Another goodbye, this time from the Animal Rescue Center

When we moved to Bangkok, I was quite sad to leave the Animal Rescue Center behind. Although I wasn't legally in charge and just doing some PR work, I was emotionally involved. It was always a dream to support, or even run a center like this. So I was quite happy that Trevor Freeman told me he wants to open one. It took a while to find a suitable place, and even longer to set up at least basic infrastructure there. When I left Laos, it was just good enough to take in emergency cases (it has changed over time, facilities are much better). But there was always some disagreement about priorities. While I was insisting it is a rescue center, the owners were focussing on the commercial part, the dog hotel. It made some sense, since donations were really low, and the dog hotel brought some income. Also, I didn't like the way the hotel dogs were kept, most of the time on a leash or in a small cage, and adressed this before we left Laos. It seems now that the Rescue part totally failed. There are some kittens, but thats it. The focus is now on not only the hotel, but also breeding, something I never wanted (the first puppies I was told were an accident. Now I know it was intentional). I don't think that money went into the wrong channels. As you can see at the center, a lot of work was done. Also, Foxy, the small dog who didn't make it and the kittens needed medical care, that doesn't come for free. But, I never had an insight to the accounting books. Beside the "you can see whenever you want" no other action was taken to actually show me the numbers. Still, I believe that the donations were used for the center (I know it at least for the time when I was still there). But I think the focus shifted from a rescue center to a business (what it is formally, a company, but that was done to set it up quickly and not having some greedy officials sitting next to you). Recent developments and the way they were handled by the owner and manager of the center raised concerns. Doubts came about integrity, but also about my role. It doesn't make sense to be involved in something when you only have to execute. So I decided to leave this project. It is up to you, dear reader, to support the center or not. But before you do it, go there, have a look by yourself, and ask what the money is specifically used for. Just to get a better picture. Or insist on the use of the money. Laos doesn't have a center like this, and it needs one. The US Embassy support the WWF Wildlife Center with 50.000 USD, while the LARC never got a single dollar from them. Dogs are left to die when they are sick in Laos, and that should not be the case. Also, we just had not enough money to start educational programs. I know that Paws4thoughts are working on that, and wish them Good Luck with it.

How Lao people treat their dogs

Of course, there is no The Lao people. That is actually my point. I see people loving their dogs and treat them as pets. I see people who don't respect dogs at all and treat them like shit. I see people who are scared of dogs and those who over humanize them. Not so different from western countries.



But there is on difference: You rarely see dogs suffering in Western countries. If someone sees a sick dog, they try to help. In Laos, still only a few people really care about the dogs health. Although the number of patients at Dr. Khamdengs clinic is increasing, it is just not enough. Many people claim the lack of money as a reason, but that is just an typical excuse: they have enough money for other less important things, even if they are poor. (and yes, I am aware I am talking mainly about city people. In rural areas it is a different story).

I observed people in my Lao peer group how they handle dogs. One neighbour cares, but no cation, not even a tick collar. They really love the dog and even try to keep it away form the street. But no way they get him to the vet.

Other neighbours care a lot: They took their Cocker Spaniel to the vet for a surgery when she lost a lot of blood. They are not rich at all, not even middle class.

A quite wealthy family loves their dogs as well, but you always see them disappearing after a while. They get hit by a car or die by untreated diseases. Same goes for a poor family - sometimes I even think they eat the dogs since they mainly disappear when they are 1.5 - 2 years old.

One wealthy family has a dog who has distemper. He shows all the signs, he looks really sick. The family just extended the big house, they have 4 cars, one of them with a government plate. When I asked the daughter if they ever took the dog to a vet, she said no. She did not even understand why.

We spend some money to get neighbours dogs spayed and neutered and vaccinated. The owners appreciated the help, but would never ever do it themselves. Maybe they are spoiled by foreigners who pay for it. Paws4Thoughts is doing good work with vaccinations, but I have doubts about the return rate for the follow ups as longs as it is not free.

Is it faith, that people here give up so easily?

So some advice for the few Lao people reading this and caring:

• Get you dog vaccinated, no matter how old he or she is.
• Get the dog neutered/spayed - there are still enough dogs in Laos, no need to get more.
• Keep the dogs in your yard, and walk them on a leash so they can't get hit by a car - and can't get infected by other dogs that easy.

Diapers, Garbage and Dogs

There are actually only two things that annoy me in Laos: One is burning trash and the other thing is placing open baskets full of garbage on the streets. There is NO sense of locking the garbage in a plastic bucket that keeps it safe from dogs. So what happens is that dogs see (or better smell) the trash with all it's eatable contents and distribute it all over the streets. More serious is that since now also diapers are part of the waste, dogs seem to like them the most. The result you can see in the picture below.
I think this may result in a serious public health threat. Open diapers with baby poop in the streets may attract any kind of animals, from rats to viruses.
Oh, and don't blame the dogs. If it's not dogs that pull out that stuff, it will be cats or rats or .... Laos needs a proper waste management. Replace bamboo baskets with lockable plastic boxes and put them only on the street when it is collection day - done. It is easy and not even expensive. It is not a matter of money or culture, it is a matter of will.