Local Veterinarian Donates Surgeries in Thailand

COURT HOUSE – Local veterinarian Dr. Nick Holland spent the last week in Bangkok to work with various animal rescue groups trying to stop the continual breeding of Thailand’s street dogs which often end up smuggled to Vietnam to find a horrible end to their life. Because there are approximately 200,000 street dogs roaming the streets of Bangkok, it is an enormous problem to tackle for animal welfare groups.
In the 1990s, more than 200 dogs were euthanized each day. In 1998, however, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals campaigned against the practice, which they argued violated Buddhist principles. The campaign generated substantial public outcry against the euthanization of dogs, and the city adopted a pro-life dog policy. Dr. Holland states, unfortunately, this pro-life campaign led to the influx of smugglers selling these street dogs for profit in the neighboring country of Vietnam for the dog meat trade. The proliferation of the stray dogs needs to be controlled in order to stop this literal “candy store” for smugglers in the dog trade.”
Holland spent one week in the capitol city of Bangkok working with local animal welfare groups rounding up strays and sterilizing them before they are put back on the streets. Volunteer veterinarians are essential in this fight to end this stray dog overpopulation in the city. Holland is the owner of Shore Veterinarians in Seaville, and first heard about the plight of the Thai street dogs from one of his veterinary clients.
He was so moved, he decided he would vacation in the country and make the vacation a working vacation. Holland continues, “ I have read about various charity vacation projects that are worthwhile, and decided it was about time. I have never done this before, but am hoping this will be the first of many trips, and that my visit there will encourage other veterinarians to do the same. Thailand is a beautiful country to visit, and most tourists have no idea about this horror that many of these street dogs face at the hands of smugglers. There are so many hospitals doing low cost spay and neuter in our area and have a handle on the problem, I figured that my help could be of more use now in Asia. ”
Many of the female dogs treated by Dr. Holland suffered from infected utereri ( pyometra) because of an injection birth control method they are using there which is thought to cause it. Because of these infections in the female dogs, the spays not only stop this breeding, but save their lives as the disease is fatal.