Cover Story: Pets
All About Pets Buying, Caring, & Transporting
This cover story “All About Pets” came up completely by accident during a conversation that Liz Lu, our editor, and I had one day while we were discussing story ideas. She was giving me examples of cover stories and what they should contain. “Pets” is something she proposed because in the Facebook group Expats of Nichada, lots of people had been asking all sorts of questions regarding pets, especially questions regarding pet relocation. We both agreed it was a great topic worth exploring. Luckily, I have found our local expert, Fabia Feuerabendt, to help out with the topic. Hopefully it will help a little to ease the minds of pet owners who are in the process of moving or travelling with their pets. For those looking to buy or adopt, several resources are listed here as well. For those who currently own pets, lists of suppliers, groomers, and local veterinarians are provided. Have fun reading!
Obtaining a Pet Where to Buy After you’ve done your research into what kind of pets are most suitable for your family (for example, how big a dog you want, how much space you have, dogs’ temperament, etc.), the first thing you need to do is to NOT head to Chatuchak Pet Market, even though it is the 14
first Google search result that comes up when one Googles where to buy pets. Puppies sold there are known to have been bred by various puppy mills around Thailand. They are badly treated, caged all day and often have health or temperament problems right after they are bought. Most are in ill health and hence die shortly after. Secondly, conduct more in-depth research before you buy specific breeds. It could be tricky to find good breeders in Thailand. But there are several ways. If you are looking for a pure-bred dog, consider referrals by asking a friendly dog owner whose dog you admire. Ask where they got their dog from. Another venue where you might find breeders is to visit the Thailand International Dog Show. The next one will be held at Impact Exhibition Center from June 2528, 2020. If you cannot wait that long, purchase local pet magazines and start browsing advertising sections Even though the magazines are in Thai, most breeders do advertise there. The final resort is to get on the internet, but you have to make sure that you only buy from responsible breeders. How do you know who’s a good breeder? First rule of thumb is to always visit the breeders’ homes or places where puppies are bred. Ask a lot of questions regarding the puppies’ background, pedigrees, parents, medical history, etc. Be prepared to spend upwards of 40,000 baht for a good, pedigree dog. For a more thorough guideline on how to identify a responsible breeder, visit humanesociety.org.
T h a n i Ta l k
March 2020
