Puppy’s are typically born fluffy, cute, playful and a little bundle of happiness to have around.
Here in Chiang Mai, like many other places in Thailand and around the world, where animal welfare does not seem to feature high on peoples agendas, there are just far too many puppies. There are positive examples of dedicated local dog lovers who look after their own or even homeless dogs very well but sadly there are also many cases of animal neglect.
The saleable commodities of little bundles of pedigree fluff at pet markets – often bred and kept in appalling conditions – is sad but a reality. In a country where safety & common sense practices are disregarded. Everyday you can see 4 people riding a motor bike with the poodle, or similar toy dog, leaning on the handle bar resting it’s feet on the riders knees. Sometimes there’s even an umbrella opened above the drivers head too. Larger dogs that do not appear in pedigree book pictures are not readily accepted as a pet or family dog, though His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand, has set an example by adopting homeless dogs and encouraged others to do the same and has even published books and videos of his favourite dog “Tongdaeng”. But still, many households consider a “Thai dog” as ideal to live in their garden as a guard dog or outside their home, whilst the pedigree or toy dogs live inside the house.
