Chiang Mai police and an animal foundation rescued six dogs, which were chained and kept in tiny concrete blocks at an alleged breeding farm on Saturday morning. The images of the animals’ living conditions were posted on Facebook and upset dog lovers.
Local authorities and Santisook Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation searched the home of Santi Ruenkhamnoi, 25, in Hang Dong district and discovered three pit bulls and Pomeranians. They were kept in a space which a police officer described as “narrow, dirty, and smelly.”
“As the pictures show, the dogs were kept in a narrow, dirty, and smelly space. The animals were skinny and had skin diseases,” Pol. Capt. Thitipan Sookme, who conducted the search, told Coconuts.
Namfon Hilgers, a co-founder of Santisook Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, was the person who filed the complaint and took the animals into her care pending the investigation for animal cruelty.
“There was no water or food available. The dogs were caged and chained in small concrete blocks. They had to eat, sleep, and defecate in there. The owner claimed that pit bulls needed to be chained, otherwise, they would attack and kill each other — because this has happened at the farm before. The owner simply let the dogs kill each other, and then switched to a larger chain [to keep them apart],” Namfon said in a statement posted to Facebook.
Santi was reportedly not at home when police conducted the search. Pol. Capt. Thitipan said the man claimed he was not a breeder and has not reached out to police to provide further details.
No legal action has been taken yet.
“The owner has not contacted the police to take their dogs back yet. Maybe he’s scared of the laws. He, however, insisted that he took care of his dogs with love, while the authorities and foundation felt that this was animal cruelty,” he said.
Namfon ended her statement by saying that these dogs were simply “waiting to die.” She will send the animals for a health checkup and ensure they’re properly vaccinated.
