2000 Dogs Saved In Nakhon Phanom From Dinner Tables

[webfact 35,601]

Dogs saved from dinner tables, but still in danger

By NAKHON PHANOM

THE NATION

The lives of almost 2,000 dogs have been saved just in time, before they were to be transported to a neighbouring country to be cooked and eaten.

But although they have been saved from dog-trader gangs, no one can guarantee they will be safe and survive in their crowded cages while a shortage of food threatens their lives.

Some of the animals were reported dead or injured. The rest are at Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Station.

They looked exhausted after they were moved from the small cages to be put in the station's only big cage. But that cage, which has a maximum capacity of 500 dogs, now has to house 1,800. They have inadequate food and water, as the station does not have the budget to feed such a huge crowd of dogs.

Nakhon Phanom Governor Rerngsak Mahawinijchaimontree said his team cooperated with animal-control staff and police to arrest the gangs on Thursday night.

He said they arrested Montree Thanklang, 45, a Nakhon Phanom resident, and Pan Hai, 30, a Vietnamese, while they were in a truck containing 600 dogs passing through the province's Na Thom district. Four other trucks containing 1,200 dogs were seized while they travelled through Si Songkhram district, where police arrested Noppadon Chaiwangrot, 40, a Sakon Nakhon resident.

Rerngsak said police were told that Noppadon had earlier released 600 other dogs into a forest.

"Police believe all the dogs would have been transferred to a ship waiting in Ban Phaeng district of Nakhon Phanom before going across the Mekong River to be sold in Vietnam, where lots of dogs are ordered to be cooked as famous exotic dishes."

He said police pressed charges against the suspect under the Animal Epidemic Act 1956 that prohibits relocating animals to zones at risk of epidemics without permission.

Previously, the province's authorities raided a place that housed dogs before they were traded in Na Wa district in June.

Reportedly dogs price can bring prices of Bt500-Bt1,000. Most dog traders have been reported from Tha Rae district in Sakon Nakhon. They travel to villages to barter goods, especially plastic buckets - each bucket costs only Bt50-Bt100.

The Animal Guardians Association has urged Rerngsak to seek better ways to help them.

To help the dogs in terms of donations, adoption or providing them shelter, people can contact the governor, the quarantine station or the association.

-- The Nation 2011-08-13

[BuckarooBanzai 61]

This breaks ones heart. I wish I thought they were saved in the nick of time but for some reason I don't think they are out of the woods yet. The practice is still common in the Northeast and many are never shipped out of country. So Sad.

[Atmos 10]

I don't think they are out of the woods yet.

from OP:

Rerngsak said police were told that Noppadon had earlier released 600 other dogs into a forest.

jokes aside, whether they are out of the woods or into a forest, what can the authorities possibly do with all these dogs?

Not release the rest of them into a forest I hope?

Used to see the dog collection pickups when we lived in Sa Kaeo province, plastic buckets/bowls on top of the cages. It's an endless supply, every week another load of dogs 'taking a holiday'.

Don't have an answer to this one.

They won't euthanise them, the suggestion of adoption won't attract many takers either.

Edited August 12, 2011 by Atmos

[endure 1,839]

So what's the real difference between a dog and a cow - apart from the endearing expression? and that's a real question...

[mca 4,273]

So what's the real difference between a dog and a cow - apart from the endearing expression? and that's a real question...

Duh mate! Dogs can't fly.

[slapout 2,832]

The dogs lot has apparently not improved too much. Cooking pot or slow, overcrowded starvation, disease, etc, what a choice. Impounding this many dogs is kind of like the fellow who found a skunk in his rat trap. I have him, now what? Guess the authorities enjoyed the chase and capture, a little money for fine, and probably some excess buckets.

[outofoz 1]

That's a very sad photo, seeing all those dogs kept like that

[BuckarooBanzai 61]

So what's the real difference between a dog and a cow - apart from the endearing expression? and that's a real question...

I have owned both cows and dogs and have no problem in seeing the difference. But I guess it is a personal thing.

[caribbeanman 0]

i don't see why it is a bad thing to sell this dogs to Vietnam, here in bangkok, there are thousands of street dogs, this animals in many cases get sick with rabics and can infect another people, in my neighborhood one litle guirl died last month because of that, bisides this animals are extreamly dangereous for the traffic of people and cars on the streets etc, i would like to see the eliminination of all the street-dogs numbers or at least a decreae in the number of it.

[onionluke 509]

That is a disturbing photo . It is not uncommon to see animals treated this way in Asia . Is it any consolation that they were destined for human consumption ?

[hagler 316]

Best dog meat is when the slaughtered beast is under 2 years old and hasn't been "free-ranged" too much so the flesh doesn't get too stringy.

Those old street mutts in the photos would be very tough eating indeed.

[canopy 917]

I live in a village where dogs are bartered for a bucket and the trucks come all the time. Until Thailand gets serious about controlling the dog population which appears will be never then the current system of a villager getting a household good in exchange, the exporter making a profit, and protein for dinner seems more optimal than wasting tax money to create a bureaucracy to round them up, euthanize them, and dispose of the remains like other countries do. Legalize the current practice and put in measures to assure transport is safe and humane. And if you think that is a disturbing photo then brace yourself when you see photos of how chickens are raised.

[jalansanitwong 1,208]

It must be a slow news day with the Dow levelling out.

The most notorious province for dog eaters is Sakhon Nakhon in the top of isan -laos. Not all that far from dog meat heaven city Hanoi. VN. As much as 8 dollars per kilo in Vietnam.

90 % of the strays in Bangkok have disappeared over the past 10 years.. Not hard to guess where.

[Bakseedaa 64]

That's a very sad photo, seeing all those dogs kept like that

Its a dog eat dog world out there... Mmmmmmm Bisto..

[cmsally 3,871]

I think the saying goes: " you can judge a society on how it treats its animals and children."

In which case the picture sums it up and no further comment necessary.