Care for Dogs Foundation Chiangmai

"Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer..." 

In Chiang Mai, there are lots of dogs on the street.  They're pretty even-tempered and good-natured. Maybe it comes from having many vegetarian restaurants around, or maybe it's the proximity of so many Buddhist temples. 

Either way, while there are lots of dogs around the city, there's no need to be alarmed - they are pretty friendly (and unlike the hawkers at the night market, they are not trying to sell you stuff!)

During our time in Chiang Mai, we met three kinds of dog.  The first kind was the well-cared for family pet.  We met a few of these from the street - like those that lived opposite Lamphu House - but we also met a fair few on the street.

Many of the temples have adopted dogs too.  Temple dogs are soi or street dogs that have ended up being looked after by the monks. You can find them around many of the temples, where they are given food, water and shelter - and a zen-like attitude to life.

And then, there are the soi dogs themselves: stray dogs wandering the alleys and streets of the city.  Homeless and unloved, these dogs risk their lives on a daily basis:  Chiang Mai traffic can be pretty dangerous for pedestrians to navigate - so it can end up being lethal for dogs that don't stop, look and listen.

Mrs Herbivore knew about the Care for Dogs shelter, and had determined that we would visit it during our trip.  The shelter itself is located about 9 miles (15 kilometres) from the centre of town - so it's a bit of a hike, and you need a driver to get there.

The Shelter is located at 12 Moo 11, Wiang Dong, Nam Prae, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai - but before you trek out there, it's good to know that you need to make an appointment by email - and that it's not open on Sundays. 

The people at the shelter were happy to have us visit, and really helpful - recommending some drivers to us who are regular visitors and know the way.  It cost us THB 250 each way, and our driver, Mr Neng accommodated our wish to go to a pet shop en route to stock up on a donation of food for the canines.  

We stopped off at a pet supplies store and bought a couple of large bags of dried food. We bought local brands which cost about THB 180 each - but there were more expensive foreign brands available.

When we got to the shelter, we were welcomed with open arms by the friendly volunteers who were helping out.  They showed us around, and introduced us to the dogs. 

Many of the dogs we met had been destined for the Vietnamese dog meat trade (imagine eating these cuties!) or had been rescued from the accidents in and around Chiang Mai (why, we wondered, don't people keep their dogs behind fences?).

The shelter actively rehomes its animals.  We were surprised to learn that some of its dogs are, in fact, exported abroad, and we met a couple of lucky dogs destined for families in the US.  We hope they have travelled well and are happy with their new families.

There were some really lovely dogs at the shelter and we really wished we could have taken a couple home with us.

Care for Dogs does great work - but does rely on donations to keep operating.  Why not buy a t-shirt or make a donation?  We bought t-shirts during our visit, but you can do either at the website www.carefordogs.org.

We left with a happy feeling having met such lovely dogs and we hope that many people choose to adopt from the shelter.  The dogs there were beautiful and friendly, and they deserve happy homes.

We give Care for Dogs Foundation 10/10 score.  We think it is a must-visit when you are travelling around Chiang Mai.