A number of undercover investigations into zoo performances have uncovered gross abuse of wild animals to force them to perform. The training methods used to force the animals to perform are cruel and abusive, using punishment and fear. Many zoos in China and Vietnam, also force wildlife in captivity to entertain crowds with unnatural, degrading and stressful circus-style performances. This results in many of the bears dying from infections or other complications, and agony for those who do survive. The surgery is crude, unhygienic and rarely performed by a veterinarian. The method claimed to be the most 'humane' by bile farmers, is 'free-drip' method, where bears undergo surgery to create a permanent open passage from their gallbladder through their abdomen.
Bear's bile is extracted using various invasive techniques, all of which cause severe suffering, pain and infection. Animals Asia has also seen instances of old or very sick bears – those who fail to produce bile – simply left to starve to death in their cages. On bile farms, bears are seen as mere production units, only worth the amount of bile they produce. Most farmed bears are starved and dehydrated, and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them. Some bears are caged as cubs and never released, with many kept caged for up to 30 years. Most farmed bears are kept permanently in cages, sometimes so small that they are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Most receive no medical care and are left to suffer alone. Many wild animals in captivity even self-harm due to the frustration and boredom of constant confinement. Some mammals in captivity in zoos in Asia also suffer with injury and disease. Efforts such as wildlife conservation, regulating the use of animals in tourism, and ecosystem conservation must continue.Bear bile farming is a cruel farming system designed to extract bile from the gallbladders of living bears for use in traditional Chinese medicine. In our pursuit of a better future, animals must not be left behind. Animals in sustainable developmentĪnimals are a part of our biodiversity, and animal welfare is important in sustainable development. Furthermore, communities believe that taking care of the existing stray dogs through vaccination and sterilization should be a part of the ultimate solution. Owners who fail to register their pets would be fined up to 25,000 baht.Īt the beginning of the announcement, the law raised some concerns regarding the cost burden. To address the pet abandonment issue and tackle the roots of overpopulation, Thailand’s government started requiring pet owners to register their pets in 2018 with the cost of 450 baht per animal. This care includes sterilizing, vaccinating, feeding, and cleaning stray dogs to prevent rabies outbreaks. Along with building shelters, Stand for Strays also employs volunteers to take care of stray dogs. The 2018 rabies outbreak in Thailand discovered that dogs are the primary carrier of the disease.
Unvaccinated dogs without proper care are vulnerable to rabies. The lack of efforts in sterilizing these strays also contributes to the booming number. Many people abandon their grown dogs due to expensive costs. In 2016, the number of stray dogs in Thailand reached 730,000. It’s also equipped with bowls for food and drink. Instructions are illustrated on the covers so that everyone can use them in case there are dogs in need. It is foldable, with a flat surface propped with steel for the dogs to lie down on. They are attached to walls around Wat Nang Nong in Bangkok’s Chom Thong district and Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi’s Pak Kret district, where the project was initiated. Foldable and sustainable sheltersĪjarn Yossaphon Chanthongjeen designed the shelters by recycling used billboards with the simple goal of protecting stray dogs from the heat and rain. Recently, Stand for Strays started a project to provide shelters for stray dogs. It covers various aspects such as food, health, shelter, and city cleanliness. Tackling this stray dog overpopulation problem is not easy. Most of them are abandoned, and they depend on the passersby and locals to feed and give them shelter. While randomly bumping into dogs might be a cute little surprise for us, it’s not as pleasant for the dogs living on the road. There are thousands of stray dogs living on the streets of Thailand.