It is amazing how many stray dogs there are in Cambodia. More I am sure than the people in each village. The people don't seem to have empathy for their animals in the ways we do. They love their cattle (because their religion tells them to) but they don't engage with them in any loving or compassionate way. The cattle are just there to provide them with necessities or be beasts of burden.
As for cattle, even if nobody really engages with them I wonder if they might have better lives than cattle who just exist to be slaughtered here in North America.
As I read this, I am being STARED DOWN by Carmela, a former Mexican street (stray) who somehow found a home with my friend Henry, who asked me to dog-sit. I'm also listening to the neighbor coonhound, two doors down, in the midst of another one of her howl fests (this happens several times a day as she is a "outside dog" who really just wants to be WITH her hoomans). And I'm thinking of my happy little corgi Tosha, snuggles up to my dad's feet two suburbs away, getting good Grandpa Jim time, while I take care of Carm for Henry.
Carm has a good life now. And her prior life lives on in her nervous system. To say she is skittish is a vast understatement. Yet, the pure joy in her every-single-body-part-wagging when I offer her a tiny piece of leftover chicken from my plate is almost overwhelming for me. To imagine you offering cheapo walmart treats to hundreds of Carms...that's an image I will keep with me.
This must be why so many people insist on the spay and neuter treatment for their dogs- if you leave them alone, they multiply pretty fast, and there isn't enough resources around for them all.
awk what a lovely idea!! DEF gonna try to do something like this next time I travel.
Once when I was on a national tour, we stayed at a little inn in the middle of nowhere USA... the room I picked was near the water and when my then boyfriend (now husband) came to see my room, a little kitten just walked in and looked at us like "can I stay"? 🥹
She hung out all night and next morning with us, we got her food and water and it is STILL one of my best memories of tour EVER. She made us feel better and not miss home so much. 💜 🐈⬛
My biggest issue with meeting loving critters on vacation is having to leave them. They get used to a little attention and then the attention is gone. It makes me feel sad.
You're doing a good thing by putting this into our brains BEFORE we go on our next trip to a country that is in any way "developing." I confess it was something I didn't even think about before I went to Mexico, Costa Rica, Turkey, and especially Kenya (the dogs there were truly pitiful) -- leaving me unprepared to respond in any helpful way.
I'm going to do something like this wherever I go! Unless there's a miraculous country somewhere that has no struggling shelters or sanctuaries full of stray, tortured or discarded animals or animals rescued from slaughter, racetracks, lifelong labour, laboratories or factory farms whatsoever?
Well I guess awareness is the first step. If you don’t know, you don’t know! But hopefully going forward some might feel compelled to give up one day of “vacation” to make a dog’s life sparkle a little 😊
So sweet. What a great idea. I remember years ago in Cancun meeting a gal at the airport who adopted a stray dog from there. She said, “We found him on the street and we’re taking him home to Beverly Hills.”
We were in the mountains a couple years ago and Dezi frolicked in the deep snow with a little Mexican mutt. He seemed to be living his best life in Canadian winter 😁
Thank you for writing this. Whenever we travel in other countries we notice the dogs on the street and wonder how to help.
We are going to Ixtapa, Mexico in November. I just checked online and found a dog rescue/ shelter there that we are definitely going to support. https://luckypawsinn.com. Maybe we will go visit them.
Yessss Tim!! And maybe even contact them ahead of time to see if you could also do a treat day! I really hope you do and if you get any amazing pics or even a great story, please share when you come back 😊
It is amazing how many stray dogs there are in Cambodia. More I am sure than the people in each village. The people don't seem to have empathy for their animals in the ways we do. They love their cattle (because their religion tells them to) but they don't engage with them in any loving or compassionate way. The cattle are just there to provide them with necessities or be beasts of burden.
Yes it can be heartbreaking to see all the dogs.
As for cattle, even if nobody really engages with them I wonder if they might have better lives than cattle who just exist to be slaughtered here in North America.
Love this story! What a great idea. Thanks for sharing this wonderful article.
You're welcome, Lois! I'm happy to bring a smile to humans through the magic of dogs 😊
As I read this, I am being STARED DOWN by Carmela, a former Mexican street (stray) who somehow found a home with my friend Henry, who asked me to dog-sit. I'm also listening to the neighbor coonhound, two doors down, in the midst of another one of her howl fests (this happens several times a day as she is a "outside dog" who really just wants to be WITH her hoomans). And I'm thinking of my happy little corgi Tosha, snuggles up to my dad's feet two suburbs away, getting good Grandpa Jim time, while I take care of Carm for Henry.
Carm has a good life now. And her prior life lives on in her nervous system. To say she is skittish is a vast understatement. Yet, the pure joy in her every-single-body-part-wagging when I offer her a tiny piece of leftover chicken from my plate is almost overwhelming for me. To imagine you offering cheapo walmart treats to hundreds of Carms...that's an image I will keep with me.
I adore this! Seems like Carm has not forgotten her roots and appreciates every bit of privilege she enjoys now. ❤️
And I gotta tell ya, treat day for those shelter dogs made my heart nearly burst. It was so gratifying seeing them all excited over Walmart treats.
This must be why so many people insist on the spay and neuter treatment for their dogs- if you leave them alone, they multiply pretty fast, and there isn't enough resources around for them all.
You're right about that.
A beautiful article. In Europe there are also many locations where stray dogs need help. Do think about helping them!
awk what a lovely idea!! DEF gonna try to do something like this next time I travel.
Once when I was on a national tour, we stayed at a little inn in the middle of nowhere USA... the room I picked was near the water and when my then boyfriend (now husband) came to see my room, a little kitten just walked in and looked at us like "can I stay"? 🥹
She hung out all night and next morning with us, we got her food and water and it is STILL one of my best memories of tour EVER. She made us feel better and not miss home so much. 💜 🐈⬛
Awwwww this is priceless. I love this story!
My biggest issue with meeting loving critters on vacation is having to leave them. They get used to a little attention and then the attention is gone. It makes me feel sad.
Hating leaving her! Selfishly, she made us feel so much better than I bet we did for her.
I did ask the front desk guy and he said the cat family is beloved there and they (his family) and guests always take care of them. 😍
You're doing a good thing by putting this into our brains BEFORE we go on our next trip to a country that is in any way "developing." I confess it was something I didn't even think about before I went to Mexico, Costa Rica, Turkey, and especially Kenya (the dogs there were truly pitiful) -- leaving me unprepared to respond in any helpful way.
I'm going to do something like this wherever I go! Unless there's a miraculous country somewhere that has no struggling shelters or sanctuaries full of stray, tortured or discarded animals or animals rescued from slaughter, racetracks, lifelong labour, laboratories or factory farms whatsoever?
Caryl, there is ONE country that doesn't have this problem. I wrote about it a few weeks ago
https://dogsnobs.substack.com/p/how-one-country-has-eliminated-stray-dogs
Well I guess awareness is the first step. If you don’t know, you don’t know! But hopefully going forward some might feel compelled to give up one day of “vacation” to make a dog’s life sparkle a little 😊
This is a wonderful idea. For anyone heading to Thailand, may I suggest having a look here: https://www.happydoggo.com or checking out the posts of Niall Harbison, the founder and drving force (https://www.instagram.com/niall.harbison/; https://bsky.app/profile/happydoggo.bsky.social). Sadly, he hasn't arrived here yet, though.
Anyway, if anyone's going to Thailand and wants to pick up on this amazing, idea, his work is well worth supporting :-)
Thanks so much for sharing this Caryl 😊
My pleasure! Thank you for your inspiring idea!
Also, for anyone who's interested, I forgot to say the Niall Harrison is also here, on Substack: https://www.substack.com/@niallharbison.
So sweet. What a great idea. I remember years ago in Cancun meeting a gal at the airport who adopted a stray dog from there. She said, “We found him on the street and we’re taking him home to Beverly Hills.”
So amazing. I love transplant stories ❤️
We were in the mountains a couple years ago and Dezi frolicked in the deep snow with a little Mexican mutt. He seemed to be living his best life in Canadian winter 😁
Thank you for writing this. Whenever we travel in other countries we notice the dogs on the street and wonder how to help.
We are going to Ixtapa, Mexico in November. I just checked online and found a dog rescue/ shelter there that we are definitely going to support. https://luckypawsinn.com. Maybe we will go visit them.
Yessss Tim!! And maybe even contact them ahead of time to see if you could also do a treat day! I really hope you do and if you get any amazing pics or even a great story, please share when you come back 😊