The whole team of Care for Dogs sends a heart felt merry X-mas and a happy new year to all our volunteers, supporters and all the other animal lovers out there who help our animal friends and fellow creatures in need not only this time of the year.

What a pleasure it is to acknowledge your contribution of time, effort, and energy to our Care for Dogs’ doggies this year! We cannot adequately put into words how much gratitude we have at your thoughtful dedication.

We extend our deepest appreciation for your commitment to helping our dogs bounce back from illness, trust people again, and learn to land on their feet healthy and happy! Over the past year, we have surpassed our previous adoption rates, rescue stories, and spay/neuter numbers! Your support won’t be forgotten.

We are so thankful that you have continued to bless us this year with either funds or muscle work to sustain the rescue work we do! We appreciate so much that you saw how important it was for street dogs to receive urgent medical care as well as continued tender loving care. We have used your donation to help provide outstanding quality veterinary care to dogs who needed spaying, vaccinating, cancer treatment, orthopedic treatment, pyometra removal, tumor removal, mange treatment, and parvo/distemper treatment. These dogs come to us broken and often within weeks, are bouncing around renewed with hope and health!

Your generosity and kindness is a great encouragement to our efforts. We are blessed that you support our organization and believe in our mission. Thank you for your willingness to give of yourself so generously! Your generosity sets a wonderful example and demonstrates the power of individuals to effect remarkable change.
Please know how much we appreciate the role that you play in the lives of rescuing street dogs. The difference you make is nothing short of legendary.

There’s a story that reminds me of the work we do:

There was a storm at sea, and it washed thousands of starfish onto the shore. As an elderly man walking along the beach he saw a young girl carefully gathering up the starfish. She ran to the water, placed them into the sea, and ran back for more.

“What are you doing?” He asked the girl.

“I’m saving the starfish.” She replied.

“There are too many and you can’t save them all,” the old man said, “so it’s not going to matter.”

With tears in her eyes, the little girl held a starfish up to the man and said:
“It matters to this one.”

The donations and volunteer work you provide, matter. Thank you for helping spread holiday cheer all year round!

We promise to be there trying to help those doggies and cats in need here in and around Chiang Mai and if you think about good wishes and expectation for next year – have a little thought about Care for Dogs and May be you like to join us in 2012?

If so, just come to us, We’ll be there!

Merry X-mas and a happy New Year 2012

Did you ever notice our very special service ad “Dog Walking Agency” in CfD website’s sidebar and if so, did you click at the link to get more info about it, well may be not, though could be interesting, so just click here.. and see what its all about.

The service is active and as a prove – here the first story from one of the dog walkers – Sean – giving you an impression how it is (and how it could be for you or your doggies):

Rostrum (left), Sean (centre) and Dora (right)

So off we go! We normally follow a route through the village and down into the shady part under the big trees. Anything that moves along the way gets a lot of attention and warrants a good lunge or shout if they get too close. One of the boys, although smaller than the other one, is a very strong character and tells the other what to do. The second boy is a big strong brute who likes to throw his weight around. The girl looks at her two brothers the idiots, while slowly taking in the surroundings.

So after the village, we finally arrive at a nice grassy looking area which is the favourite place for a toilet break and is really enjoyed occasionally. The brute tries to wee on his brother’s head or my flip flop, thinking that I wouldn’t notice… oh my foot’s really sweaty … (OK you got me) ha ha, good one!

After the pit stop we move down the road into the shady trees, which is a good opportunity for them to slow down. I tell them that they won’t lose weight walking that slowly, but it goes through one ear and out the other. We pick up the pace which usually helps them speed up again then it’s time for another wee break on some bushes or anything that looks inviting. By now it’s usually time to do a loop round the block and back towards the village. Thankfully they don’t understand much Thai as they usually get shouts from people along the road “Uaan Uaan”; I tell them actually they are not fat it’s just muscle … so back up the road past the famous house to give abuse to the residents and then on up the road back home which is always a good reason for them to speed up! I’d like to introduce you to ROSTRUM ( the brute) TIGER ( the boss) and DORA (calm but not-so-small girl) – The Three Amazing Characters.

Rostrum

We’re always glad to welcome animal lovers at our shelter and have a chance to show our way of trying to help our fellow creatures.
Especially happy we’re when our visitors show not only some moral support but become active in their own way, and as a feedback we see their help us by donations or volunteering.

Here two fine examples from past weeks:

Big Bikes and Big Hearts: The group of 3 Kings Club Chiangmai & Namiki Co.,Ltd. (Motorbike Club) not only showed up for a look around on a side trip instead they came as some kind of strange angels on motor bikes donating money , dog food , medical care products and dog’s supplies during a visit at our shelter. Many thanks for your wonderful help for dogs in need!

Singapore students at work Last week we welcomed 5 students from far Singapore. They saved some days of their holidays intending to show some hands on help. Due to their extra support we were able to some extra work often left over in those full stuffed regular day to day duties, i.e. our food store could be cleaned ground up from one end to the other. Thanks Gokulan, Nigel, Meghan, Jonathan und Caleb your stay had a real positive effect and you’re welcome any time you come again.

On May 9, 2011, Ann Gough will start working with as new Shelter Manager at Care for Dogs.

Ann is from Prince George, British Columbia, Canada and has several years of experience as a Branch Manager of BC SPCA.

Her extensive experience with companion animals welfare, adoptions, volunteering, fundraising, education and managing a shelter will be a great asset for Care for Dogs. Ann, her husband and their furry family (3 dogs and a cat) have moved to Chiang Mai at the end of April.

Ann spent a week at the shelter in April and some volunteers have had the chance to meet her there already. We are wishing Ann a good start and hope she will settle in quickly within our Care for Dogs team.

Just how much work does take place at CfD on a daily basis?

Ten days ago I had the good fortune of breaking my ankle. It was that classic Thailand story of ‘girl meets moped, moped meets irrigation ditch and cornfield’ that you hear about all the time. Little did I know, as I was sailing down the 5 foot embankment towards a bevy of sweet corn, that there would some ‘accidental’ benefits to be harvested from my crop of misfortune.

Perk number one of being one crutches:

On Wendsday, my volunteer day at Care for Dogs, I was able to do nothing but sit and socialize with the dogs. I sat on benches. I sat in side runs. I sat with puppies, and in dirt, and on salas big and small.  Sit, sit, sit, sit, sat!

Being forced to relax was a gift. Those prolonged quiet moments with the dogs in each area were indescribable. It’s a shame. I have noticed with past volunteers, that a unique few are able to relax and socialize, but most could not sit still for several hours even if I placed a car engine on their lap. I’ve been the same way. Generally, there is no in-between with these personality types, but breaking a few bones does seem to help slow a few of us down.  This is fortunate, because socializing is as important to a dog’s mental health and adoption success, as the ability to relax is important to humans.

Another benefit in shirking my duties for a time, was that I had the chance to simply sit back and just ‘take in’ (observe) all the action that takes place in the dog yard on a single day. To start with Irene, Maggi, and Hanna stepped up to tour and train the new three volunteers.

Then I witnessed the combination of volunteers and staff do all of the following work and more:

• 2 feedings of 150+ dogs
• 2 rounds of picking up after the feeding
• 2+ rounds of water bowl cleanings
• Multiple rounds of poop-scooping
• Dog being rotated to other runs
• Experienced staff training the newer caregiver
• Meds being distributed to several dozen dogs 1-3 time depending on the treatment
• Wading pools being cleaned
• Dogs being taken to the vet for spay/neutering and other treatments
• Dogs receiving IVs
• Wounds being cleaned
• Volunteers walking dogs
• People showing up to choose and adopt a dog
• Blood sample being taken
• Tons of laundry being picked up, washed and hung out to dry
• Beds being cleaned.
• Nail clipping and dog brushing
• Concrete runs being scrubbed down
• Limping bloggers collecting several hundred photographs for future articles
• Dogs being loaded up and returned to their homes or temples after treatments
• Drainage areas being scrubbed out
• Fencing being repaired
• Animals getting their medical baths
• And much, much more!

My point with all this is twofold. First, the amount of care and work that goes into the dog yard at Care for Dogs is a phenomenal effort that takes place day in and day out, seven days a week regardless or the rain, the heat, the number of dogs or the number of people available to help. My second point is this: That was only the dog yard.

The above list only covers one part of shelter operations. The same organized chaos is taking place in the office with coordinating rescue efforts, organizing medical treatments, fundraising, paying bills, community outreach, ordering supplies…  We won’t even touch on the veterinary clinic activities or on all of those people working from home around Thailand and all over the world on websites, translating languages, networking, design projects, writing rambling blog posts and so on.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well it also takes a massive village to run a shelter. Our village of animal lovers just happens to have a fabulous community yard to sit in.

As for perk number two of being two crutches:

Truth be told, there is no second perk to being on crutches.  But being forces to relax and rediscover the joy of quiet times with the dogs makes up for a great many of the negatives.

If you think you have what it takes to sit still, come join me one of these next few Wendsday. If not, might I recommend a good cornfield to land in? It may just change your whole view of things.

A CFD volunteer helps unload the food truck

This year Care for Dogs has started buying 1/3 of the dry food in vegetarian formula. It costs 25% more than the food containing meat, as meat is unfortunately quite cheap in Thailand. Our budget currently doesn’t allow switching to 100 % vegetarian food, but it is a first step towards avoiding one animal getting killed to feed another.

CFD gets the dry food from a company near Bangkok whose owner is a veterinarian and provides the shelter with a good quality food at a competitive price. We also get food donations from kind, animal loving people which we greatly appreciate. However, we still need to buy the majority of the food.

In addition, the shelter buys canned food to use when giving the dogs medications. An average of 50 of the dogs at the shelter are undergoing some form of medical treatments at any given time. For sick dogs and those that are in recovery some cooked brown rice and chicken is also added to their food. And finally, the puppies get special dry food that is higher in protein.

Whew! It definitely adds up. The shelter goes through two 15 kg bags (30 kg/66 lbs) of dog food per day to feed approximately 160 dogs twice a day. That equals almost a ton of dry food per month.

Veterinary Nurse Hazel Taylor preps a dog for surgery

If you stopped by Care for Dogs for only a brief moment last week, you might have thought all was normal. Dr. Parn worked peacefully in the main room – always the calm in the storm – treating one dog after another. Jum and Hanna brought some form of order to the “normal” office mayhem that is a part of any shelter’s work. Khun Chai, Khun Nod and Khun Tom quietly made their rounds in the yard and volunteers stumbled back and forth between the areas weaving themselves into the imperfect synchronicity that is animal rescue. Normal. Well not exactly.

 Those who stayed longer would notice something was amiss. From time to time a stranger would pass, tiptoeing out from “that other room” and then vanish again behind the sliding door. Then another, and another. Extra dogs were lined up for treatment out front. There were some unfamiliar faces and less familiar tails all over the main entry and office. What was going on?

Alas, nothing sinister was taking place. In fact, it was quite the opposite. For two weeks Care for Dogs has a surgical team in house. While Dr. Parn has been working with all the ‘usual characters’, the visiting vets and vet nurse have been performing one operation after another in the surgical room – you know that super clean place where none of us dare tread. There has been a heavy emphasis on spay/neuter of dogs from local temples during this time.

Temple dog sterilized by the visiting vets

Each morning caretakers from various temples arrive. You can see the happiness and appreciation in their eyes as they unload dogs that they know will be getting the medical care they need. These extra vets on hand have been a real welcome addition to CFD. Dr. Sonia Moulton from the U.K is on her first volunteer project through World Wide Veterinarian Service. First year veterinarian Iona Warren was scheduled to be a DRCS Samui, when the flooding there canceled her project. Also on hand is veterinary nurse Hazel Taylor who has volunteered once before at Amazon CARES in Peru.

With all the work to be done, those of us who just pass through or are volunteering in the yard have seen very little of these wonderful souls who have come so far to help the animals of Chiang Mai. Nonetheless, their impact will be felt long after they leave us. Thank you to all who made this possible!

Veterinary Nurse Hazel Taylor, Dr. Sonia Moulton and Dr. Iona Warren (foreground)Temple dog sterilized by the visiting vets

Puppies! And, more puppies! Have you heard the expression, “It’s raining cats & dogs”? Well, apparently not enough of those raindrops were spay and neutered. Care for Dogs has had an influx of puppies and they need adoptive forever families ASAP.

There is something for every dog lover to choose from. We have a few older pups – 4 – 6 mo. Five plump pups were admitted 3 weeks ago and two fabulous little terrier mixes arrived this week. Beyond cute, these two will be small with charmingly ridiculous terrier hair. And now, 17, yes I said 17, pups at a home in town are needing CFD’s vital help. They will be ready to go in 2-3 weeks.

Please, never adopt a dog on impulse. Being a best friend is an important, long-term commitment – a lifelong commitment. However, if you have been feeling that it is the right time for you to bring a new pup into your life then we have plenty to choose from. These pups would love to bring warm hearts and cold noses to you over the holidays, throughout the coming New Year and for many years to come.

More photos will be added Thursday and over the next week, but with this on slot of little pups we wanted to ask everyone to start spreading the word right away. We need your help and they need your homes!

We want very much to spend Christmas with you please!

Learning while giving, that is what volunteering is all about. It is no different at Care for Dogs (CFD) and the same rules apply for both skilled and unskilled (if there is such a thing) volunteers.

Everyone has something to contribute. Everyone has something to learn. Two visiting volunteers are currently proving the point quite well.

At the moment, Dr. Pan has some special ‘assistants’ helping with medical care at the shelter. Shereene Williams and Toby Trimble of The University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine & Science are volunteering at CFD for two weeks as part of their academic training. Both Williams and Trimble are in their final year of their veterinary schooling.

The hands on experience the duo gets working with Dr. Pan not only provides these students with exposure to a different mix of medical issues they may not see in a UK animal hospital setting, but it also provides Dr. Pan with some experienced assistance.

From TVT treatments to helping in the medical recovery area, the extra skilled hands have been put to good use. Both volunteers are exceptionally good sports, even pitching with the rest of the shelter duties on Dr. Pan’s day off.

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at CFD for college credit, please drop us an email and speak with your college’s counselor. Be it veterinary sciences, animal behavior, marketing, etc. with a little creative thinking many fields of academic study can be of benefit to the Care for Dogs Foundation. We welcome all inquiries: contact@carefordogs.org

A new option is available for people wanting to volunteer at Care for Dogs (CFD). The foundation has joined forces with Cultural Canvas Thailand, an organization dedicated to providing volunteer support, while generating awareness of social issues facing the Chiang Mai community.
So, what does this new program mean for Care for Dogs and for shelter volunteers?

The first thing potential volunteers should know is that the independent program is still available for people who prefer self-travel. However this new voluntourism package does offer several advantages for those who have a different style of travel or who want their focus to be more purely on the work with dogs. It is also a wonderful opportunity for people who may be less familiar with Thailand or travel in general – helping you get your feet wet, as they say.

By volunteering at the shelter through the Cultural Canvas ‘Care for Street Dogs’ program volunteers receive the following support: pre-trip orientation, in-country orientation, Thai language training, accommodations, transportation, 2 meals per day and an in-country support network. Cultural Canvas also provides comprehensive medical insurance and emergency evacuation assistance.

As you may imagine, this program makes a wonderful option for volunteers who are not interested in sweating the logistical hassles of self-travel, such as finding accommodations, procuring daily transportation, etc. Plus, by staying at the Cultural Canvas facility and working at the Care for Dogs’ shelter you are surrounded by fellow travelers who have your same common interest – volunteering as the best way to expertise the world. This shared bond can be one of the best parts of organized volunteerism.

The new program requires a three week commitment from volunteers and asks that participants be proactive and flexible, willing to work both at the shelter or jump in off-site (temples, fairs…) as needed. These are all part of the street dog rescue experience. In addition to providing the shelter with volunteers who are here specifically to work with soi dogs, Cultural Canvas also makes a monetary donation to Care for Dogs Foundation for each placement. Both the extra hands and extra funds should prove to be a wonderful asset to the shelter.

To learn more about the Cultural Canvas Thailand/CFD program visit their website at: http://culturalcanvas.com/project_dogs.php. And please, show your support by helping spread the word. Share this new information with others and cross-post links. Opening up a new way to volunteer at the shelter is a great way to open up the world of street dog rescue to those who may not have considered volunteering with CFD before. More seeds can be planted, growing the world’s collective wisdom about the plight of soi dogs.

Be assured, whatever volunteer program meets a person’s needs best, Care for Dogs will always welcome them with open paws!