 |
WOULD YOU PLAY ‘FETCH THE STICK’ WITH A BANGKOK STREET DOG? |
 |
 |
 There are reputed to be more than 120,000 stray Busters that roam the streets of this bewildered city, and by crikey don't some of them look savage! But is their Bark really worse than their bite? Should you be worried? Here's an insight into the matted mongrels of Bangkok!
So many of these Soi hounds are maimed or lamed in some way, and they certainly come in all condition shapes and size. But In a single day you can love them, hate them, feel for them, or simply find yourself stepping over the battered beasts as a mere inconvenience.
Personally, I really feel for them. Despite the gross mistreatment they receive from the natives, the majority of these roaming packs are amazingly docile. Some are so battered by life on the outside that they are unrecognisable as the canines we’ve come to love and respect in the western hemisphere.
|
|
| What about the Barkers? |
|
Are they out to get you? Well, it’s my experience that for some reason known only to them, many of these brutes only snap, snarl, and foam at the mouth after sunset. You can literally walk by, step over, or shoo them away when the sun’s up but it pays never get complacent! I’ve had so many of these Jeckle and Hide hounds mock attack the ankles after dark, but fortunately, none have sunk thier dagger like fangs into my defenceless flesh ................ yet!
Whether you’re a dog lover or not, you should think carefully when choosing your home if it’s located in a Soi that’s run amok with packs of these matted mongrels.
|
|
The Noise Factor! |
|
Another important issue is the racket they can make at bedtime. What could be worse than the first night in your dream home being wrecked by the constant yapping, humping, howling and growling of what seems like a thousand tone deaf dogs all woofing from different hymn sheets? It does happen! They can go non-stop for hours on end. Check the Soi (side road) after dark before securing your deposit or talk with a few locals and foreigners of the building in order to get an honest impression of the area’s nocturnal noises. |
|
| Do these Dogs Carry Rabies? |
|
They can do but attacks on humans are relatively rare, but the risk is there nonetheless. Thailand used to have a policy that all strays caught without identifying collars were simply killed, which obviously reduced the problems associated with nuisance. I’m happy to report things aren’t quite so savage these days. The following quote gives the most recent statistics I’ve been able to find on the Rabies issue:
In 2001, some 37 people died in Thailand from rabies contracted from stray dogs. Bangkok was the worst affected area, with eight deaths in total. Source: The Nation Newspaper
|
|
| The Conclusion |
|
So there we have it. The bottom line is, if you’re a dog lover, why not get your favourite stray Fido checked over by the local ‘Dr Dolittle’ and pronounce it your pet? Or, you could just feed the strays if that’s your fancied contribution. You men out there may prefer to take care of the bitch for the rest of her life by supporting her financially, otherwise known as ‘Adopting a Dog’! I believe you can adopt Thai strays from here or overseas.
Whether you love or loathe the little beasts, remember they can be a pest, and you should take this into consideration as one of the deciding factors when choosing where to live.
|
|
| We’ll finish on a funny 'Dog' story written by Bangkok Phil of www.ajarn.com . Take it away Phil. |
|
Talk to anyone who lives on a moobarn and they are sure to have their favourite Soi-dog story – the night they were chased from the corner shop to the garden gate by a pack of savage dogs nipping at the heels and dripping saliva. It’s not quite that bad in truth, but Soi dogs can be a major problem if you don’t have a car and you’re hopelessly reliant on Shanks’ pony to get about.
I know every single Soi-dog within a mile radius of my home, I’ve even befriended a few of them – there are the docile ones who wouldn’t hurt a fly, the savage ones who I wouldn’t even face up to with an extendable baseball bat, and the unpredictable ones that are usually harmless but have been known to bark loudly at passers-by for no apparent reason.
You’re going to laugh at this but I have three different routes that I can use to get to the laundry. Whether I take the quickest and shortest route depends on whether the black Labrador at the house half-way between my house and the laundry is wandering around outside. He’s a bastard. The second route is more reliable but it means passing a house with two Great Danes that fling themselves against a flimsy wire mesh in their attempts to get at me.
When I get to the laundry my heart is usually threatening to jump out of whatever keeps it in there. The third route is generally the safest but often draws quizzical glances from neighbours who wonder why I have to walk down six adjoining streets to get from A to B. I tell this story purely to hi-light the problems you might face.
By the way, I am a dog-lover.....
The above is an extract from Phil's detailed article on Renting a House in Thailand
|
