The Volunteers Devote Their Efforts To Helping Stray Dogs

The volunteers and Thai staff devote their efforts to helping stray dogs and cats who live on the streets and in the temples. Sherry Conisbee, the co-founder of Soi Dog Rescue, says, "There are an estimated 300,000 dogs and untold hundreds of thousands of cats; too many for our small group to cover. But we do what we can." Soi Dog Rescue focuses on spay/neuter programs in target communities in conjunction with community educational programs. In just over three years, Soi Dog Rescue has managed to spay over 2,567 cats and dogs. Soi Dog Rescue also runs an adoption service which gives a few lucky strays permanent homes in Thailand and in the USA.
Soi Dog Rescue currently relies on volunteer overseas vets or treatments at private vet clinics in Bangkok, both time-consuming to arrange and expensive. Having a full-time vet on board will cost as little as USD 1,000 per month (around $35,000 Thai baht). This will significantly increase the number of sterilizations they can perform each day and their ability to cope with more vaccinations and treatments for the thousands of sick, injured and abused cats and dogs on the city's streets.
Petboogaloo salutes Sherry Conisbee and the team at Soi Dog Rescue for their dedication to improving the lives of Bangkok's street dogs. And in their doing so, creating a happier healthier environment for everyone.Those interested in the helping Soi Dog Rescue can visit their blogPetBoogaloo is a cause-based social networking site for pet lovers. The idea is that pets generally bring out the best in people. As like-minded people from around the world share their experiences and feelings about their pet, and as more relationships are formed, the more peaceful our planet becomes.

Stray Dogs In Bhutan

The rising dog population is becoming a major problem for Bhutan. Coupled with this, the small number of veterinarians in the country has made the problem more accute. To control the country's dog population, government took up sterilization program in the 1970's but it has not been very successful.The current sterilization program started in 1991. The main reason behind this failure is lack of continuity and shortage of veterinarians. Kuensel Online reports:The reason these campaigns fell short, say experts from Vets Beyond Borders (VBB), an Australian-based, non-profit organisation, which trains local veterinary and para-veterinary staff and aims to address the overpopulation of street dogs, was the country’s failure to continue the programme on a regular basis.“The programmes have been very sporadic and uncoordinated,” said the veterinary director of VBB, Dr Ian H Douglas, who met with officials from the department of livestock yesterday to discuss and share ways to tackle the country’s ever-increasing canine population.Dr Douglas said that the programme has to be continued with high-level effort for two to three consecutive years, with about three or four teams operating five days a week. “Sterilising a few weeks here and another few weeks at some other place will make no difference at all.”So far, the country has been conducting just one or two sterilisation programmes a year, which last between 10 to 15 days.Dr Catherine Schuetze, VBB’s president, added that the country’s attempts to control the dog population was rendered ineffective because of lack of resources and manpower. “It’s just not possible because there aren’t enough staff and vets who, on an average, manage to sterilise or vaccinate between four and 20 percent of the dogs,” she said.According to the data collected in 2005, the dog population of Bhutan stands at about 50,000. For this 50,000 there are only 22 veterinarians.Being a Bhuddist country, killing dog is considered very unethical and immoral. Aside from sterilizing, culling and impounding dogs are good ways but they are not very effective. Impounding dogs can be a very good solution for controlling the dog population but it is very expensive. According to Dr Catherine Schuetze, President, Vets Beyond Borders (VBB), Bhutan government would have to spend more than 5000 Nu per year for each dog impounded. VBB’s director, Dr Ian H Douglas said that their agency is planning to introduce a coordinated national Animal Birth Control-Anit-Rabies programme to control the dog population.

Beware Of Stray Dogs

India has the highest number of deaths caused by rabies every year. The main source of this disease is dog bites. Despite huge number of deaths, there are not many hospitals that are dedicated to cure rabies patients. I am quoting from the report published in Hindustan Times: Beware of stray dogs! An estimated 19,000 people die every year due to rabies in India, accounting for nearly 35 percent of such deaths worldwide.According to data available with the World Health Organisation (WHO), nearly 55,000 people succumb to rabies mostly caused by dog bites. Of this, Asia accounts for 31,000 deaths.The majority of the cases were reported from India followed by Bangladesh with about 2,000 deaths.The global health watchdog also said that an estimated 10 million are treated each year after being bitten by dogs. Of this, 1.8 million receive the treatment in India alone.According to H K Pandey, chief spokesman, World Health Organization (WHO), the number of stray dogs in India is higher compared to other countries and the government should vaccinate the dogs. India has only one anti rabies hospital, Maharishi Valmiki Infectious Diseases Hospital in Delhi. According to Rajender Singh, chief medical officer of Valmiki hospital, lack of awareness among physicians about this disease is the major problem. There are many physicians in the rural areas that do not know about this disease. Dog, cat, jackal, bat, camel and other warm blooded animal bites mainly cause this disease and if the patients are treated as soon as possible then, they would come around.India may have been observing rapid economic growth but all the sectors of the country do not observe this growth and all the people do not enjoy the benefits of this economic growth. In India not all people have access to doctors and medical treatments. The country has already topped the charts in terms of the number of HIV infected people. Few months ago, Dengue caused havoc in the country. Now, here is another major disease spread by stray dogs. I hope Indian government takes necessary steps to protect its people from this deadly disease.

dog’s body

IN  Austin , Bed bugs are common   because  of the favorable  climate in the area.  Even though the bugs mostly target humans, it is approximate for them to feed on dog blood and on other pets such as cats if conditions warrant, such as inability to reach humans upon which to feed. In fact, it is true to say that any animal that is warm-blooded is susceptible to bed bug infestation. No longer are they to be found only in bedding where it is easy for them to get to humans.

Protecting the bedroom alone from bedbugs is not enough to eradicate them from your home. They can easily move to other areas, especially areas where pets such as dogs sleep, leaving you exposed to further infestation. The bugs mostly attack the belly of a dog as it is not too hairy compared to other parts of the dog’s body. The dog might show bald spots and scabs from the bites of fleas and bedbugs, which makes it easy to tell when a dog is infested.

Dogs can get the bedbugs from out in the lawn and bring them into your household. Over time these insect pests will breed and spread to your bedding, causing you and your family sleepless nights. Although there are different brands of pesticides that are designed to repel bedbugs, most of them are not approved to use on pets as they can be harmful to the animal. This leaves most people confused as to what to do with pets that are infested with the bugs.

This is where the pest control companies and professionals exterminators come in handy. The professionals know the most effective methods for ridding your home and your pets of these parasites. They use different products depending on where the bugs are located, leaving you, your family and your pets in good shape and free from harm. It is important to have your pets treated periodically by pest control professionals as it is almost impossible to keep insects from getting onto your pets and getting back into the house. There is no telling what insect your pet might bring into the house from its many trips outside and back

Stray dogs now is a part of the security apparatus at Bangalore Airport

The management of Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) has spared no expense to ensure your safety.

Bangalore’s very own international airport has achieved the distinction of being the first airport in the country  to implement a multi-tier security regime. BIAL has added an extra layer of security in the form of 300 stray dogs who are standing guard and watching over visitor and VIP movement in its premises. This unique arrangement has been made possible thanks to a unique Public-Private-Stray engagement model evolved by the BIAL management.

The extra layer of security at BIAL
While most airports in the country and around the world may have one or at the max two levels of security, BIAL boasts of a three-tier arrangement consisting of CISF, private security guards and stray dogs at the periphery. When contacted, a proud and beaming BIAL spokesperson Chavvani Lal said “this is indeed a remarkable achievement for our airport. The external security cordon that we have enforced is completely dependent on stray dogs. And I am not speaking about ordinary mongrels here. These are the best strays in the country and have been picked from localities where they forced people to move out”.

When Humor Unplugged visited BIAL, we found strays roaming everywhere. The mission hounds were keeping a watch over everyone, especially people with food. “These animals have been trained to keep an eye on people consuming perishables in the premises. Such people could be carrying biochemical weapons on them and we need to be extremely careful. So if a stray comes near you and snatches food from your hands, don’t be alarmed and cooperate with these dogs as they are simply doing their duty by testing your food. This is in the larger interest of passengers using our state of the art airport,” Lal said.

BIAL’s senior management, according to sources is mulling a proposal to increase the number of strays guarding the airport. “I have no problems with that since I never use BIAL. I always travel to either Chennai or Hyderabad if I have to catch a flight,” a senior BIAL guy told Humor Unplugged over a Skype chat.

Try the Best You Can to Save the Stray Dogs and Cats of Ukraine

Stray dogs and cats all around the world are always victimised, simply because they cannot defend themselves or speak up for themselves and sadly the human race take advantage of these facts and take unnecessary and cruel acts into their own murderous hands.

I am talking about the current situation of how Ukraine think it is right to deal with the stray dogs and cats.

In a city called Lysychansk in Ukraine, the authorities think that the way to deal with the stray dogs and cats is to capture the strays and throw them into a 900 degree oven and burn them alive.

It is particularly concerning for me to hear that authorities say this is a "more modern, environmentally safe way of taking care of this problem" and what is even more shocking is, this has come about in the name of the UEFA European Football Championship.

As soon as Ukraine realised that they had jointly won the bid with Poland to host the UEFA Euro 2012 they embarked on their clean up plan to rid the streets of the stray dogs and cats, that have always lived there without harming anyone.

This is the not the first time Ukraine News has reported how badly treated their stray dogs and cats are. Ukraine have already been known in the past to use an illegal poison called ditiline, of which has a shocking effect on the poor stray animals, the respiratory muscles of the victim are paralyzed and the poor creatures lungs fail.

Isn't it sad that a country receives some fame and glory and then all sense and what is morally right just goes out the window?!
Why should the stray dogs and cats suffer because of Ukraine getting some much needed fame?
The only thing this has bought to my attention is bad press for Ukraine, nothing positive is coming out of the inhumane acts they are carrying out and certainly this will be bad for Ukraine tourism.

The only fair and humane way forward, is Neuter and Spay I will never accept that killing innocent creatures that have played no part in their misfortune should be punished and have their poor lives cruelly stolen from them.

If no-one ever speaks up for these poor stray dogs and cats nothing will ever change, these control freaks think that they are like god and can make these type of decisions, which they have no right to.

In this world we are living in, just one person speaking out about something that they strongly believe in can make all the difference.
Maybe you are that one person...

If you are purchasing tickets UEFA Euro 2012 tickets you need to be aware of what the authorities are doing to the stray dogs and cats of Ukraine.
We all love football, but no-one loves the innocent stray dogs and cats of Ukraine burnt alive in order for Ukraine to host UEFA 2012.

And to all you animal lovers out there, there are plently of stray dogs to adopt or help in Ukraine if you can.

Poor Stray dogs in India

There are more than 30 million stray dogs in India, in urban as well as rural areas. A good number of these dogs in the urban setting are more community dogs rather than feral. Stray dogs is used to refer to lost and abandoned pets or others that had been socialized to humans before taking to the free-ranging life, and feral refer to those who have lived all their lives apart from people.

Most free-roaming dogs belong to an ancient canine race known as the pariah dog, which has existed all over Asia and Africa ever since human beings started living in settlements. They are scavengers–that is, they live on garbage created by humans. In India the breed has existed for perhaps 14,000 years or more. In addition to scavenging, they are widely kept as pets by rural and urban slum households.

Part of the urban stray population consists of mongrels or mix-breeds–descended from pure-breed dogs that have been allowed to interbreed with pariahs.

The size of stray dog populations always corresponds to the size and character of the human population of the area. Urban India has two features which create and sustain stray dog populations:

1) Large amounts of exposed garbage, which provide an abundant source of food.

2) A huge population of slum and street-dwellers, who often keep the dogs as free-roaming pets.

Mumbai has over 12 million human residents, of whom over half are slum-dwellers. At least 500 tons of garbage remain uncollected daily. Therefore, conditions are perfect for supporting a particularly large population of stray dogs.
The problem:
The biggest problem created by these dogs is rabies an dog bites.

Rabies can be a fatal disease which can be transmitted to humans. Although all placental mammals can get and transmit rabies, dogs are one the most common carriers. India has the highest number of human rabies deaths in the world (estimated at 35,000 per year).

Dog bites can occur when dogs are trying to mate or fighting among themselves. Pedestrians and other humans in the vicinity may be bitten by the fighting dogs. Females with pups are often protective and may bite people who approach their litter.

The solution:
Killing the dogs doesnt really work. Mass killing is a fruitless, inhumane, ineffective task and certainly didn’t work in other countries too, like in the seven years that Bucharest permitted it – street dog numbers did not decline.

Most states in India have been killing stray dogs for decades. The idea came from ‘developed countries’ without understanding the very different urban conditions in India. India has rubbish dumps and slum areas, which attract strays. Dogs removed are easily replaced.

When a dog is taken away:
· His territory becomes vacant and dogs from around move in to occupy the area.
· Dogs continue to multiply, so the areas are soon filled again.
· Dog fights increase, because each time a new dog enters an area he is attacked by the dogs already in there.
· During dog fights many humans get accidentally bitten.
· Rabies spreads to humans, due to no vaccination programs of strays
· Rabies continues to spread because the dog-catchers are reluctant to pick up a rabid dog – so only healthy dogs get killed.

The effective solution is a methodical Sterilization, vaccination, adoption, education and clean living. Educating and reaching people about sterilization of not only stray dogs, but pets to control the population, educating about living in balance wit the dogs and extending compassion.
ABC Animal birth control scheme set up by the Indian government to control the dog population by sterilization as opposed to the traditional method of killing dogs.
Under this program, stray dogs are surgically neutered and then replaced in their own area. They are also vaccinated against rabies.
The problem of pathetic implementation of this scheme, and government shelters being torture chambers instead for the dogs is a different point that I will write about in another post.

It is a slow process and often, cities go back to culling and create problems for the Animal Welfare orgs. Lets all try to reach out to as many as we can and discuss the solutions. Volunteers make the biggest difference in any effort. Volunteers, who take their community dogs to sterilization and vaccination events, volunteers who help the abused or diseased animals.

Indian Pariah dogs, native dogs, and mixes actually make for great pets because they are native breeds and already accustomed to the land and climate unlike foreign breeds which fail to thrive as easily. Read more about the Indian Pariah dog and native breeds here http://indianpariahdog.blogspot.com/

To Read more about Animal Birth control in India http://abcindia.org.in/

There are always ethical questions about Excessive sterilization and eventual elimination of native breeds. But for right now the above solution is the current solution to help implement because

    There is a big imbalance between the human dog peaceful existence in India. The apathy and lack of compassion will always lead to mass culling getting accepted as a normal thing.
    It is generally accepted that many of the free-roaming dogs in Indian cities and towns(urban) are actually mix-breeds (mongrels), though some certainly look more "mixed" than others. Pure Pariah and native dogs are more common in rural and remote areas where there are no Eurobreeds or other types of dog to interbreed with.
    There are 30 million strays in India. A good sterilization, vaccination implementation will reduce the occurrence and hence fear of rabies. Some additional compassion outreach, adoption and volunteer encouragement will help change the outlook towards strays.

Of course, these are ideal solutions and work best in theory. A practical implementation of the solution is far from being anywhere close to workable and much more painful for the dogs and humans both. Thank you for dropping by. Please do leave your comments and ideas about the post.

Nonprofit finds New York City home for stray dog from Afghanistan

JUST A FEW months ago, Meena and her puppies were existing in a hole outside an American base in Kabul, Afghanistan, which was about to be sealed off for security reasons.

Today, the year-old Afghan Kuchi dog is living in the lap of luxury in a Greenwich Village townhouse.

"The dog would sneak out through a hole in the fence to scavenge for food for her and her three pups," wrote former British Marine Pen Farthing, in an email from Afghanistan.

"A Royal Marine mate of mine knew that Momma Dog [AKA MEENA\]would effectively be trapped and starve, and he called me asking if we could get her to the shelter," he added.

Farthing has been rescuing stray Afghan fighting dogs since 2007, when one wandered onto his base - and into his heart - in Nowzad, Afghanistan.

His busy Kabul shelter is where many stray dogs and cats land after being befriended by kind soldiers who are forbidden to keep them on their military bases.

The country's unwieldy stray population is largely a result of dog-fighting, a popular sport to which puppies often lose their ears and tails to stay competitive.

"These animals are also the victims of war," said Gianna Valerio, a social work student who adopted Meena after spotting her photo on the Soldiers' Animal Companions Fund website (www.sacfund.org).

The Seattle-based group, which helps raise tax-deductible funds for Nowzad Dogs, helped facilitate the adoption and arranged for Meena's transport to the U.S.

In mid-September, the lucky pup embarked on a flight on Emirates Airline to JFK, where she was greeted by her new family. Her pups were adopted by Afghan nationals in Kabul.

Today, Meena shares her spacious Christopher St. home with Valerio's husband, Charles, teenagers Alex, 15, and Zoe, 12, and their menagerie of animals. The graceful guard dog is cohabitating nicely with their 10-year-old long-haired chocolate dachshund, Xeno, and three rescued kitties, Spice, Jaguar and Mezzo.

When she's not romping at the Leroy St. dog run or honing obedience skills, the gentle golden long-haired beauty can be found guarding the front door. At night, she sleeps on a bed in Alex's room instead of her crate.

After all, the Afghan Kuchi is a guard and working dog that follows nomads, protecting flocks of sheep, goats and other livestock from predators and thieves.

Nowzad Dogs, Farthing's UK-based nonprofit organization, has saved nearly 250 dogs for soldiers who come from the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Holland, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Many are reunited with the soldiers once they finish their tour of duty.

In addition to sheltering the animals and finding them loving homes, Nowzad works to protect the local communities by vaccinating the dogs for rabies and parvo.

The all-volunteer group recently partnered with American Dog Rescue, a U.S.-based nonprofit led by philanthropist Arthur Benjamin, which also allows U.S. supporters to make a tax deductible donations to Nowzad. ADR is also helping to implement a humane trap-neuter-return program to reduce the stray dog population in Afghanistan.

Still, Farthing says running a charity can get rough. In an effort to help more dogs find homes in the U.S., he hopes to launch Nowzad USA.

His struggles to help these dogs are documented in his books, "One Dog at a Time" and "No Place Like Home."

Consider these factors to make sure you're a match

There are plenty of cliche things that people say about dogs: that they're man's best friend, that they love you unconditionally and that behind those cold noses, there are warm hearts. But while dog owners might feel a bit silly about repeating those old chestnuts, they'll also admit they're absolutely true.

Before you get a dog, doing a bit of background research is important, but keep in mind that you also have a valuable resource right in your community - the local animal shelter. Shelter dogs are often the ones that are "invisible" - out of the public eye and therefore, out of mind as well. Best Friends Animal Society has created the "Invisible Dogs" campaign to call attention to the hundreds of thousands of very real, but unseen dogs hoping to be adopted from U.S. animal shelters, any of which might be right for your home.

Whether your household has one person or 10, a dog can fit right in, but not every dog fits with every home. At shelters across the country, the pet experts on the staff can help match you with an adoptable dog, based on your lifestyle and the dog's personality and traits. Because you can meet shelter dogs before bringing them home, it's easier to make the perfect puppy love connection.

When you're ready to start looking for the right dog for you, consider these tips from Best Friends Animal Society and InvisibleDogs.org:

* Be honest about your lifestyle. Everyone has a different schedule, and dogs have schedules of their own. If you're away from home a lot, consider dogs that have lower energy levels and minimal exercise demands. However, if you love to go for a run in the morning and a long stroll every evening, you might be a good match for a dog that has a bit more of a get-up-and-go demeanor.

* How much maintenance? Some dogs have wash-and-wear coats that don't require grooming other than a nice bath every so often. Others will need to be combed and still others will need haircuts to keep their coat in check, or to be more comfortable in the summer heat. Opt for a dog with a coat that matches the level of dedication you're ready to put into grooming, keeping in mind that it's not too much of a hassle for any dog. Also remember that you'll need to care for his toenails and teeth to keep him feeling his best.

* Find a personality match. Some dog owners like their pups to be right on their lap as much as possible, while others prefer a companion who is a little more independent. While breed can have some effect on this, it also largely depends on the individual dog. Meeting a dog at a shelter will let you spend a little time together to see if you're a good combination.

Big or small, shaggy or sleek, the dog that's right for you is out there waiting. With a bit of forethought and a few one-on-one meetings with available dogs, you'll be well prepared to find the dog that will be the companion of a lifetime. And when you do, it won't be long before you're telling everyone that your dog really is your best friend. To learn more about helping adoptable dogs,

Miracle Dog Also Need Our Help

Hundreds of people from around the country are looking to adopt a young stray dog who cheated death inside an Alabama gas chamber.

Daniel, a beagle mix who is better known as the "Miracle Dog," was left anonymously in a drop box outside an Alabama pound. His life was supposed to end Oct. 3 in a carbon monoxide chamber at the Animal Control facility in Florence, Ala., but he emerged unscathed.

Workers at the facility chose to name the dog "Daniel" after the biblical figure who survived the lion's den. The 4-year-old pooch was then flown to New Jersey, where he remains in the temporary custody of Jill Pavlik, a volunteer with the nonprofit Eleventh Hour Rescue group.

"From the time he stepped off the plane, he's been a happy-go-lucky sweetheart of a dog," Pavlik told FoxNews.com on Tuesday.

"We have so many applications for adoption, we cannot keep up," Pavlik said. "We want a family that is willing to take care of him his whole life. He needs a lot of love and exercise ... a soft place to put his head at night."

She said Daniel had a meet-and-great with a prospective family from New Jersey that went very well.

"We're hoping it works out," she said.

Only three animals have survived the gas chamber at the facility in Florence, Ala., in the past 12 years. 

"Maybe God just had a better plan for this one," city spokesman Phil Stevenson told the Associated Press.

Stevenson said the gas chamber is a stainless-steel box roughly the size of a pickup truck bed, and dogs are put into the chamber about seven or eight at a time. A computer-controlled pump slowly feeds carbon monoxide into the chamber once it's sealed, and an operator presses a button.

Normally, the animals just go "to sleep slowly. It's like the cases you hear about where people are overcome by carbon monoxide in their home and just never wake up," he said.

On Oct. 3, a new animal control officer placed the stray beagle into the chamber with several other animals and started the machine, Stevenson said.

Variables that could allow a dog to survive such a gassing include the number of animals placed in the chamber, the concentration of carbon monoxide, whether the chamber is airtight or gas is leaking out and the health of the animal, said Julie Morris, senior vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. Young, healthy animals have the best chance for survival.

Since carbon monoxide is heavier than air, it sinks, so a tall dog, or one that climbed to the top of a pile, would have a better chance of surviving, she said.

Vinny Grosso, the Florence animal shelter's director, said Daniel showed up in one of the shelter's "drop box" cages where people can drop off animals anonymously.