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Monday 7 April 2014

Spotlight on.... Soi Dog Foundation

As April is 'help the homeless Animals' month here at Project52, it seemed only fitting to have a Q&A session with a wonderful not-for-profit organisation, the Soi Dog Foundation!

With thanks to Gregg at Soi Dog.

Soi Dog foundation is a relatively young foundation, it is a not-for-profit foundation aimed at helping the dogs and cats of Phuket, Thailand, and was started in 2003, meaning that it has recently celebrated it's 10th anniversary. What inspired you to want to become involved in working for Soi Dog Foundation?

Soi Dog Foundation has a great reputation in the animal welfare field. For years, I had heard that Soi Dog not only has a well-run animal shelter, it is establishing a healthier, smaller dog population throughout the island of Phuket, it responds to disasters, and it collaborates with other organizations. This, combined with the fact that the organization is growing rapidly, motivated me to join Soi Dog. 

Many charities and not-for-profit organizations use charity shops, public donations or fundraising events such as table-top sales to raise funds and awareness for their cause. How does Soi Dog foundation raise awareness for their cause; the dogs and cats of Phuket that need aid and care?

Our most effective means for raising awareness is our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SoiDogPageInEnglish . We post stories of the dogs and cats we rescue and restore to health, updates about our campaign to end the dog meat trade, and other news. Our website.www.soidog.org, also has a lot of information. Soi Dog supporters around the world plan events to raise awareness and much-needed funds to help the dogs and cats in Thailand. Because Soi Dog receives no money from the government and is entirely dependent on donations from people around the world, this support is essential.

A rescued cat receiving treatment

Upon doing research for this Q&A session, I found articles that claimed that Soi Dog Foundation was a scam, and then many times in those same articles, revealed that they had found that others were committing scams and fraud by claiming to be a part of Soi Dog Foundation, and then giving false links for people to send donations to, some even went as far as to pose as the founder of Soi Dog Foundation, John Dalley. [NB I spoke to a member of the real Soi Dog Foundation for this Q&A session]. How has these scams that have clearly slandered the name of Soi Dog Foundation damaged it's reputation and how has Soi Dog bounced back from this?

It's very sad that some people feel the need to hurt organizations that are successful, or use that success for their own ends. Soi Dog has been subjected to this, but the impact was really quite small. Many people know that Soi Dog is doing effective hands-on work to help animals in need, and very few people have been convinced by any misrepresentations. 

One of the ways that Soi Dog raises the much needed funds for veterinary care of the animals is by adoption/sponsorship of some of the animals in Soi Dog's care, how else does Soi Dog raise funds for their cause?

Our most important source of support is from people sponsoring animals in our care (https://www.soidog.org/en/sponsor-a-dog-or-cat/). Some people make larger donations, such as for building a shelter for dogs rescued from the dog meat trade, which is wonderful. We also request grants from foundations that give to animal welfare programs.

"Sleeky" - A Dog helped by Soi Dog Foundation

A wonderful example of how others can see for themselves the important work Soi Dog Foundation does is by viewing 'soi-dogs the-movie' How has the film changed the public's view of Soi Dog and has it had a positive impact on the future of the foundation?

The movie has been terrific for raising awareness about Soi Dog Foundation worldwide. It has also given us legitimacy by showing that we really help many dogs and cats in need.

Another way that Soi Dog foundation helps the homeless animals of Phuket is by finding them new homes, some times these new homes can be abroad, with a travel carer assigned to the dog to help them successfully fly from Thailand to their new country of residence. Do you have a favourite re-homing story to share?

Soi Dog foundation has managed to expand to have a branch in Bangkok, Thailand and has previously joined forces with other animal rescue groups to support each other during times of flooding. What are Soi Dog Foundation plans for the future?

We definitely intend to address the huge stray dog problem in Bangkok. There are hundreds of thousands of dogs there and we need to spay, neuter, and vaccinate the majority of them to humanely reduce their population and decrease the incidence of rabies. We also want to extend Soi Dog's reach to other places where there are large street dog populations, in Thailand and possibly elsewhere. 

Finally, if there was anything you could say to the readers of Project52 blog, what would that be?

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Soi Dog. All of our work to help animals is only possible because of support from people like you!

Thank You Gregg from myself and the readers of Project52 for helping Soi Dog Foundation carry out their important work!

12 comments:

  1. My wife and I are sickend by the video we saw this morning at soidog where Ricky Gervais was speaking on behalf of these poor animals. We have rescued several dogs ourselves here in the States and can't help but feel that; where does the dog meat end up? Is it sold globally? If it is and also shows up here in the States the one way to stop the trade is, boycott the Tai food industry where ever you live. Simply, if there is no demand, this tradgedy would end. Any country that allows or deals in this absurd cruelty should be boycotted too to stop the madness now. I will never partake in Tai food or Korean food EVER!

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    1. Well articulated. I'm sure the chickens,cattle, lambs and pigs of America applaud you for your "principles" and moral understanding.🙏

      Now please tell me what exactly hypocrisy means to you ?🤔

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  2. Unfortunately we are just as bad. We wont spend the $$ in our slaughter mills here in the US to put animals down humanely for food because it cost more $ for those mills so the workers in those slaughter mills kill horribly and torture pigs and cows and chickens. The fur industry and sheep skin industry all of them are just as bad. Unfortunately we don't post pictures in grocery stores or make the public aware because everyone in this country would become a vegan if they really saw the way we get our food, or how and where the leather purses,shoes,furniture etc were made. The average person doesnt want to know about it. Children would be horrified if they new if their parents told them or schooled them on or showed them the reality .. we just accept it here and everywhere. It's very hard to make sure we vow not to use or eat anything made from an animal. We are all brought up not to think twice about it. I am saddened by it all. AWARENESS is the only thing I can think of to make people think twice. But even then when you try to talk to the average person about being a vegan or standing up for the animals they treat you like your a nutcase or an extremist. It's very sad.

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  3. I agree. SAD indeed!

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  4. No we are not "Just as bad". I don't know of anyone who requires someone to terrify the animals as much as possible, then grab a cow/calf/lamb/etc and tie it up & beat it with sticks, sling a noose round it's neck and hold it in the air while people scream at it and beat it some more, break it's legs, cut off it's feet & continue hitting it, skin it alive, torture it some more, then throw it screaming into a boiling pot of water all so that they can fulfil some delusion that this will make the meat taste nicer. Do you? I also don't know of anyone who would be happy to have this happen to people's stolen pets just so they could have lunch.

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    1. We are not just as bad at all. It's about the torture. West has regulations and cHINA HAS NONE SO IT'S A FREE FOR ALL. They risk disease. And there are laws regards theft in China. Many are stolen pets. We don't steal animals and take them to slaughterer for a few bucks. As much as it is terrorfying for our animals at slaughter the very least I can say is that it happens quite fast thankgoodness. The wests slaughter houses have procedure and policy and best practice and so on where Chinese dog butchers toeture and torture for ages it's slow and severe cruelty. For instance the dog may be in a pot of hot water his fur has fallen out due to the heat but he's kept alive till someone wants to eat him freshly killed. So he's struggling to get out and the man pick him up and instead of rescuing he gets put back in the hot water vthis can happen over n over. It's a tragedy this is an abomination. And the ameteur back yard butcher in China can kill his own dog and they do. The closest thing westeners do is have a bbq with the animal has been kill at the slaughter house and is processed there and trucked to the shops and sold to the backyard bbq. We don't hang dead animals in the open and we don't kill them in public. We do not teach torture and we do have some laws in place to help eliminate the torture. It's not a perfect way not at all. we all would do better to adopt a cruelty free lifestyle and leave them all off our plates however what the dogs and cats of asia go thru is intended delibrate torture. We are not the same at all. And anyone ignorant enough to say this is a troll really. People need to learn and research before making stupid comments undermining the efforts of us who are trying to help the dogs and cats and other animals there. To squash a person by saying what about the way the west kills there meat n then eats it etc, etc is trolling to undermine the topic. These people are fanatics and are really just getting around these pages to be contrary and weaken our decision to help the dogs n cats and other animals because these ignoramouses say 'well, you eat meat and are just as bad as the Chinese who eat dogs.' So what then? Do these idiot fanatics offer some wencouragement. Never! These fanatics who say we are the same but it's a different animal is undermining and minimising what we are doing which is educate everyone and stop the torture and easting of the dogs all of them the stolen ones too. So think before you speak. Some of us work very hard at getting this horrific fiendish practice banned. I'd bet these stupid commenters who say were just as bad I'd bet they have notbothered to write letters re dogmeat eating etc to the Chinese govt to get laws passed for welfare of all animals in China or started a group of vegans to swap recipes or even written and asked for the banning of (many issues to choose. I'd bvet these fanatics are so busy getting in the way posting cut down comment of dicouragement to even thimnk of signing a petition or een starting a campaign). Hopefully they will grow up in the head and help not be stupid and make idiot stupid comments.

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    2. MoiFemColeur..(I am not a good writer), but an activist as much as I can be..I AGREE WITH YOU..100%...I do not eat any animals.. I hate 'any' slaughter, animals know what is happening, they do. they have fear and they sense it.. but what is done in these countries, endless pain Fear and torture, poor innocent creatures. Dogs, mans best friend. I cannot fathom, cannot, how they can do this, watch a struggling animal, in unspeakable pain and not feel anything..no pity, nothing.. how can you live with yourself, what is wrong with you? In the name of God, how can this be happening, is what goes on in my mind. And the torture for strange customs that will not bring 'luck', but what I hope only bring ****KARMA**.....The anger, and sadness welling up in me just writing this..Thank you for your comments. And thank you , wonderful people, helping these beautiful creatures..Animals, our greatest gift..

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  5. OMG! Why is our species so vile? I know it is not everybody, but when we are vile, we are beyond the pale. May all those who practice this savage behavior and take part in it by allowing it (gov), buy it and eat it, and attend these savage festivals reap what they sow.

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  6. Myself and my entire family went vegan a yr and a half ago. It's really not that hard and I can tell you my body feels better and my soul has less guilt. I still feel pained for these poor animals but we help as much as possible and try our hardest to influence others. My 14 yr old daughter feels so strongly about it she got her school to have vegetarian days twice a week and vegetarian choices every day. It's a start and I'm very proud of her. We all must keep talking and informing even if they think we are nuts. It's worth it to save animals!

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  7. I admire all the efforts all of you have done and are continuing to do to abolish this cruel and heartless acts against these dogs and cats. It is hard to believe this happens in this day and age and for those in those countries that do this, I know there is a special place in hell waiting for them. I hope so anyway because anyone who could do this to these animals have no soul or heart.

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