Back from Phuket
Marin Humane Officer returns from helping tsunami’s animal victims
(Novato, CALIF., January 28, 2005) — Just back from Phuket, Thailand, where she went to assist the dog and cat population impacted by the tsunami, Marin Humane Society Field Sergeant Robbi Graham is ready to report on her experiences. Working with the local Soi Dog Foundation ("soi dog" translates to "street dog" in Thai), Graham distributed food and water to the homeless, starving animals, and helped to vaccinate and provide medical care to sick and injured animals.
“I have never seen so many dogs in my life,” says Graham. “They were everywhere and they were in really bad shape.”
Already living a marginal existence, the tsunami exacerbated the dogs’ precarious living conditions, contaminating the water and wiping out the restaurants and food stalls on which they depended for scraps. Most of the animals who survived the tsunami were also left with injuries and worsened health conditions, like mange.
Providing care and food to the dogs and cats is not only important from a humanitarian perspective — it is also critical to the public health and safety.
“In Sri Lanka, where there is no local organization to look out for the animals, the situation is dire because hungry dogs have been packing up and becoming aggressive toward people and causing concern about the spread of rabies,” says Graham. “That’s why what the Soi Dog Foundation is doing in Thailand is so important.”
Working from sunrise to sunset each day (“Fortunately, the sun sets around 6:30,” laughs Graham), she and the other volunteers distributed food and water to sites all around the island and they captured as many of the dogs and cats as they could to be vaccinated and spayed and neutered. Often, they had to use blow darts to sedate the dogs, who were typically skittish.
“A few would come to us, but most would run away if we got too close,” she says. “Then, once we caught them, we had to pick them up and carry them because they didn’t know how to walk on a leash!”
Because the Thai dogs lead a very independent life that doesn’t involve looking to humans for affection, Graham decided that it wouldn’t be fair to bring any of the dogs back with her to the States. “It was hard not to because there were some I fell in love with or were afraid wouldn’t survive, but, ultimately, I don’t believe the dogs would adapt well to our world. I didn’t want to add to their suffering.”
Very happy that she chose to spend her educational sabbatical from the Marin Humane Society in this manner, Graham wasn’t ready to come home after only one week and is already looking forward to her next trip to work with the Soi Dog Foundation. “I loved it,” she says. “I want to spend all my spare time doing this.”
Unfortunately, the situation for these animals is not expected to return to normal any time soon and the Soi Dog Foundation and the other international organizations working to help the animals affected by the tsunami will need to continue feeding and caring for them for months to come. To assist them, the Marin Humane Society will continue to accept contributions toward these relief efforts. Tax-deductible donations may be made by cash, check or credit card at the shelter (171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato, CA 94949) or by phone (415-883-4621). Checks may be made payable to the Marin Humane Society. One hundred percent of the funds received will be dedicated to helping the domestic animals in South Asia.
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