The 27 dogs from a shelter in Chonburi, Thailand, appeared to be beaming from ear to ear as enjoyed a stroll with their wheel aides
With tails wagging to a chorus of barks and yelps, dozens of disabled dogs attached to wheels that support their disabled hind legs looked ecstatic as they took their daily walk at a sanctuary in Thailand.
Mostly victims of accidents, the 27 dogs are being nursed back to health at a shelter in Thailand’s province of Chonburi southeast of the capital, Bangkok.
They beamed from ear to ear as they took to the rocky track with their wheels for their dose of exercise for the day.
‘It’s almost like they have no idea that they have a disability and once you put them in the wheelchair for the first time, it’s like there’s no learning curve,’ said shelter official Christopher Chidichimo.
Thanks to mobility devices, the disabled dogs were able to get some much needed outside exercise in Chonburi, Thailand
During their exercise outing at the shelter, the disabled dogs were even joined by some strays who decided to join in with all the fun
The 27 dogs, who are mostly victims of accidents, are being nursed back to health at the shelter and particularly enjoy their daily outings
Shelter official Christopher Chidichimo said ‘It’s almost like they have no idea that they have a disability’ once the dogs are placed in the wheelchairs for the first time
The shelter, run by a foundation called The Man That Rescues Dogs, was set up by a Swede who moved to Chonburi in 2002 and was so dismayed by the poor condition of strays that he started caring for them after work.
But its future is now in doubt, after the coronavirus pandemic led to a 40 per cent drop in donations and slashed the number of foreign visitors.
‘The donations are very important and the volunteers and visitors are equally important, because they come and spread our message,’ said Chidichimo, who is a sponsorship coordinator at the shelter.
The shelter spends more than $1,300 (£946.42) each day to care for more than 600 dogs and feed 350 more that live on the streets.
The shelter, run by a foundation called The Man That Rescues Dogs, was set up by a Swede who moved to Chonburi in 2002
During their visit, the shelter founder was so dismayed by the poor condition of strays that he started caring for them after work
Sadly the future of the shelter is in doubt after the coronavirus pandemic led to a 40 per cent drop in donations and slashed the number of foreign visitors
The shelter spends more than $1,300 (£946.42) each day to care for more than 600 dogs and feed 350 more that live on the streets
The shelter takes care of a range of dogs from different backgrounds and even offers physiotherapy sessions
Its volunteers also look after paralysed and disabled dogs, including physiotherapy sessions, but scarce funds have forced it to suspend a monthly campaign to spay and neuter strays.
Thailand, estimated to have more than 800,000 stray cats and dogs in 2017, could see their number reach 2 million by 2027 and 5 million in 20 years unless it takes some steps to control numbers, livestock authorities says.
For now, the disabled dogs in Chonburi enjoy their daily rambles. ‘They are eager for us to strap them up,’ said dog handler Phanuphong Borphuak, referring to the canine mobility aids.
‘They run very fast, we humans can’t keep up with them.’
After suffering financially as a result of the pandemic the shelter has been forced to suspend a monthly campaign to spay and neuter strays
After their energetic walk the dogs enjoyed a boy of food after working up quite the appetite with their running around
‘Save our beautiful bullies’: The dog lovers fighting to save American XLs as government ban approaches
They’ve never ever done anything wrong,” one woman says of her three XL bully dogs. “We’ve owned bull breeds for 10 years and they’ve never put a foot wrong, we’ve never had altercations in public, we have had nothing but a positive experience.”
Heather Halls and her husband Chris have spent the past few weeks in disbelief after Rishi Sunak announced in September that American XL bully dogs would be banned in the UK following a spate of high-profile attacks and fatalities.
Not only do three of their family dogs fall into this category, but Chris is a professional dog trainer specialising in bulldog breeds, meaning that their entire livelihood is now at stake. They also compete in the Protection Sports Association, by which two of their XL bullies have been awarded titles.
“Essentially, our whole world and what we’ve worked towards in the last few years is about to get flipped on its head,” says Heather.
The couple have now joined forces with other XL bully owners to launch an official campaign to challenge the government’s stance, with more than £86,000 raised in a matter of days to support legal action.
Campaigners from Don’t Ban Me – Licence Me are asking the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to rethink their plans and are fundraising for a judicial review.
Poor breeding to blame for XL bullies attacking people, says dog trainer
With the support of their barrister John Cooper KC, they sent a warning of their intention to launch legal action to the environment secretary Therese Coffey last Thursday, as they hope to scrap the planned ban in favour of tightened laws around breeding and ownership.
Under new legislation, it will be illegal to sell, breed or abandon an XL bully-type dog from 31 December, while it will be an offence to own one from 1 February 2024 unless it is registered to the government’s database, the Index of Exempted Dogs.
Once their animal is registered, owners will have to abide by strict regulations, which include keeping their dogs muzzled and on a lead at all times in public, having them neutered and microchipped, and having to carry a certificate of exemption at all times to show police officers or council dog wardens.
Alongside descriptions of head size and physical features, the government has defined an American XL bully as an adult male from 20in in height, or an adult female from 19in. However, given that XL bullies have never been defined as an official breed, this has confused owners of cross-breeds such as mastiffs and mongrels.
The decision to ban the breed came after deaths relating to XL bully attacks, including those of 10-year-old Jack Lis and 17-month-old Bella-Rae Birch. Two people were injured in recent days in Mansfield by a suspected XL bully, while one report holds the breed responsible for nearly 50 per cent of all dog attacks in the UK.
Charities with the banned breed in their care will now receive £100 compensation for euthanising an XL bully, while owners will get £200 compensation if a vet euthanises their dog.
Speaking to The Independent, Sophie Coulthard, an organiser of the campaign group, says: “The problem with this knee-jerk reaction is that it won’t stop dog attacks. We need to focus on licensing and educating owners, with compulsory training and tougher punishments to prevent people from impulse-buying dogs.”
Sophie has owned her XL bully, Billy, for the last year, and has developed a following on TikTok by posting educational videos of his training as well as details of the proposed ban.
“One thing we’ve found is that people are really misinformed on the full impact of the ban,” she says. “What the government is asking me to do is look at their guidelines and commit him to a life on the muzzle, not go on holidays with him, have him muzzled in the car.
“There’d be no more playing with a toy in the park, anyone in social housing could lose their housing or their dog, you can no longer hire private fields to take dogs off the lead. It is really reducing the quality of life for these dogs.”
The group is arguing for the UK to take a similar approach to Canada’s Calgary model, an educational, licensing and stronger enforcement programme that has successfully reduced the number of dog bites by 70 per cent.
“I understand there’s been attacks, and I fully sympathise with anyone who has been a victim, because it’s horrific,” Heather says. “Dog ownership is a complete and utter mess, and people got these dogs in lockdown and haven’t socialised them or trained them. My son was bitten by a dachshund that shot out of a front door, so it’s not just XL bullies.
“Licensing is the right way forward. It’s proven to work in other countries and you can’t ignore the evidence that it works.”
Since the announcement, her five-year-old son panics each time he hears a siren, out of fear that police officers will arrive to take his dogs away. “Our dogs are our family pets,” says Heather. “I’ll do anything to keep my dogs safe. I will fight with my last breath.”
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