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‘I Love Dogs; it’s just humans that annoy me!’ That’s the sentiment that Khun Oranuch displays on her T-Shirt with good reason. She doesn’t blame stray dogs for their predicament; it’s man-made with the dumped stray dogs of Cha-Am as a tragic example.
We met Khun Oranuch who took us on an eye-opening tour of the rubbish dump in Hup Kapong and surrounds around 10 kilometres from the Cha-Am town.
To our horror and dismay what we discovered was many hundreds of stray dogs roaming and scavenging amongst the stinking piles of rubbish as well as throughout the adjoining eucalyptus plantation. Certainly not a place on any tourist map; out of sight and out of mind.
The dramatic increase in the numbers of dogs at the rubbish site coincided with a Cha-Am town clearance campaign some six years ago.
There was evidence of some food being provided to at least give these unfortunate animals some chance of survival, if not good health. Local well-wishers, including those from other provinces regularly visit with food supplies. The only visible signs of water were a few small polluted ponds rather than any supply of fresh water.
‘Stray Dogs Cha-Am’ formed around 2014 with little fanfare. Khun Oranuch and a band of volunteers conduct a ‘catch- neuter- vaccinate – release’ program which remains active but below the ‘public radar’ to date.
Every month Stray Dogs Cha-Am has undertaken the collection of around 40-50 stray dogs, which are then neutered (male and female), vaccinated and released. Khun Oranuch says that Stray Dogs Cha-Am receives no official funding and is dependent on the good will of community members to continue.
We suggest that those who are concerned visit the Facebook page where the story is told with graphic photos that we have not published.
You may then want to consider helping by following the instructions provided or by contacting Khun Oranuch.
Phone: 0961 293 424, Facebook: www.facebook.com/straydogschaamenglish
