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Last Updated: Mar 9th, 2009 - 12:03:11 |
Early in the morning of February 7th 2009 my partner and I were woken by a weak whimpering. In the room next door a local homeless dog who recently befriended us, had given birth to the first of a litter of 12 puppies.
It wasn't long before we discovered the many hardships of being a dog on Koh Lanta, the little Island where we live in Thailand. We were forewarned by many that we should knock the puppies on the back of the head with a hammer to save them from a life of suffering. We were unable to terminate their lives in such a way and are now doing all that we can to find them safe and good homes.
Koh Lanta is 95% Muslim and the people here are particularly afraid of dogs. You can learn more about the Muslim faith and dogs through a simple google search but here is one explanation I found:
'...Traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with dogs. Unfortunately, many Muslims have used this view to justify the abuse and neglect of dogs, even though cruelty contradicts the Qur'an's view that all animals form "communities like you."...' www.Islamicconcern.org
I don't fully agree with this statement, though it most succinctly explains our problems here on Lanta. I do not think that Muslim people use these injunctions to justify abuse and neglect but I do think that the fear resulting from these injunctions can in some cases cause people to react in a way that they would not otherwise when threatened by contact with a dog.
It is not unheard of for Muslim people to have and care for pet dogs, in fact I have a few friends that do. However, though I know a number of Muslim people here who love dogs and without making any physical contact with them, show their appreciation for them through food offerings..., unfortunately in most cases contact with dogs is feared to the extent that harm regularly befalls them. Our local community is rife with stories of dogs killed by blows to the head with blunt objects simply because they barked at someone passing on a scooter. For the sake of the people of Lanta who fear the dogs and for the sake of the dogs themselves, James and I feel that we have no other option other than to concentrate our efforts in finding these puppies homes away from Koh Lanta and in supporting local animal welfare organisations that use animal sterilisation as a means to alleviate the problem.
The flip side of this problem is that the rest of Thailand which is predominantly Buddhist, does not offer any form of humane termination. Vets in Thailand believe that it is wrong to take an animals life even if it is to prevent further suffering. So, despite all the responses we have had from people encouraging us to have them put down, this is not in fact an option.
Though we would really like to, we cannot keep and protect the pups because we have to leave Thailand by the end of March 2009. It is now our mission to find homes for them before we leave but this is no easy task in a country that is vastly overpopulated with dogs. I have posted on all the Thai internet forums and only had responses from two people and found a home for 1 of 12 puppies. With 11 remaining, we are left with no other choice than to turn to all the kind hearted people we know and ask for help.
We have had an offer from a wonderful Canadian couple to transport 4 puppies to Canada (they are only allowed to transport 2 each) but this will cost at least 250euros per pup what with flight costs and certified carrier cages. We are presently fundraising in the hope that we can send as many puppies as possible to Canada for a safe and happy life. We are also looking for 3 people living in Canada who would be willing to adopt a puppy. Please help. You can save a puppy from a life of suffering. All donations will go towards sending puppies to safe homes in Canada and or (if insufficient funds are raised) to relocating each of them to a new home within Thailand (which will entail substantial travel and effort to find homes for them). Where any money is left over, which is unlikely giving the cost of getting just one pup to Canada, we will donate what is left to Soi Dogs in Phuket (www.soidog.org) as they have been particularly supportive of our efforts and are offering free immunisations and paperwork for all pups as well as free sterilisation of the mother dog once the pups have been weaned..
James and I earn and live on an average of 14euros per day between the two of us so we understand all financial concerns, especially with the present economic climate, but I sincerely believe that wherever we as individuals are given the opportunity to prevent another person or being's suffering, that we should do/give all that we can. I will be the first to donate not only my time and heart to this project but also a substantial sum towards placing the puppies in good homes.
Thank you with all my heart for any and everything you are able to offer, be they words of encouragement, assistance finding homes for the pups or a monetary donation.
If you are able to offer a donation you can send it directly to my paypal account or, if you would feel more comfortable donating through a registered charitable organisation, please contact me and I will give you instructions for donating through a local animal charity which will pass on the donation, most probably Soi Dog.
How to Donate
Specify and sponsor a pup using the following paypal link or email us for alternative donation methods. Email: s.o.s.puppy@gmail.com
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