CHA-AM, THAILAND – Five stray dogs were found dead in a settlement near an irrigation canal in Huai Sai Nuea in what authorities said was a targeted poisoning.
Five dogs found dead, poisoning confirmed
On 24 April, five stray dogs were discovered dead in front of a residential house in Huai Sai Nuea. Emergency responders and police from the city of Cha-am secured the scene. Veterinarians confirmed after examinations that the animals had been killed by poison that had been deliberately laid out.
A resident who regularly fed the dogs informed investigators about the local population in the settlement. According to her, there had originally been 19 animals, of which five were dead and four still alive. The whereabouts of the remaining dogs remained unclear.
Whereabouts of more animals unknown
The resident stated that several dogs had not returned to their usual feeding spots. Authorities did not rule out that additional animals might have died in adjacent forested areas. The dead animals found at the scene were burned by the authorities for disease-control reasons.
Samples were secured to determine the type of poison used. The investigation into the incident continued.
Police increase presence, seek witnesses
Police increased patrols in the affected area to prevent further incidents. Investigators believed that the perpetrator or perpetrators were familiar with the animals’ routines and likely came from the immediate surroundings of the settlement.
Witnesses who had made observations relevant to the suspicion were asked to contact Cha-am police. No suspects had been arrested so far.
Legal framework: Thailand’s animal welfare law
The intentional killing of animals with poison was punishable under Thailand’s animal welfare law. If deliberate poisoning was proven, the perpetrators faced fines as well as a prison sentence.
Authorities used the incident to draw public attention to the legal consequences of such acts. Animal welfare organizations in the region were monitoring the case.
Dogs as informal protection for the settlement
Residents described the stray dogs as part of everyday life in the settlement. In the woodland-like surroundings, the animals were also considered an early warning system against unknown persons or wild animals.
People living in the area said they felt less safe after the loss of the animals. The police did not provide an assessment of any specific motive for the perpetrators.
Quelle: Hua Hin Today