With a team of trained staff, a vehicle to transport captured stray animals, clinic and operating theatre, People and Animals Thailand is now ready to undertake its mission to significantly reduce the number of stray dogs and cats on regional streets.
People And Animals Thailand (PAT) is managed by Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT). Located between Hua Hin and Cha-Am, the clinic has been set up specifically to help deal with the overpopulation of soi dogs and cats in the region.
This is not an animal refuge or general animal hospital but a facility to realise the purpose of PAT to provide free sterilisation and vaccination services to improve the quality of life for both ‘people and animals.’
Access to the service requires an appointment; please don’t just turn up at the door with an animal in need of attention!
The project beginnings go back to 2019. After an enforced suspension due the Covid situation, we attended the relaunch of services on 18th February and have since been able to understand more thanks an invitation to revisit the PAT clinic from Project Manager Aungprai Chaitokate, (AKA Khun Auang).
Khun Auang introduced us to the staff compliment of eight who include Dr Mong, the onsite veterinarian, his two assistants, others involved in catching and transporting animals and office staff.
Staff training has been her recent priority, including practicing the best way to capture and manage these animals in the least invasive manner and the need to survey communities to understand where there is the most need.
That training has been arranged through PAT Partners in the venture, ‘Dogs Trust Worldwide’, an affiliate of the UK’s largest Dog Welfare Charity. Dogs Trust Worldwide supports projects around the globe — including Thailand, but also India and Sri Lanka, sharing their knowledge and expertise to help make big, positive and sustainable changes to dog welfare.
Desexing street animals using minimally invasive surgery and returning them to the place of capture is the most humane way to deal with the problem of overpopulation long term.
The culling or relocation of dogs is impractical for many reasons.
- Strays reproduce quickly and can replace the culled dogs within a matter of months.
- A new population will need to be vaccinated otherwise they will be susceptible to rabies and consequently spread even more diseases. PAT is typically able to return animals to their area on the same day minimising problems and enhancing animal welfare
- Sterilisation curbs the reproductive hormones (testosterone, estrogen), which can contribute to aggressive behaviour in animals. By maximising resources PAT is now able to sterilise and vaccinate around 200 animals each month.
- Vaccinating street animals against rabies is essential in tackling this problem which affects animal welfare as well as human health.
The PAT team have quickly established their role in tackling this massive problem. Not only are they able to achieve significant numbers of sterilisations, but they do so professionally with ethically practice for the highest standards of animal care.
Khun Auang is now busy establishing cooperative relationships with government departments, the private sector and community leaders. Connecting and obtaining the cooperation of the many dog rescue organisations is also important to realise the best outcomes.
People and Animals Thailand Clinic: All sterilisations are strictly by appointment only
Where: On the east (ocean) side of Phetchakasim Road near the 197 kilometre marker alongside ‘The Energy’
When: Office hours are 8 AM to 5 PM
Contact: Phone 099 9292530, pat@wfft.org
For more information https://www.peopleanimalsthailand.org/
See a previous RCR article at https://royalcoastreview.com/2023/02/a-new-beginning-for-the-pat-animal-sterilisation-and-vaccination-clinic/
