined Soi Dog in October 2012 because it “has an excellent reputation throughout the international animal welfare community for running effective programs that make a lasting impact.”
That is exactly what Soi Dog Foundation has been doing since 2003 when it was founded byMargot Homburg Park and English couple John and Gill Dalley. Since then, the organization has acquired a not-for-profit status and is registered as a charitable organization not only in Thailand, but also in the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands.
Their international recognition is remarkably well deserved because, up until January 2014, Soi Dog had managed to sterilize over 60,000 stray dogs and cats, thus staying true to their local and international mission: “to help the homeless, neglected and abused dogs and cats of Thailand” and “to set an example for the Asian region on how to humanely reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats through spaying and neutering, and to better the lives and living conditions of the stray dogs and feral cats of Asia.”
There are an estimated 50,000 soi dogs in Phuket alone, but Gregg is confident that this number will gradually decrease as SDF spays and neuters more and more dogs. Referring to the problems of the thousands of innocent people who yearly fall victim to dog bites and attacks, the Managing Director at Soi Dog Foundation is of the opinion that “widespread sterilization reduces street dog populations, until there are so few dogs that dog bites will become a minor problem. Education about safety around street dogs, including identifying potentially aggressive dogs, is also part of the solution.”
The recent scandal involving the illegal dog-meat trade between Thailand and Vietnam has not only been closely monitored by SDF, but they have also organized a successful campaign to try and stop it. “A couple of years ago, many large trucks smuggled dogs to slaughterhouses and meat markets in Vietnam, but now as a result of the pressure Soi Dog has put on the smugglers, only a few small trucks make that journey,” proudly declared Gregg Tully. “Stopping the dog-meat trade is challenging largely because of the widespread corruption and bribery involved but where there’s a will, there’s a way and we won’t give up” Gregg declared.
Through a partnership with Humane Society International, Animals Asia, and Change for Animals Foundation, Soi Dog held a conference in Hanoi in August 2013 with officials from the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand raising awareness to the public at large and pushing governments into taking action against the dog-meat traders.
A follow-up conference was also organized in Bangkok and was held in February 2014 with the aim of increasing enforcement of the laws against the dog-meat trade and pledging to eliminate rabies in the region by 2020. At this same meeting, Dr. Van Dang Ky, the Chief of Epidemiology Division at Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health, promised that “Vietnam will work closely with other countries in the region to stop the illegal transport of dogs into Vietnam for the dog trade.”
“It’s very sad that people have turned to stealing dogs – people’s pets as well as street dogs – for the meat industry,” confessed Gregg. “As we continue to campaign against the trade, it will be more difficult for them to continue this cruel and illegal trade, and we hope they will eventually find other ways of earning a living.”
Although Soi Dog had managed to sterilize and vaccinate more than 10,000 animals last year and their spay/neuter programs continue to grow in Phuket and in Bangkok, Gregg has still met with many frustrations along the way. “It’s very disappointing when people don’t take responsibility for their pets, such as by abandoning them when they get sick or moving away from Thailand and leaving their pets behind.”
Having said this, Soi Dog does collaborate with the Thai authorities, especially the Department of Livestock Development in Buriram which provides space for dogs which have been rescued from the dog-meat trade and it also trains staff to take care of them. Soi Dog Foundation provides food, shelter, and in some cases veterinary care.
In Phuket, the several municipal governments support Gregg’s mobile sterilization program by providing places where Soi Dog can operate on dogs and by raising awareness so people can bring their pets in to be spayed and neutered.
Soi Dog’s main shelter is in Mai Khao in Phuket, close to the airport, but they also have a clinic in Bangkok which is the hub of their growing sterilization program in the Thai capital. All of Soi Dog’s programs are only possible because of donations from people in Thailand and around the world. “Many people sponsor a dog at our shelter and we send the donators regular updates and photos of the dog. We welcome volunteers at our shelter in Phuket who walk dogs and socialize dogs and cats, so the animals feel comfortable enough around people that they can be adopted. This is a great way to bond with dogs and cats in need,” concluded Gregg Tully.
To find out more details about how you can sponsor a dog or a cat, become a volunteer, adopt an abandoned animal, or help in the fight against the dog meat trade, visit Soi Dog Foundation’s excellent website, join their 400,000+ people Facebook community, or email them for general enquiries at info[at]soidog[dot]org.
