This animal shelter in Chonburi, Thailand has a special purpose-it cares for stray dogs with disabled hind legs.
The shelter is run by a foundation called The Man that Rescues Dogs which was launched by Swede chef, Michael J. Baines who moved there in 2002.
He explains that they don’t just provide home for these dogs, but also help them find new and effective methods to overcome their disabilities.
They do this through specially-designed wheelchairs.
The Original Idea Was Not Exactly an Animal Shelter
However, when founder and president Baines moved to Chonburi, he didn’t do it to set up an animal shelter. His original plan was to open up a restaurant. However, every time he went to work, one thing struck him the most, i.e. the number of stray dogs.
One day, when this dog appeared in his restaurant, it was the trigger of the idea for the shelter and the hope to help these animals as much as possible.
Today, the ‘Sanctuary’ houses 600 disabled dogs. And, the volunteers there help take care of the dogs and provide food for more than 350 dogs on the streets.
The description on the shelter’s website says that they treat and rehabilitate disabled dogs and also sterilize and vaccinate puppies. They also help the very sick, abused, and injured dogs.
The Pandemic Hit the Shelter Pretty Hard
However, the shelter’s future is doubtful because of the pandemic.
Since there are measures for safety to reduce the spread of the virus, they’ve experienced 40 percent drop in their donations and the number of visitors has dropped a lot.
The sponsorship coordinator of the shelter said that they depend on donations a lot and the visitors and volunteers are equally important as they help spread the message.
The average amount the shelter needs is around $1,300 for food, spays, and neuters. However, the pandemic reduced their funds and they’ve put the latter on hold for the upcoming future.
Still, the volunteers do their best to care for the disabled dogs, including physiotherapy. The dogs with the specialized wheelchairs look really adorable and they’re enjoying life to the fullest, explain the volunteers.
In case you want to help them out, please donate to the shelter to ensure they have enough to provide care for these amazing animals.
You can donate here.
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