The following is a press release from the Soi Dog Foundation.
Soi Dog Foundation is warning towards the unmanaged sheltering of stray dogs following an outbreak of canine distemper virus at a government-run facility on the island of Koh Kood in Trat province.
Transmitted by way of direct contact and airborne exposure – particularly sneezing, coughing and sharing meals and water bowls – the virus swept the island in a matter of weeks. A whole of 30 dogs have died and a further one hundred have been contaminated consequently.
Rather than impounding dogs with little forethought for his or her future care, the foundation is urging authorities to prioritise a programme of sterilisation and vaccination on the island – a long-term technique that will help humanely reduce the dog inhabitants on the island and stem the spread of infectious diseases.
“The intention to look after these canine is impressive, but shelters are pricey and tough to handle,” defined Soi Dog’s Community Relations Manager Sakdapol Thongjan. “If not managed correctly, ผลไม้ของฝาก spreads and animals endure, like we’ve seen here with distemper.”
At the Soi Dog shelter in Phuket, strict disease control measures are in place to stop outbreaks, together with the quarantining of infectious animals in purpose-built isolation units. The foundation strongly believes that sheltering alone is not an answer and should be run in tandem with programmes that benefit the welfare of stray animals, such as adoption, sterilisation, vaccination, humane training, group outreach and the enforcement of animal welfare legislation.
“The drawback with stray dogs just isn’t the canine themselves. It’s a human concern,” said Sakdapol.
In addition to liaising with the authorities, Soi Dog can additionally be working to regulate the outbreak on Koh Kood by vaccinating the island’s 800+ canine in opposition to distemper and other diseases as properly as offering supportive care to these contaminated with the virus..