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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
I will live in this cage for my entire life unless I get adopted.
Thank you for reading & sharing my story.
Love, Kartoon
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.
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
