October 6, 1998
WE CARE It's a dog's life ANIMALS: Some 2,000 abandoned dogs at the Kanchanaburi Animal Shelter may soon be without food and medicine unless public help arrives soon Ampa Santimathanedol An abandoned puppy now under the care of the shelter. It has been more than a year now since Thung Si-kan Animal Shelter - the largest of its kind in Thailand - was forced to close down and its mostly canine residents moved out. The land, which has served as a home to abandoned animals over the past decade, belongs to Pak Nam Temple which wants to use it for other purposes. Today, 2,000 dogs and scores of other evicted animals - including cats, cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks and geese - are getting themselves accustomed to their new home in Ban Phu Pradu, Kanchanaburi province, close to the Leadership School of Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang, founder of the defunct Thung Si-kan shelter. But the shelter's problems are far from over. According to Pimol-orn Angsawothai, manager of the new Kanchanaburi Animal Shelter, some of the animals died soon after the relocation, failing to adapt to the new environment. Some succumbed to disease and parasites. As for the survivors, their future is uncertain. Since the recession, donations from the public have shrunk. And soon the shelter may not be able to pay for the animals' food and medication. "In the past, when Maj Gen Chamlong was the Bangkok governor, we got donations coming in various forms. Every year we also raised more funds by holding the Animal Care Day at Lumphini Park. Each time we got more than a million baht in donations," says Ms Pimol-orn. "But things have changed. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is not willing to let us use Lumphini Park for this year's fund-raising event." The history of the animal shelter dates back to June 1987 when Maj Gen Chamlong, then Bangkok governor, established the facility at Thung Si-kan to keep stray dogs off the streets, an alternative to the BMA's conventional method of culling 100 to 150 dogs a day. The shelter is run by the Society for the Promotion of Animal Welfare. The dogs at the facility were sterilised and vaccinated against rabies. In the beginning, the shelter housed about 20 dogs. The number grew rapidly, and the new shelter is now home to more than 2,000 animals. "These animals are fed once a day. And for that we need 6 sacks of rice and 600 packs of pet food, plus 400 kilogrammes of crushed chicken bones every week. "For the food as well as the medicines and salaries for a veterinarian and keepers, our total expenses are about 200,000 baht a month. Roughly, it's about 100 baht for each animal, each month," explains the shelter manager, adding that this year the facility has to pay more than 20,000 baht for the animals' vaccinations because the BMA no longer provides the service for free. "We try to economise every way we can. Every time we go to the market, we also bring along plastic bags so we can collect discarded vegetables for the animals." About 90 percent of the animals at the shelter were strays. "Most were malnourished, sick and frightened when they first came here. But after a while, their condition improved," says Ms Pimol-orn. She says sick dogs at the shelter call for attention by showing themselves to her or any of her staff when they walk by. Some even cough to tell people they are not well. "It's like they're saying, 'I'm ill, please take me to the doctor."' The other 10 percent were pets whose owners moved house and could not take them along. "These animals are difficult to take care of. They're heart-broken and refuse to eat or drink, so much so that they get very sick. Some even died," she says. "But if the owners come to visit them, they'd be happy and eat again." The manager is well-known among the dogs at the shelter. "If a newcomer starts barking at me, it would suddenly be reprimanded by the other dogs," she says with a chuckle. "It's as if they say: 'Shut up! Don't you know who she is?"' When the shelter was moved to Kanchanaburi, Ms Pimol-orn resign from her job at the Revenue Department to work with the animals full time. But she does not regret that. "It's a tough job but it makes me happy." This year's Animal Care Day will take place on December 12-13 at the Kanchanaburi Animal Shelter instead of Lumphini Park as it has in the past. Sirilak Srimuang, chairperson of the Society for the Promotion of Animal Welfare (SPAW), says she feels uneasy asking for public donations for the dogs during this economic slump when many people are having a hard time making a living. "Still, I hope we get some compassion and help from animal lovers," she adds. The event, says Sirilak, will be presided over by Luangpu Ngon of Wat Phraputthabat Khao Ruak in Phichit province. The senior monk is well-known for his meditation practice and his love for animals, especially dogs. The monk, a former doctor who graduated from Germany, says he owes his life to an animal because, as a newborn baby, he was saved from drowning by the family dog. There are more than 200 dogs at his own temples. A throng of dogs greet visitors at the Kanchanaburi Animal Shelter. Since the start of the recession, donations from the public have shrunk and soon the shelter may not be able to pay for the animals' food and medication. Apart from the usual pet contests and other activities, those who come to this year's Animal Care Day in Kanchanaburi - a three-hour-drive from Bangkok - will also enjoy the natural beauty of the valley where the shelter is located. Interested persons can also visit the adjacent Leadership School and take a look at chemical-free farms in the area. Vegetarian food will be on sale at reasonable prices. For those who wish to stay overnight, accommodation is available at the animal shelter or at nearby resorts. Info for donations: Name of organisation: The Society for the Promotion of Animal Welfare Under Royal Patronage (Animal Shelter, Kanchanaburi) Address: 114, Moo 7, Ban Phu Pradu, Tambon Nongbua, Muang district, Kanchanaburi province 71190. Contact person: Pimol-orn Angsawothai Bank account numbers: -Krung Thai bank, Nawamin branch: 057-1-18392-1 and 057-1-31293-4 -Thai Commercial bank, Rama V branch: 128-2-01375-2 -Bangkok Bank, Ratchawat branch: 146-0-76170-1 Donors are requested to send or fax a copy of the deposit slip together with their name and address to the above address.		Classifieds Jobs Property Entertainment Investment Education Travel Sales Learn English Weekly Database Horizons NiteOwl Student Weekly Real Time Special We Care Street Art Back Issues Last Month Archive Company Servcies Subscriptions Advertising Annual Report
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