Livestock Development Department officials and non-governmental organisation workers raided an illegal abattoir in Muang district of Sakon Nakhon province early Monday and seized about 150 carcasses of butchered dogs.
File photo
Chusak Pongpanich, chief of the Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Station, said the abattoir in tambon Tha Rae of Sakon Nakhon's Muang district, about 1km from the Sakon Nakhon - Nakhon Phanom highway, was raided about 3.30am.
It was launched on information that the site was being ussed to butcher dogs and that dog meat from the abattoir had been sent for sale in Na Wa, Si Songkhram, Ban Phaeng, Tha Uthen and Muang districts of Nakhon Phanom and some districts of Sakon Nakhon.
When the authorities arrived at the scene the workers fled. Officials seized the skins of around 150 dogs, about 200kg of offal, a pick-up truck, one motorised tricycle and two large dog cages.
An account book was also seized containng details of the buying and selling of dogs. It showed the dogs were bought at 100-250 baht each, depending on their size.
The evidence would be handed over to Muang district police for examination and to hunt down the operators of the abattoir, Mr Chusak said.