Soi Dog Foundation

Soi Dog Foundation
Formation 2003
Founder Margot Homburg Park
John Dalley
Gill Dalley
Type Nonprofit
Registration no. Phor.Gor. 39/2548 (Thailand)
Purpose Control of stray dogs
Headquarters Phuket, Thailand
Region
Global
Fields Animal welfare
Director/Manager
 John Dalley
Website www.soidog.org

The Soi Dog Foundation is a nonprofit organisation for the welfare of dogs. Its headquarters is based in Phuket, Thailand,[1] and it has been legally registered in the United States, Australia, France, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.[2] Its primary goal is to care for homeless and abused dogs in Thailand. It was established by a British couple John and Gill Dalley with the help of Margot Homburg Park in Phuket in 2003.[3]

The foundation has saved dogs from illegal trades, particularly for meat, and tries to reduce free-ranging dog by sterilisation. Soi is a Thai word for "street". Sterilisation programme has been extended on stray cats. It gets support from international celebrities including Dame Judi Dench, Laura Carmichael and Ricky Gervais.[4][5] The campaign in 2014 led to the enactment of the Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act, the first animal welfare act in Thailand.[6]

Background and origin

Thailand is known for its stray dogs, serving of dog meat, and trading of dogs. There are dog butchers, dog tanneries, and holding centres for illegal trades. Many dogs are exported to Vietnam and China for dog meat.[7] Dog trade involves smuggling by organised gangs.[5] Thailand's largest island, Phuket, is the major centre of such activities, and is the home of stray dogs.[8] The Thai Veterinary Medical Association reported that in 2011, half a million dogs were traded to Vietnam and China.[7]

These dogs are trapped and collected to be sold in the market or pass on to traders for export. The dogs are treated badly that due to congested packing in the transport crates, they are suffocated and a number of them dies in the process.[4] Seeing the appalling situation, an American-born Margot Homburg Park decided to join hands with a British couple, John and Gill Dalley. John Dalley, is a retired chemical engineer from Leeds, England, and Gill is a former bank employee. They had moved to Phuket for a retired life. John Dalley remarked, "We had a dog back home [in Leeds], but I wasn't particularly involved with animal rights. But you see these dogs [in Thailand] suffer, and you want to do something to help them."[7]

In 2003 they established the foundation by opening a clinic and recruiting veterinarians on volunteer to take care of homeless dogs. For their name they chose the Thai word Soi, which means "street", hence, the organisation literally means "stray dog foundation". They started sterilising and vaccinating stray dogs. In 2005, it was officially registered, becoming the first animal welfare organisation in Thailand. In 2011, a permanent clinic was opened in Bangkok. The foundation's slogan is "Trade of Shame". As a result of its vaccination effort, Phuket is the only Thai province that is declared free of rabies.[3]

Activity

The foundation sterilises over 10,000 stray dogs every year to reduce the population living on the streets. It keeps around 1,000 homeless dogs under care.[8] Soi Dog foundation has now started sterilising stray cats as well.[3] Its task force has intercepted a number of dogs intended for transport to Vietnam. The workers from Soi Dog have exposed illegal dog butchers, dog skin tanneries, dog reservoirs, resulting in the rescue of dogs. Dog export has been reduced to one-third of that in 2011.[7]

Support

British celebrities Judi Dench, Laura Carmichael, Peter Egan, Penelope Wilton and Ricky Gervais made a public campaign to support the causes of the foundation in 2014.[5] The foundation also made public petition for the government of Thailand to take action on cruelty to dogs and dog meat trading. The petition has been signed by almost 400,000 people.[4]

Their campaign was a success in terms of political action. The National Assembly of Thailand passed its first Animal Welfare Bill on 13 December 2014.[9] On 27 December the government enacted the bill as Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act, becoming the first animal welfare act in Thailand.[6]

Ambassadors

Other than the officials in the foundation, honorary ambassadors include Dena Kaplan, an Australian actress, singer and dancer;[10] Natalie Glebova, a Canadian model and writer who became the Miss Universe 2005;[11] and Kyle Leask, an autistic boy, and his dog Miracle, winner of the Eukanuba Friends For Life award.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Soi Dog Foundation USA". Global Giving. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "About Soi Dog". Soi Dog. Soi Dog Foundation. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Berger, Nomi (28 April 2014). "SOI DOG'S GROWING PRESENCE IN CANADA". Pet Connection. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Grossman, Annabel (23 October 2014). "'Dogs are being skinned alive for their meat': Campaign backed by Ricky Gervais and Dame Judi Dench makes new push to save family pets slaughtered for restaurant tables in Thailand". Daily Mail. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Dearden, Lizzie (24 October 2014). "Ricky Gervais and Dame Judi Dench back campaign to stop Thailand dog meat trade". Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 Klangboonkrong, Manta (13 February 2015). "New Thai law against animal cruelty puts burden on humans". Asia One. Singapore Press Holdings Ltd . Co. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Krausz, Tibor (29 January 2015). "John and Gill Dalley battle Thailand's illegal dog meat trade". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  8. 1 2 Caroline (14 May 2015). "Secrets of the Soi Dog Foundation". Spiritual Dog Trainer. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "Animal welfare bill 'too vague' – Phuket's Soi Dog charity". The Phuket News. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Dena Kaplan from NBC's 'Camp' Talks to Us About Her Healthy Living Philosophy, Body Image, & Shares A Favorite Recipe". There Are No Roads. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  11. ↑ "Former miss universe star dogs, cats join charity fair". The Nation. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Humphreys, Nick (18 March 2015). "Mother's pride at Crufts award for "two little fighters"". Highland News. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
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