19,397 dogs and cats sterilised since October 2003 (to end July 2008)
Please help us help dogs like this
.
The black dog in the photo had terrible infected wound on his neck
that will take weeks to heal as it is too large to stitch back up. We
don't know what caused the wound. A few weeks later and Fleetwood,
as he has now been named, is available for
sponsorship.
The other dog is a typical mange case and you can see the results of
treatment in the other photo where she is being bathed by Rob from
California who is spending his vacation with us literally bathing
dogs all day.
These two dogs were helped by Soi Dog recently - help us help
more like them
The Soi Dog Foundation together with the Evason Phuket and Six Senses Spa
and the Phuket Gazette are holding their "Tails at twilight annual
fundraising bone-a-fit" beach party on Saturday September the 13th.
starting at 7pm. The event will be held on the fabulous beach at the
Evason and promises to be a night to remember. Contact Cristy Baker
email cristy@soidog.org or click
the poster above for more details.
Volunteer Diary - Lynne
Williams
April 2008
I have just spent a very rewarding 11 days in Phuket, Thailand
volunteering for the Soi Dog Foundation.
I first visited Phuket and SDF in July 2007 where I visited my sponsored
dogs and spent three days at the shelter helping out. Gill wasn’t joking
when she said that visiting and helping out at the shelter was
addictive. I left Thailand desperately wanting to continue helping SDF
help the dogs and cats of Phuket. But what could I do from the other
side of the planet I asked Gill in an email once I’d returned to Sydney,
Australia. ‘Plenty’ was the answer! Read More...
Staff from the Evason and Six senses resort Phuket begin work on making the run financed by the resort owners into a more pleasant environment for the dogs. The inspiration of Thailand area GM Henry Gray's wife Char and fully supported by the owners, the plan is to get other large resorts in the area to each furnish one of the shelters.
The Six senses shelter will incorporate 4 thatched salas to provide additional shade for the dogs there. Eva Maelstrom the Swedish born Director of the company which has hotels and resorts throughout Thailand and Asia has personally requested her other managers in the region to become involved. SDF is extremely grateful to the Evason and Six Senses group for their support.
The group is undoubtedly the
most environmentally aware hotel group we know of,
with
each resort having its own environmental manager and is the recipient of many awards. The Evason and Sis Senses resort Phuket is a finalist in this years National Geographic Geotourism challenge. Why not visit
www.changemakers.net/node/2104/ to vote for them!
Never Say Never
JD or Quasimodo came to our original clinic in Phuket Town. He was picked up from behind the JD Pools office suffering
from a serious ear injury which was so bad that he had to have it
amputated. After treatment he was returned to the same place but within
2 weeks was
back again after the owner told us that the staff were stoning him
because
he was "so ugly". Hence the name Quasimodo. Quasi has been with us ever
since and sadly developed what we believe is skin cancer which caused an
open sore on his back.
An old dog also suffering from arthritis and eye problems owing to his
tear ducts not working. I
proposed that it was probably kinder to euthanize
him, as it was impossible
to give him the one on one treatment he needed.
However one of our Thai
workers promised to give him special attention and
the decision was
postponed on the condition that he was not
suffering. Despite his problems
he always had a waggy tail when approached and
seemed not to be in pain.
The chances of him ever finding a home though were
in my opinion impossible.
Last week step in Liisa who looks after our donation
boxes in the south. On
a trip to the shelter she saw Quasi and decided he
would come and live with
her for whatever time he has left. It will not be
easy as he needs daily
treatment for his eyes and back and also it appears
his ear also needs a
drain inserting.
Many people would say why bother? He should be put
to sleep.
We think the photo above tells a different story. He
may not have many years
left to live, but for the first time in his life
will experience a loving
home, and an owner who cares for him.
Ally- Just one more
abandoned dog - but with a happy ending and a twist
There is nothing special about Ally. She is just one more dog that was somebody’s pet, before they decided to leave the island and Ally as well. SDF gets many dogs like Ally at the shelter, and sadly most do exactly the same as her. Although there was nothing physically wrong with her, heart broken she refused to eat and began to decline, rapidly. As she failed severe pneumonia set in and despite treatment it was only a matter of time before she would pass away. She was taken to Dr. Trethep’s surgery for intenive treatment but Dr. Trethep found that she had now developed distemper and felt it would be kinder to put her to sleep as the chances of survival from distemper alone are negligible. With the pneumonia as well nil. If however we could give her intensive care then she maybe had a small chance.
Gill therefore decided to take her home and try and save her in the same way she had saved tripod from distemper a couple of years earlier.
Armed with rehydration salts, vicks vapour rub, tablets for reducing fever, and strong anti biotics plus high calorie Hill’s Science food, the battle commenced.
Everything
had to be force fed, but after a couple of days, at
least the rattling of her lungs subsided and her
temperature fell and she began to show a little
interest in her surroundings. The second night we
feared was her last as she began to spasm and
produce a lot of saliva which is usually the final
stage of distemper, but the following morning she
appeared to have recovered. The Hill’s Science food
had been recommended by one of our Swiss supporters,
Claudia. And although very expensive here at 115thb
for a small tin it is possible to syringe it into
the dog’s mouth as can be seen in the photos, and
she did not vomit it back as she had with other
foods we had tried. It is also extremely high in
calories.
Hopefully
Ally will recover, though what the future holds for
her is of course uncertain. See below for the
outcome
"I found your dog today. No, he has not been adopted by anyone.
Most of us who live out here own as many dogs as we want,
those who do not own dogs do so because they choose not to.
I know you hoped he would find a good home when you left him out here,
but he did not.
When I first saw him he was miles from the nearest house
and he was alone, thirsty, thin and limping from a thorn in his paw.
How I wish I could have been you as I stood before him.
To see his tail
wag and his eyes brighten as he bounded into your arms, knowing you
would find him, knowing you had not forgotten him.
To see the
forgiveness in his eyes for the suffering and pain he had known in his
never-ending quest to find you...but I was not you.
And despite all my
persuasion, his eyes see a stranger.
He did not trust. He would not
come.
He turned and continued his journey; one he was sure would bring him to
you.
He does not understand you are not looking for him.
He only knows
you are not there, he only knows he must find you.
This is more
important than food or water or the stranger who can give him these things.
Persuasion and pursuit seemed futile; I did not even know his name.
I
drove home, filled a bucket with water and a bowl with food and returned
to where we had met.
I could see no sign of him, but I left my offering
under the tree where he had sought shelter from the sun and a chance to
rest.
You see, he is not of the streets. When you domesticated him, you
took away any instinct of survival out here.
His purpose demands that he
travel during the day.
He doesn't know that the sun and heat will claim
his life.
He only knows that he has to find you.
I waited hoping he would return to the tree; hoping my gift would build
an element of trust so I might bring him home, remove the thorn from his
paw, give him a cool place to lie and help him understand that the part
of his life with you is now over.
He did not return that morning and at
dusk the water and food were still there untouched.
And I worried.
You must
understand that many people would not attempt to help your dog.
Some would run him off, others would call the authorities and
the fate you thought you saved him from would be preempted
by his suffering for days without food or water.
I returned again before dark. I did not see him.
I went again early the
next morning only to find the food and water still untouched.
If only
you were here to call his name. Your voice is so familiar to him.
I
began pursuit in the direction he had taken yesterday, doubt
overshadowing my hope of finding him.
His search for you was desperate,
it could take him many miles in 24 hours.
It is hours later and a good distance from where we first met, but I
have found your dog.
His thirst has stopped, it is no longer a torment
to him.
His hunger has disappeared, he no longer aches.
The thorns in his
paws bother him no more.
Your dog has been set free from his burdens,
you see, your dog has died.
I kneel next to him and I curse you for not being here yesterday so I
could see the glow, if just for a moment, in those now vacant eyes.
I pray that his journey has taken him to that place I think you hoped he would find.
If only you knew what he went through to reach it...and I agonize, for I know, that were he to awaken at this moment, and (if) I were to be you, his eyes would sparkle with recognition and his tail would wag with forgiveness.
"
Allie is now fully recovered from her distemper and pneumonia but is blind
in one eye.
A fabulous dog she really needs a permanent home and would make a wonderful
pet.
This week she twice on consecutive nights came to tell us that there was
something wrong with disco and insisted we follow her. Twice she in effect
saved Disco's life, though sadly Disco was to pass away later. See how
Ally helped Disco.
To adopt a dog like Ally call +66 (0)87 0508688 (English)
+66 (0)81 7884222 (Thai)
