Care for Thailand's strays

July 22, 2001

I have been a r to this list for some time now, and have been very glad to develop such an awareness of the many animal welfare issues surrounding us. I am trying to do my small part to help also, and would like to share it with you – I should have a website address soon for more details, and will post the address when it is available. For now, I would like to run through my project, and I would be very grateful for feedback or assistance regarding its implementation. Of course, like all of us who are trying to help, sponsorship and donations are what we need most.

I have always been saddened to see the condition of Thailand’s many beach dogs when holidaying there, and even more frustrated as a veterinarian, not to be able to help them through lack of equipment. So, when embarking on a 3-month visit to Thailand, I borrowed equipment and medicines from the Dog Rescue Centre Samui, and carried them to the nearby island of Koh PhaNgan. With the assistance of long term resident, Heidi Farmer, I carried out free neuterings and skin and wound treatments around the island. The work that I carried out was so gratefully received, that I decided to try to provide some more permanent care on this island.

With the assistance of the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF), and working in conjunction with the Dog Rescue Center Samui (DRCS), PhaNgan Animal Care (PAC) has been born. PAC is a non-profit organisation, developed to provide essential care for the many ill and suffering stray animals of Koh PhaNgan.

Background

The tourist influx to Koh PhaNgan has resulted in a greater availability of food, and with many animal-loving tourists intermittently feeding and caring for the animals around them, the population has been boosted to unnatural numbers. The stress of fighting for survival in this overpopulated environment results in many injuries to both dogs (which quickly fester in the humid, tropical climate) and humans (which brings a real threat of rabies). The intensive living conditions allow for rapid transmission of diseases, most noticeably skin infestations, which leave the majority of animals severely itchy and usually bald and bleeding, often lead to deeper, life-threatening infections. There is also the added danger of boar traps in the mountains, which have resulted in risky transport of bleeding, shocked animals in pain, by boat, to the adjacent island for emergency amputations. There is presently no veterinary care or advice on the island, no vaccination, and no population control measures except for yearly poisoning by dart or bait. Baiting usually targets the well-fed animals as they can keep the weaker strays away, resulting in a great many yearly tragedies with pets. Darting is refers to a bamboo pole with a poisoned tip – it is inflicted indiscriminately on any dog who crosses the path of the wielder. Both forms of killing are painful, slow processes.

PhaNgan Animal Care

PhaNgan Animal Care (PAC) is primarily a nursing clinic, while veterinarians will be encouraged to holiday on the island and donate a few days to assist with the neutering program. We aim to greatly improve the quality of life of PhaNgan’s animals by treating those in need, while controlling the population growth through the much more humane method of neutering. We also hope to eradicate (or at least minimise) the rabies virus from this island. These efforts will hopefully echo the success of the Dog Rescue Center, who have managed to prevent the yearly cull Lamai beach, Koh Samui through the large numbers of neuterings they have sponsored. Even greater was their instrumental role in the achievement of Thailand’s first “Rabies Free Zone”!

PAC will be permanently staffed by a veterinary nurse, and will provide, among other services:

· treatment for skin diseases

· care, with hospitalisation if necessary, for wounds

· basic nursing care for sick animals

· emergency first aid for injured animals

· ambulance assistance to the adjacent island for any emergency veterinary care needed

· implementation of a comprehensive rabies vaccination programme

· registration and records of the island’s animals to allow targeting of problem areas

· veterinary care at regular intervals

· a clinic with nursing assistance, for visiting veterinarians performing neutering

I hope that you will be able to help me ensure the survival of PAC, if only be spreading word to those you know. I hope to be able to locate permanent funding and sponsorship, and would also gratefully receive individual donations. Aside from the financial aspect, I will be:

- looking for nurses seeking a short-term position caring for animals in paradise;

- encouraging vets to take a break from the stress of practice, and feel very virtuous about it by donating a couple of days a week to neutering;

- and trying to persuade any other visitors to the island with willing hands, to assist with dog catching and transportation.

I look forward to your feedback.

Yours, Shevaun GallweyGet your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

July 23, 2001

It is simply great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

> " shevaun gallwey " <shevaung

>aapn , gypsysister333,

>siljalkp_nn, kristen4126, lucyifrah

> Care for Thailand's strays

>Sun, 22 Jul 2001 16:05:22 +0000

>

_______________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

I have been a r to this list for some time now, and have been very glad to develop such an awareness of the many animal welfare issues surrounding us. I am trying to do my small part to help also, and would like to share it with you – I should have a website address soon for more details, and will post the address when it is available. For now, I would like to run through my project, and I would be very grateful for feedback or assistance regarding its implementation. Of course, like all of us who are trying to help, sponsorship and donations are what we need most.

I have always been saddened to see the condition of Thailand’s many beach dogs when holidaying there, and even more frustrated as a veterinarian, not to be able to help them through lack of equipment. So, when embarking on a 3-month visit to Thailand, I borrowed equipment and medicines from the Dog Rescue Centre Samui, and carried them to the nearby island of Koh PhaNgan. With the assistance of long term resident, Heidi Farmer, I carried out free neuterings and skin and wound treatments around the island. The work that I carried out was so gratefully received, that I decided to try to provide some more permanent care on this island.

With the assistance of the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF), and working in conjunction with the Dog Rescue Center Samui (DRCS), PhaNgan Animal Care (PAC) has been born. PAC is a non-profit organisation, developed to provide essential care for the many ill and suffering stray animals of Koh PhaNgan.

Background

The tourist influx to Koh PhaNgan has resulted in a greater availability of food, and with many animal-loving tourists intermittently feeding and caring for the animals around them, the population has been boosted to unnatural numbers. The stress of fighting for survival in this overpopulated environment results in many injuries to both dogs (which quickly fester in the humid, tropical climate) and humans (which brings a real threat of rabies). The intensive living conditions allow for rapid transmission of diseases, most noticeably skin infestations, which leave the majority of animals severely itchy and usually bald and bleeding, often lead to deeper, life-threatening infections. There is also the added danger of boar traps in the mountains, which have resulted in risky transport of bleeding, shocked animals in pain, by boat, to the adjacent island for emergency amputations. There is presently no veterinary care or advice on the island, no vaccination, and no population control measures except for yearly poisoning by dart or bait. Baiting usually targets the well-fed animals as they can keep the weaker strays away, resulting in a great many yearly tragedies with pets. Darting is refers to a bamboo pole with a poisoned tip – it is inflicted indiscriminately on any dog who crosses the path of the wielder. Both forms of killing are painful, slow processes.

PhaNgan Animal Care

PhaNgan Animal Care (PAC) is primarily a nursing clinic, while veterinarians will be encouraged to holiday on the island and donate a few days to assist with the neutering program. We aim to greatly improve the quality of life of PhaNgan’s animals by treating those in need, while controlling the population growth through the much more humane method of neutering. We also hope to eradicate (or at least minimise) the rabies virus from this island. These efforts will hopefully echo the success of the Dog Rescue Center, who have managed to prevent the yearly cull Lamai beach, Koh Samui through the large numbers of neuterings they have sponsored. Even greater was their instrumental role in the achievement of Thailand’s first “Rabies Free Zone”!

PAC will be permanently staffed by a veterinary nurse, and will provide, among other services:

· treatment for skin diseases

· care, with hospitalisation if necessary, for wounds

· basic nursing care for sick animals

· emergency first aid for injured animals

· ambulance assistance to the adjacent island for any emergency veterinary care needed

· implementation of a comprehensive rabies vaccination programme

· registration and records of the island’s animals to allow targeting of problem areas

· veterinary care at regular intervals

· a clinic with nursing assistance, for visiting veterinarians performing neutering

I hope that you will be able to help me ensure the survival of PAC, if only be spreading word to those you know. I hope to be able to locate permanent funding and sponsorship, and would also gratefully receive individual donations. Aside from the financial aspect, I will be:

- looking for nurses seeking a short-term position caring for animals in paradise;

- encouraging vets to take a break from the stress of practice, and feel very virtuous about it by donating a couple of days a week to neutering;

- and trying to persuade any other visitors to the island with willing hands, to assist with dog catching and transportation.

I look forward to your feedback.

Yours, Shevaun GallweyGet your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

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