Recently one of our regular volunteers, who spends endless hours ‘getting down & dirty’ at the shelter, grasped at a new opportunity of becoming a joint Shelter Coordinator, a new position with Care for Dogs, partnering with a Thai colleague. Leaving her old job in the city, she set about making plans for a home near to the shelter and her priorities were a secure garden and somewhere she could finally say was a Thai home.

Why the ‘secure garden’ I hear you ask ? Well it was certainly not for what many people would first of all consider, her plan was to find somewhere for 3 dogs to share her space and do it in a way that they would be safe.

Emma Chamberlain, found that space in a location almost on top of the shelter, less than a kilometer from the gate. It’s a 2 story wooden structure, with a massive balcony, 2 sets of stairs back & front and plenty of shade under the top floor to relax. As Emma said, “it’s a lot of house for the money”. The sizable walled garden even has vegetables growing and a Rice Barn with a hammock underneath.

So having found the space, she then told everyone which dogs she was going to take from the shelter to live with her.

Panda, a male, maybe 4 – 6 years of age, set in his ways and resident at the shelter for quite some time.

His spot at the shelter, for the duration of his stay, has been a 1 x 1 metre wooden picnic table (photo) and the bench seat beside it, under a straw thatched roof umbrella (sala).

Tara, a sprightly young girl who tragically has severe hip dysplasia / deformed femur & hip joints from birth, is Panda’s best mate (some might say ‘only’) and she hangs out at the picnic table area too.

Belle is probably about 8 – 10 years old and now has only 3 legs, 100% blind and from the size and distension of her teats, we can only assume she had given life to many pups in here time. She came to the shelter with one of her legs rotting away and after finding she had cancer of the bone, it was amputated to stop the spread to the rest of her body.

Today I visited Emma’s home when she introduced Panda to Tara & Belle, who she had taken along yesterday.

It was a friendly reunion and a wonderful moment in time. These 3 dogs have now got so much space and can sit, lay, walk & play anywhere in that garden they want, without 100+ territory hogging neghbours nagging them to stay in their own space !

It’s a regular occurrence for me to shed tears when writing about dogs but I have to admit, that today’s event brings a different kind of tear to my eyes.

Emma should be congratulated on her tenacity to make her dream come true and to give these very deserving creatures new space to be their territory and a place to call home.

Never one to miss an opportunity, if you would like to consider doing what Emma has done or know someone that could find space in their home for a dog (or cat), please get in touch by phone 0847 52 52 55 or email right away.