The Story of Three Rescued Dogs in Thailand

One of the many things that makes Greenheart Travel’s volunteer abroad programs so successful is that we work on grassroots initiatives that make a real impact on the environment and communities we work in. Perhaps our most shining example of this is the Stray Dog Rescue Center in Thailand. Focused on improving the quality of lives for stray dogs in Hua Hin, Thailand, we partner directly with the animal rescue center to offer our volunteers the opportunity to affect direct change.

Today, we are sharing three stories of triumphant rescues that are made possible by the tireless work of our volunteers. Below you will read about three dogs– Half Pipe, Milo and Princess– all of whom came into the shelter with severe problems, and have since had life changing recoveries.

Milo

Milo is one of the long time dog residents of the Hua Hin rescue shelter, as he has a neurological disorder that extremely limits his physical mobility. He is unable to move like a normal dog and drags his back legs on the ground behind him when he walks. This puts severe strain on his other joints, and without treatment, Milo could become fully paralyzed, which is a death sentence for street dogs in Thailand. The staff was not optimistic about his recovery, and they worried whether keeping him alive was the humane thing to do.

Since arriving at the shelter, the staff and volunteers give Milo daily massages to improve his muscular abilities as well as supported walks on the soft beach. Several weeks into his rehabilitation, Milo started to show improvement on his neurological control, so the staff continued to work with him. He was getting stronger with each walk and massage.

And finally one day, Milo took 6 steps on his own. The next day, it was 8. The next day, it was 12. The volunteers would cheer him on, and his eyes glistened with excitement and encouragement. After a few more weeks, Milo was able to climb a full set of stairs and can be seen on all fours with his tail wagging.

Half Pipe

This male dog came into the shelter in late January of 2015 and was a paralyzed from the waist down due to a motorbike accident. He struggled to get around but still showed the effort and will to make it work. By using his front paws, Half Pipe would pull himself up and around. However, this movement was further damaging his body, so the veterinary staff began working on a solution. They wanted to build him a wheelchair.

The wheelchair was completed and fitted to Half Pipe in late April. He has been in daily rehab since to get his muscle strength and mobility back. Volunteers take him for walks every day on the beach and he is able to run at top speed now. He even loves going in the shallow waves! Check out the video below to see Half Pipe move in his wheelchair! Once he has full mobility back, the staff plan to put Half Pipe up for adoption.

Princess

Princess is a beautiful Thai mix dog that was living at a nearby university campus. She was in fairly healthy condition, as the campus staff was helping to take care of her. However, when they realized that she was pregnant, they threatened to drown her for the burden it would cause the university.

A few members of the student body brought Princess to the shelter, knowing the veterinary staff would be able to help her. The veterinary staff helped to stabilize her condition and ensure she was fit for birth. Thankfully, Princess successfully gave birth to three healthy puppies in June 2015. She has nursed them for their first few weeks of life and her babies are now 10 weeks old. Thanks to the watchful eye of the staff, they are in great condition. Although the puppies are still too young for sterilization, they are in perfect shape for international adoption.

Want to learn more about how you can help as a volunteer in Thailand?