Welcome to WSK

Located in south-central Thailand, Wat Suan Kaew (WSK) translates into the Glass Garden Temple. The thing is, nobody calls it that anymore - they just call it "Thailand's dog condo". And the temple is no longer renowned for its good works, as it once was - but instead is regarded as a place to dump unwanted dogs and cats.

For us Westerners, the word 'condo' conjures up images of a condominium: a beautiful, high-end building resembling an apartment - except units are owned, not rented, and lovingly tended to. 

However, the only resemblance the dog condo bears to the real thing is the way its residents live stacked in vertical columns. The 'condo units' are just the small, and often rusty, cages in which many of WSK's inhabitants tragically live their whole lives.

To get a better understanding of WSK's problems, and suggestions as to how you can help (from anywhere around the world), please have a look at the Soi Dog Foundation's informational post here. 

Luckily many concerned and compassionate folks have stepped up to the plate recently to try to help the two elderly, kind-hearted caretakers who shoulder this entire burden, and to try to improve this situation as much as possible.

Notably, our dear ISDF friend and doggie hero, Soot Liang Woo and her photographer friend, Claire Deacon of 7-Olives Photography, have tirelessly dedicated themselves to improving the living conditions for as many of WSK's residents as they can, as well as documenting the situation there for the global audience.
Many of the photos you see in this post were taken by Claire. Our deep gratitude to her for allowing us to use some of her photos of WSK as well as some of her dog portraits, to help find homes for these needy dogs.

Soot was able to solicit fencing and assemble them on the property so the dogs can have areas to run freely in. 

She procured food bowls and long tray-style feeders for WSK residents so they no longer have to eat off the floor, where food regularly used to mix with animal feces and urine. 

She built a medical area called "The Pink Clinic" so animals can now receive veterinary care in a sterile environment. 

She and fellow friends built a wooden plank bridge over a stagnant pond of muck and algae to allow the dogs clean, safe passage out of the dog condo to an adjacent play area in a field. 

She brought in the government livestock department to spay and neuter over 250 WSK residents who were intact and breeding. 

Soot and friends, with funding and assistance from the Soi Dog Foundation, built a large, lovely cat enclosure to allow them to roam and play freely and safely, and to socialize with one another. 

Soot has also been working diligently to try to find homes for the neediest of the dogs at WSK. Already, she has placed several of these lovely little friends with forever families around the world, and she hopes to find even more homes for them in future.
Here is Oliver, one of Soot's recent placements, as he journeyed from neglected, blind, vulnerable, isolated, depressed WSK resident…

…to the recipient of an on-the-spot grooming…

…to the Boston Logan Airport, where he was greeted by amazing East Coast adoption coordinator and inspiring charity fundraiser, Marjon Tondravi…

…and finally, here at home with his loving new mom, Heidi, and his adopted sister, sweet Lilly, a paralyzed victim of the illegal southeast Asian dog meat trade.

For ongoing updates about adoptable dogs and exciting developments - such as Soot's renovation projects and a recent meeting with Thailand's Soi Dog Foundation - please visit Carly Jane Evans's WSK Project Facebook page which can be found here.

For information on how to adopt a pet from the WSK "dog condo" of Thailand, please contact the appropriate representative by region. They can answer any questions you have and help you begin the process of adding a very grateful dog or cat to your home!

Adoption of WSK dogs in Thailand are coordinated by Soot Liang Woo at tontopepper@yahoo.com.sg

In the UK, please contact Carly Jane Evans with International Pet Rescue at carlyjane45@gmail.com

In the USA, please contact Marjon Tondravi (East Coast) with Give a Dog a Bone at tondravi@yahoo.com
or Dawn Trimmel (Midwest USA) with International Street Dog Foundation at trimmel@usa.net

Thank you for caring!

Kartoon

My name is Kartoon.

I have only ever known claustrophobic confinement in my short and unhappy life.

Born to a stray dog, I was brought to the WSK dog condo as a tiny puppy. 
I was immediately put into the small blue cage you see above, due to my size and vulnerability. I have lived in this prison for over five months - my entire life.

And it is one of the most terrifying cages at WSK.
Like many others, my cage is suspended perilously from the ceiling by a number of jury-rigged wires and straps. It dangles precariously when I move too much, and I live in constant fear that one day it will topple to the floor far below.

My feet and body have grown calloused and are constantly sore as I can only stand, sit, or lie down on the hard, uncomfortable wire mesh floor bottom. 

My mother is a Thai soi (street) dog who lives in the same city as the temple. She is impossible to catch and sterilize, though many have tried over the past few years. And she has large litters regularly.
Her babies have nowhere to go and most die on the street before they can grow and adapt to traffic, rival street dogs, weather crises, and humans who can sometimes be very cruel.
A few have survived over the years and they were brought to WSK, but intervention came too late int her lives, and they were no longer capable of proper socialization. Even if they were, there is no time, resources, or manpower to do it.
Thousands of us live here.

Sadly, my siblings will live out their lives in a small pen, perpetually afraid of the human touch. They whimper, cower, and circle when they are approached by people - but they never react aggressively. And at least they have each other and are safe from many of the perils they would face on the street.

Because of the submissive behavior of my older siblings, kind Soot wondered where I could still be socialized. I had arrived at WSK just a month or so beforehand and was still a fairly young baby.
And I was shy, but seemed very sweet.

You can see how her first attempt at socializing me went in this brief video.

It was the first time I'd felt human kindness and affection in my whole life. 
I did circle a bit in fear, but you can see how sweet and submissive I am. And check me and Soot out at the 1:10 mark of the video. I am so happy to be held and loved!
If only it could have lasted forever…
But all too soon, she had to return me to the confines of my prison, where I remain to this day.

My cage was put together haphazardly so there is a space where I can stick my head out. Unfortunately, it has sharp, jagged wire ends which are not safe for me, as I scratch and cut my neck frequently on them, especially now that I am nearly full-grown. 
I could get stuck or even choke myself one day, especially if I try to fit my head through a different space that doesn't fit me as well. 

Sticking my head out and looking down at the other animals below me gives me a little much-needed entertainment, but other than that, I have no mental stimulation. 
No toys. No treats. No affection.

I was put into this cage as a tiny puppy, new to the world. Now that I've grown to almost full-size, I hardly have room to turn around or lift my head all the way to its full height. The walls feel like they are closing in on me...and I am still growing, too. It will only get worse.

This cage was supposed to keep me safe from adult and aggressive dogs.Well - it's worked. It's kept me alive so far. 

But for what?

What kind of existence is this?

Twice in my life - on March 21 and again on April 19, Soot had an opportunity to remove me from my little jail cell. I was given a few minutes of freedom both times...

…and they were the most glorious moments of my life.

I now pass the endless days remembering each lovely second of my few minutes of being allowed to walk on real soil...to sniff interesting scents…to watch other dogs around me tumble and run…to roll in a patch of grass…and best of all, to feel the gentle, affectionate pats and strokes of Soot, who tells me that my fur is as soft as brushed silk.

I am such a sweet and friendly little girl, weighing just 15 lbs (7 kgs), and only a bit over 5 months old. 

Sooty complimented my funny coat and my short little legs and my curlicue tail. She told me they make me adorable.
No one has ever told me that before. In fact, no one other than Soot has ever really spoken to me at all...
And then my time was up, and I went back to my prison, and Soot's heart broke just a little bit more.

All I want is companionship and affection, and the chance to serve and love a kind human til the end of my days. 

I am capable of so much - but my cramped cage doesn't allow anyone to see that about me. 
Here, I am just one of thousands.

But at least I had those few precious moments which I will always cherish. I just hope and pray they are not the only ones I will ever know.

Please - won't someone save me?
I will live in this cage for my entire life unless I get adopted.

Thank you for reading & sharing my story.
Love, Kartoon

* * * * * 
I am a resident of the WSK Dog Condo.

For more information on the plight of the animals of the Glass Garden Temple, please have a look at this informational post here.

Adoption of WSK dogs in Thailand are coordinated by Soot Liang Woo who can be reached by email at tontopepper@yahoo.com.sg
In the UK, please contact Carly Jane Evans at carlyjane45@gmail.com
In the USA, please contact Marjon Tondravi (East Coast) at tondravi@yahoo.com
or Dawn Trimmel (Midwest USA) at trimmel@usa.net

Foxy

My name is Foxy.

I am a sweet but shy spayed female, approximately 3 years old.

I weigh about 7 kgs (15 lbs).

My brother and I were street dogs who eked out a meager existence on a piece of vacant land in Bangkok. We ate what we could, when we could, and huddled together for warmth and comfort when we were scared, hungry or cold.

It was not a very happy life - and it was destined to become even sadder.

One day, a huge machine monster came onto our land and began chewing up the earth and spitting out great mounds of it. We were terrified and prepared ourselves for the worst.

So scared were we, that we could not even move. We froze to the spot, lying flattened against a hard earth ridge in the ground, when the monstrous beast opened its great jaws to eat us.

But then the machine stopped with a hissing sigh. A man stepped out of the "bulldozer" (as he called the monster) and approached us to investigate.

We trembled in terror.

At that moment, by concidence, a darter was out sedating street dogs to be spayed and neutered. 

The two men conferred for a moment - and then the next thing I knew, I gave out a yelp as I felt a terrible snake bite in my hip. I could not have known it was a tiny piercing dart that instantly made me sleepy. The last thing I saw was my brother falling to the ground, too, as he tried to retreat.

When I woke up, I was here. And I had lots of stitches on my belly, so it was very sore.

The darter had brought us here to the WSK dog condo after we were spayed and neutered since he knew of no other safe option for us now that our home had been razed.

I have not tasted freedom since - and although I don't long for the strife-filled life I endured on the streets of Bangkok, I am afraid of the massive dog population here and of the overcrowding and noise. I don't want out...and yet I hate to be caged in.

Both of our lives here are terribly unhappy.

My brother is in an even worse state than I am - he hides and is so fearful that he can hardly be approached by humans.

I am different - I trust more. I will come to a kindly outstretched hand with a tidbit or treat for me. It's not the treat I care about - it's the promise of this funny thing called 'affection' that some humans do. It's hard to explain, but they touch you with their naked paws in a kind way, and speak to you in a soft voice - and it gives me a warm, lovely feeling unlike anything I have ever known. I had never experienced anything even remotely like that until I came here - and I still experience it very rarely, as the humans who move around us are so busy and have so many dogs and cats to care for.

In-between times, many days and even weeks may pass before someone has a desire to cuddle me again. So I spend each day hiding. I know every little ditch in the soil…and every protected corner in the shelter…and every hidey-hole there is to know here at WSK.

I look like a fox, and even act like one. 

Now you see me - now you don't.

I have heard, though, that a thing called a 'home' exists. It's supposed to be like WSK except it has real walls and doors and windows and protection from bad weather. Oh, and it doesn't have a thousand dogs crowded into it - it has none. Or maybe one or two others that will become your friends and show you the ropes of how to be a 'house dog' (as they call it). The best part about these so-called 'homes' is that the people who live inside them just want to give you this 'affection' business all day long.

I know it sounds far too incredible to be true - and frankly, I'm not a betting dog, so I can't say I believe it either.

But I am a hopeful dog. 

I am a dreamer.

Every day, I look through these bars that surround me and frame my existence here, and I dream this 'home' thing might be the real deal. I don't suppose that even if they do exist, anyone would be jumping up and down to pick a sad, shy little dog like me to live in it. 

But when I'm feeling particularly down, I dream that that just might happen for me one day…after all, a dog can dream, can't she?

Love, Foxy

* * * * * 

For more information on how to adopt me, or any of my friends here at WSK, please have a look at this informational post here or contact Soot Liang Woo by email at tontopepper@yahoo.com.sg

Adoption of WSK dogs in Thailand are coordinated by Soot. 
In the UK, please contact Carly Jane Evans at carlyjane45@gmail.com
In the USA, please contact Marjon Tondravi (East Coast) at tondravi@yahoo.com
or Dawn Trimmel (Midwest USA) at trimmel@usa.net

Thank you for caring!

No Name

My name is…

Well, actually - what's sad is that I have no name.

I guess it's kind of fitting because I also have No Family.

No Love. No Affection. No Playtime and No Friends and No Stimulation inside this small rusted wire cage that I call home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I have only one thing in the world: Red Blanket. I sleep and I cuddle with Red Blanket, who is my only solace.

I am 3 months old and this is the only life I have ever experienced.

And it is No Life.

But it's the only one I will ever know unless someone reaches out across the miles and opens up their heart and home to me.

I dream away my days wondering if anything more will ever happen in this sad excuse for a life.

Won't you see me?

Love me?

Adopt me.

Name Me.

Love, No Name

* * * * * 

For more information on how to adopt me, or any of my friends here at WSK, please have a look at this informational post here or contact Soot Liang Woo by email at tontopepper@yahoo.com.sg

Adoption of WSK dogs in Thailand are coordinated by Soot. 
In the UK, please contact Carly Jane Evans at carlyjane45@gmail.com
In the USA, please contact Marjon Tondravi (East Coast) at tondravi@yahoo.com
or Dawn Trimmel (Midwest USA) at trimmel@usa.net

Thank you for caring!

Soi/Joy (Adopted!)

*** UPDATE!! ***

April 2014
Soi (now re-named Joy) has been adopted by a wonderful family on the East Coast, USA! Joy has been in foster care with Soot for some weeks now, and Soot has worked tirelessly to promote her for adoption on Facebook.

Kind adopter Kathy saw Joy's face and fell in love. Soon this little girl will journey across the ocean to her amazing forever family. We could not be happier for this sweetheart - what a miraculous reversal of fortunes!


Thank you to all who made this possible - above all, dear Soot, who works tirelessly day and night on behalf of the betterment of the dogs and cats of Thailand. She has single-handedly changed the tragic lives of many WSK residents. Our hats are off to her for her ceaseless compassion and untiring dedication.

Thank you, Sooty!!! 

And have a wonderful life, sweet Joy! 
We so look forward to  adding happily-ever-after photos once you have arrived home with your lovely family. 
Bon voyage!

* * * * * 

My name is Soi.

I am a lovely spayed female, approximately 4 years old.
I weigh about 12 kgs (26 lbs).

I am very unhappy and scared here at the WSK Dog Condo in Bangkok, so I frequently tried to run away after my family first dumped me here.

My caretakers therefore thought it was safer for me to stay in a cage. 

But because there are so many of us and never enough time for us all - this cage has now become my tiny, cramped jail. 

I live in here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except when kind volunteers are available to take me out for a moment for a cuddle.

Kind humans gave me a haircut the other day, which I was badly in need of. To tell you the truth, I couldn't have cared less about being groomed and smelling clean and nice. I was just so happy to have attention and kind hands on me.





I wished it could last forever…

…but I had to return to my prison when it was time for them to go home.

Is this all that life has to offer for me?
The volunteers here love me and hope someone will find it in their hearts to take me home.

Please - won't someone save me and take me far from here?

Can one of you show me what a real life is like, with a home and a family and comfort, love, and security I have never known?

Thank you for reading & sharing my story.
Love, Soi

* * * * * 
For more information on how to adopt me, or any of my friends here at WSK, please have a look at this informational post here or contact Soot Liang Woo by email at tontopepper@yahoo.com.sg

Adoption of WSK dogs in Thailand are coordinated by Soot. 
In the UK, please contact Carly Jane Evans at carlyjane45@gmail.com
In the USA, please contact Marjon Tondravi (East Coast) at tondravi@yahoo.com
or Dawn Trimmel (Midwest USA) at trimmel@usa.net

Thank you for caring!