Now Thailand’s fastest growing animal charity, the SDF also operates in Bangkok and through mobile clinics in southern Thailand with a target of sterilising 15,000 animals a year.
Vice-President John Dalley said today that in its first year the SDF neutered just over 1,000 animals but that, at its current rate, it hopes to reach the 100,000-animal mark in just three years from now.
“The current mobile clinic programme on Phuket, working closely with local authorities, aims to have the island’s stray population under control in two years and to maintain the province’s rabies-free status.”
SDF is discussing with the Department of Livestock in Bangkok the introduction of a national programme based on SDF activities on Phuket. Thailand has pledged to eradicate rabies by 2020 in accordance with Asean agreements.
Currently SDF is also investing heavily in stopping the illegal dog meat trade with Vietnam, which is seriously compromising efforts to eliminate rabies. It is also the direct cause of outbreaks of human diseases owing to the fact that the industry is completely unregulated.
“The foundation is currently spending more than B1 million a month on stopping the trade both in Thailand and Laos, and on caring for the intercepted dogs – more than 2,000 in the past two months alone,” Mr Dalley said.
“In addition, millions are required to build new dog shelters in Buriram [in Isarn] because the Department of Livestock Development has no budget for them. The first of these should be completed this month.”
A recently formed alliance is targeting this August for a conference in Hanoi, which will aim to get the governments of Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia to cooperate to end the illegal trade as a way to prevent the spread of diseases.
On Phuket, SDF operates a large dog shelter housing more than 300 dogs in Mai Khao, in the northwest of the island. It is supported by a large community of donors in Thailand and in many other countries, such as Australia, the United States, Britain and Switzerland.
With adoption a rapidly growing part of its activity, SDF helped find homes for some 360 dogs last year.
SDF employs full-time vets and other staff members, including dog catchers and shelter personnel, almost all of them from Phuket.
Management, however, continues to be carried out by volunteers at their own expense, both in Phuket and around the world, ensuring that all funds raised go directly to helping the animals.
For more details visit www.soidog.org or email info@soidog.org.