Numbers of stray dogs and cats on Thailand’s streets continue to rise, posing health risks as well as ethical concerns. It’s estimated that there are more than 700,000 stray dogs in Thailand, 140,000 of which are in Bangkok alone.
According to Bangkok Post, animal welfare groups and NGOs in Thailand are looking to combat this issue by proposing new legislation that would require animal-lovers to register their pets.
Piyawan Tangsakulsathaporn founded such a group, named ‘A Call for Animal Rights Thailand’. She suggests that this legislation would prompt people to take responsibility for their pets, which she claims is the root cause of the problem.
“Over 90% of stray dogs and cats in Thailand resulted from the irresponsibility of the pet owners, who abandon their pets on the streets or in a temple when the owners no longer adore them or are no longer willing to shoulder the heavy cost of caring for the animals,” she said.
She added that the proposed law should involve a ‘pet tax’, which would be used to fund an animal welfare authority responsible for dealing with animal cruelty cases and controlling breeders and pet shops.
Euthanizing stray dogs and cats is not a viable solution, as it defies Thailand’s animal welfare laws. Under the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animal Act 2014, it’s illegal to kill or harm an animal unless it’s in self defense.
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