Any roaming dog is a target for persons in the trade. There have been witness accounts of people on motorbikes that hit the dogs with a bat or catch the dog with a wire around its neck where they are then shoved into small cages in a waiting truck. There are even reports of trucks going into small villages with a loudspeaker telling that locals can exchange their dog for bottled water or a bucket. Sometimes THB 50 to THB 150 is offered to people, or stray dogs are simply given up if they are considered a nuisance. However, people have reported issues with their pet dogs being stolen. One village in Nakon Phanom has really had to blockade the entrances at night to prevent groups from taking their pets.
“These dogs are sometimes street dogs with no owners yet there are often also owned dogs that get trapped,” said Amandine Lecesne Care for Dogs cofounder and director. “Any dog that wanders on the street is at risk, especially overnight.”