Photo: A call for animal rights
A length of cord looped around its hind paw; the other end to the bumper of a government vehicle. In an image which has been circulating online the past two days, the body of a dog appears dragged through streets in Kanchanaburi province.
Last night the Department of Highways issued an apology on Facebook after the heart-breaking image inspired dismay and anger among thousands of Thailand’s digital subjects.
“We sincerely apologize,” the statement read. “This car belongs to Kanchanaburi officers. They found the dog’s corpse on the road and were meaning to bury the dog somewhere else. But they didn’t prepare a sack and didn’t want to touch the dog with their bare hands because it could have had rabies. The incident has been reported to their commander and the officers will keep a sack in the car next time. Sincere apologies.”
That explanation left many unsatisfied. Comments online attacked the officers for not coming up with a more civilized solution. Recently, animal abuse has been a trending topic in online communities after an incident in the Philippines where three girls stepped on a puppy to death.
Pet ownership and culture has been on the rise in Thailand, with a burgeoning awareness of animal rights issues.
Both stories have raised awareness of mistreated animals in Thailand, and many hope bringing attention to attitudes about animals will lead to fewer such incidents in the future.
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