PHUKET, Thailand – A Thai woman has faced charges of animal cruelty and received a fine of 10,000 baht after abandoning 42 kittens by the roadside in Mai Khao, Phuket. The distressing incident, which occurred on October 6, 2023, came to light when staff from the Soi Dog Foundation, an animal welfare organization, discovered the abandoned kittens. Tragically, 12 of the kittens were found dead upon arrival.
CCTV footage captured the moment ‘Ms A’ unloaded the kittens from her pickup truck’s cargo bed before fleeing the scene. The kittens, crammed into small, uncovered cages, had endured a journey of over 200 kilometres during a rainstorm. Veterinary assessments revealed that the surviving kittens were fatigued and dehydrated due to the ordeal.
Subsequent investigations by Soi Dog’s Social Change team revealed that Ms A had taken the kittens from a temple in Surat Thani under false pretences. The temple’s resident monk, who provides care for temple cats and dogs with the help of local volunteers, had been misled by Ms A’s claim that she had found prospective owners for the kittens and would deliver them to their new homes.
Ms A, when questioned, professed ignorance of the illegality of her actions and stated that she had intended to help the kittens. However, Sakdapol Thongjan, Soi Dog’s Social Change Manager, emphasized the importance of supporting animals within their own communities, including spaying/neutering and vaccination programs for their welfare and public health.
While understanding Ms A’s intentions, Thongjan highlighted the illegal nature of her actions, stressing that abandoning animals and subjecting them to long-distance travel without regard for their welfare are both punishable offenses.
Following the investigation, the Phuket Livestock Development Office filed charges against Ms A under the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animal Act. She pleaded guilty and received a 10,000 baht fine, along with a criminal record, underscoring the severity of animal cruelty laws and the importance of responsible pet ownership.
About Soi Dog Foundation
Established in 2003 on the island of Phuket, Thailand, Soi Dog Foundation is Southeast Asia’s largest organisation helping stray animals. Its mission is to improve the welfare of dogs and cats in Asia, resulting in better lives for both the animal and human communities, to create a society without homeless animals and to ultimately end animal cruelty.
The Gill Dalley sanctuary in Phuket is home to over 1,800 animals. Soi Dog also has a treatment facility in Bangkok and responds to crisis situations throughout Thailand. The organisation is dedicated to implementing effective, sustainable solutions that reduce the suffering of dogs and cats in Asia, runs entirely on donations and works efficiently so all donations are used to help animals as effectively as possible.
