Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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!