The dog meat trade in Thailand

Suffering, hope, rescue - four dogs talk about their fight for survival.

We are Bones and Snowball and this is our story

Hello dear visitor,

We are very pleased to be able to tell you our story today “from the horse's mouth” and on behalf of many thousands of colleagues: In Thailand, we were caught illegally or sold to the dealers by our owners in their distress. Together with countless other dogs, we were crammed into small cages on a truck and driven across the country in extreme heat.

We didn't even know why. But today we know: we were supposed to be taken to another country and end up on a plate there. But not only that. As it is believed there that an increased adrenaline level makes the meat more tender, we were to be tortured beforehand. Can you imagine that? So it's not just about the fact that we were meant to be eaten, but also about the torture we would have had to endure beforehand.

The dog meat business

According to official sources, around 1,000 of our colleagues are taken from Thailand to neighboring countries every day to be slaughtered - the so-called “dog meat mafia” makes a lot of money from this. But thanks to organizations, private individuals and the government, our truck was stopped and we were taken to a mass detention centre. We were saved for the time being. Unfortunately, the traders only receive small fines. We hope that this will change as awareness of the illegal dog meat trade grows.

It was SO terrible in the camp. Masses of dogs, crammed together, all so sad, many very sick, some already dead. We were very desperate and physically at our limits. Please look at the pictures. Most of us will have to stay there for the rest of our lives. The conditions are difficult, the financial resources are limited, even though some organizations there support us. The mortality rate is high. But even there, our colleagues have to be cared for.

THEN our little personal miracle happened: Elfe from ElfesWorld saw our picture and rescued us from this camp. She saved our lives! And finally, the day came when a woman (the same woman who took the pictures) took US with her and brought us to a clinic. After a few weeks, we arrived at the ElfesWorld paradise on Koh Samui, where we can now stay forever—unless someone wants to adopt us! Elfe runs a private animal sanctuary where over 490 dogs live. Most of them, just like us, were rescued from the dog meat trade. We are so happy here. We have space, enough food, medical care when we are sick, and lots of friendly dog buddies. Elfe is the best mom in the world, and we owe her our lives. Of course, she can only care for us because kind-hearted people support her financially. After all, so many animals cost a lot of money. Sometimes, Elfe even worries about how she will manage to pay for everything.

But she would rather not eat herself than let us go hungry. That's for sure! Still, one sandwich is not enough for all of us. We need your help so that we can continue to live here without worries and hardship. It costs a small fortune to look after 490 animals. But if many people help a little, it can be done.

Thank you for your interest

Your Bones & Snowball ❤️

The fight against the illegal dog meat trade in Thailand

In 2011, the international dog trade became unacceptable to Thai society. The first arrest took place after a truck was seized in Nakhon Phanom in August 2011. The truck contained more than 1000 live dogs. From this point on, the war between smugglers and the government began. Unfortunately, the dog meat trade still exists due to the high returns. If the dog is worth 100 THB (2.50 EUR) here, it will be worth 1,200 to 1,400 THB (30-35 EUR) when it arrives in Vietnam, for example.

Tippi and Tappi - Two who stood firmly together

Tippi and Tappi were both rescued from the illegal dog meat trade in 2013 and taken to a mass rescue camp. Thanks to kind supporters who paid for the transportation and clinic costs, both were rescued from the mass camp. Picture 1 was taken on the journey from the camp to the clinic in Bangkok. Tappi was extremely shy and timid at first, but is now a very happy girl. Tippi found a lovely home in 2015.