Here’s what I’ve heard:
In Thailand, you seldom see dogs being abandoned. Why is this so? Simply because the people love their dogs.
In Thailand, TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is practised widely. Stray dogs are neutered/spayed and their left ears are tipped (an international marking for neutered community animals). The dogcatchers DO NOT capture any animal with a tipped ear. They are allowed to live out their natural lives….yes, on the street.
The Thai people are tolerant of and compassionate towards stray animals. It’s “live and let live” and “do no harm to other living beings”.
Can we learn from the Thais?
Can we start small, and lead by example?
Yes, we can.
AnimalCare is doing its small share by offering sponsored spaying-neutering for all stray animals. Please, come and work together with us.
Join us in CNRM (Care-Neuter-Rehome/Return-Manage).
It’s all for the animals, and actually, for ourselves too. A society that kills (call it euthanasia if you like, it is still killing) cannot go far. If we have no qualms killing animals, soon, you’ll find humans killing humans as well.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” – Mahatma Gandhi.
Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua (Tiger Temple)
Saiyok District, Kanchanaburi Province
Wouldn’t you love to have a tiger as a pet?
I would!
My thoughts: In Malaysia, we just cannot return any stray animal to the street, even though it’s been spayed/neutered (cats, yes, but not dogs). And why is this so? Because there are lots of people who are not tolerant (let alone compassionate) towards stray animals. They lodge complaints, and once that happens, the local councils react amazingly fast to capture the animals and it is a death sentence at the pounds. How can we change this? Change the mentality of the local councils? (I’ll leave you to answer that yourself.) Change the mentality of the people? I think the latter is more doable. Once the complaints stop, the capturing will eventually stop. Ultimately, the best way to teach is by example. Set an example – be a compassionate person and be kind towards animals. Let others see what you do. In time, when their conscience strike them, they will follow you. It has to start from us, not from “them”. Forget “them”. Every individual can make a difference and should. Our very survival, believe it or not, depends on love and compassion. Not war, not aggression, not hatred. Love is the answer.
Comments
3 responses to “Can we learn from Thailand, please?”
It is ashame and embarass for our country comparing to our neighbourhood countries….just because of a small group's shameful and irresponsible acts, the whole world 'look down' at us…sigh..
Dear Anon, I beg to disagree. The group of people who cannot tolerate animals is NOT a small group. It is the majority. The ones who are sympathetic towards animals form the minority. We are hence trying very hard to increase this minority.
I agree with Kah Yein. The majority of the people in this country have very little respect for animals.
I worked in Melbourne, Australia for three years and I cannot remember once seeing a stray dog wandering around the streets of the city.
Also, schoolkids are taught to respect animals and be kind to them. But then Australia is a more advanced and more civilized country.
Incidents like that at the Klang dog pound if it were to happen in Australia would have resulted in sackings for the council head and those responsible for the torture and cruelty to the dogs.
Imagine catching dogs and confining them and giving them just stale bread and water for days, starving them and eventually killing them when the holding period is up. If that is not cruelty in the extreme sense, what is?
It can only happen in this country. Malaysia Boleh!