“Furious” stray dogs anesthetised after chasing Phuket tourists
Three furious stray dogs were anesthetised this week after they chased tourists and residents in Phuket, according to the Phuket City Municipality. The municipality said the dogs had been chasing people near the Toh Sae Hill Public Park in the main city district.
The municipality noted that the dogs were not harmed when they were caught. The municipality alerted the Phuket Live Stock Office about the dogs, and the office took them to the Stray Dog Shelter in Thalang district.
Thailand struggles to deal with its high number of stray dogs and cats. In 2017, it was estimated that there were 860,000 stray dogs and cats in the country. That’s more than double the 350,000 in a decade earlier in 2007. Somchuan Ratanamungklanon, the deputy director-general of Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development predicted that in 2027, Thailand would have “as many as 2 million stray dogs and cats in 2027 and 5 million in 2037.”
Earlier this month, Soi Dog Foundation, a non-profit organisation, carried out its annual vaccination campaign at the Phuket Stray Dog Shelter in Thalang district, also known as the “government dog compound.”
A team of Soi Dog veterinarians, community outreach staff, rescue officers, and a representative from the Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Livestock Development came together to vaccinate 735 resident dogs at the government-operated facility.
The dogs received vital vaccinations against six diseases including rabies, distemper, and parvovirus.
SOURCE: The Phuket Express
