Thai woman forced to pay 100,000 baht to retrieve her dog from caretaker

A Thai woman today, April 23, reunited with her pet dog after a dispute with a caretaker who allegedly refused to return the animal and demanded 100,000 baht.

The 35 year old woman, Pare, sought help from a social media influencer and posted her case on TikTok, explaining that she wanted her white Pomeranian, Kati, returned. The dog had been in another person’s care while she received medical treatment for a stroke.

The case garnered significant attention online, especially among pet owners. This prompted Pare and her sister, Phet, to appear on Channel 3’s Hone Krasae programme to share further details with the public.

Pare said she had raised Kati for 10 years and took sole ownership after separating from her ex-boyfriend. She later suffered a stroke and was hospitalised, leaving her sister to care for the dog.

Phet also later suffered a stroke, prompting Pare to seek help from a woman named Nicky, whom she had met online while asking for assistance for Kati’s illness. Pare said Nicky had supported her financially with more than 500,000 baht for the dog’s care and had never asked for repayment.

Dog owner reunites with her pet after dispute with caretaker
Photo by Pare

Nicky agreed to help care for the dog, but said she could not manage alone due to having several other dogs. She arranged for her adoptive son, Team, to take responsibility for Kati. Pare agreed, and Team collected the dog from her home.

After recovering, Pare and Phet contacted Team to retrieve Kati. However, they alleged that Team refused to return the dog and requested 100,000 baht as compensation for care.

Pare said there had been no prior agreement regarding payment. She later offered to pay in instalments, but the proposal was rejected, leading to the dispute and a police complaint.

After the complaint was filed, Team reportedly continued to withhold the dog and did not respond to calls or messages. This prompted Pare to seek further assistance through social media.

Caretaker attempts to claim ownership of Thai woman's dog
Photo via Amarin TV

During an appearance on the news programme, Nicky said her son could provide better care due to his financial situation. She said he was concerned Pare might not be able to cover ongoing medical and care costs for the dog.

The case drew mixed reactions online. Some supported Pare, saying she should have her pet returned, while others agreed with Nicky’s view regarding the dog’s welfare.

Programme host Kanchai Kamnerdploy then offered Pare a 100,000 baht loan during the broadcast, stating he would not require repayment if she could demonstrate proper care for the dog.

With the financial support, Pare was reunited with Kati today. The dog was brought to Min Buri Police Station by Team’s lawyer, and Pare transferred the agreed amount. Both parties have reportedly withdrawn legal action following the resolution.

Thailand News

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Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.