Thailand: Excerpts from Soi Dog’s New Year’s message

By John Dalley, Soi Dog Foundation

…2012 has sped past but as in every previous year more than ever has been achieved through your support. As always it has been a year filled with both heartache and joy.

January saw the last of the dogs rescued during the Bangkok floods returned, and at Phuttamonthon (Dog Island), we fulfilled our promise to rebuild the shelter there which was destroyed during the floods.

 

The very sick dogs all went to Soi Dog’s shelter in Phuket. The great news is that all those dogs have now been rehomed overseas.

Domino was taken from Phuttamonthon after a supporter spotted him on a video.

Domino is an adorable, vulnerable little guy and his departure for the UK will be an emotional one.  Committed shelter volunteer Chris and Domino are especially close and Chris is already planning a trip to the UK to see him in his new home.

In June we commenced the PUP programme on Phuket (Prevent Unwanted Puppies). This ambitious programme, supported by the UK based Dogs Trust International and private donors, sees us systematically holding mobile clinics in each area of the island. The aim is to sterilize 10,000 dogs per year over the next two years, with follow up clinics in year three, which will see the dog population in Phuket under control.

A record 10,692 dogs and cats were sterilized in 2012 preventing untold misery for thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens. Sterilization remains Soi Dog’s prime objective with a target of 15,000 per year in 2013…

 

Ending the illegal trade in dogs from Thailand to Vietnam has been the biggest challenge of the year. Both stopping the trade and providing for the thousands of dogs intercepted by the authorities has been a huge challenge…I would like to thank the hundreds of supporters who have risen to the challenge of caring for these dogs by becoming members of the Magic 1000 club. Donations to the Magic 1000 go solely to providing food for these dogs but we must still recruit many more members to maintain supplies…

The progress made in Thailand this past 18 months is well beyond my expectations.

Thank you for your support. 2013 is sure to bring many new challenges and with your help we can meet them.

 

Editor’s note: To read the New Year’s message by John Dalley, of Soi Dog Foundation, in its entirety, click here.  At the end is the link to a touching and inspiring video.  (Caution, there are some graphic images at the beginning of the video.)  Hope was rescued from the dog trade and has a very happy ending.

Photos: Courtesy of Soi Dog Foundation