700 Dogs Seized in Mukdahan Thai-Lao Smugglers suspected
Mukdahan police discovered more than 800 dogs in Wan Yai district. The canines were en route to Laos and kept in cages before being shipped across the Mekong river to neighbouring Laos.
MUKDAHAN – April 21, 2012 [PDN]; The Mukdahan police were notified by locals who heard the starving dogs from a warehouse located in 119 Moo 2 Baan Wannoi, Amphur Wanyai near the Mekong river opposite Lao PDR.
Upon inspection the officers found many injured, dehydrated and starving dogs detained in small cages.
The police took the dogs to a animal shelter in Buriram province. The officers will try to find the owners of the dogs and suspected smugglers are being investigated.
The police was also notified that there were 250 dogs kept in 11 cages in a forest area near Baan Kootgongnoi also in Mukdahan province.
The police assumes that the smugglers got cold feet after the seizure of the dogs at Baan Wannoi and abandoned the cages by the road before fleeing.
Mr. Paisarn Pattanadechakul, the head of the dog shelter in Buriram said that since August 2011, there are more than 2,000 dogs at the shelter.
Circa 700 dogs have died due to hot weather and the grain diet which the dogs were not used to.
However, the officers have now vaccinated all the dogs and changed their food from grain food to boiled rice with chicken bones. Also a fan and a pool of water has been provided for the dogs.
Approximately 100 dogs have been picked-up by owners and dog lovers but more than 1,100 dogs still remain at the dog shelter in Buriram province.
