Petitioning Thailand’s Prime Minister, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra

I am disappointed to see that despite numerous arrests and publicity, the illegal trade in dogs for meat and skin continues, both within Thailand and from Thailand to Vietnam.

Because most of these dogs are not vaccinated for rabies and can spread the disease this severely compromises Thailand's commitment as a member of ASEAN to eradicate rabies by the year 2020.

In addition the people of Thailand should be aware of the dangers of eating dog meat which has been demonstrated in Vietnam and China to be a cause of outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and trichinellosis.

Smugglers collect and steal dogs across the country and transport them to central holding facilities in Northern Thailand. An increasing number of the dogs are stolen pets. Transporting unvaccinated dogs across provinces within the country, as well as to other countries, is illegal.

The people behind the trade openly boast that the industry is worth 1 billion Thai baht (30 million US dollars) per year but they pay no tax on the profits, and the industry thrives on corruption.

As the international community becomes more aware of the trade in dogs for meat and skin, Thailand's reputation as a nation of caring people is being severely tarnished by the actions of a few greedy criminals.

The Department of Livestock Development, which is sheltering and providing for the dogs rescued from the trade, currently has no budget for this which has resulted in over 70% of all rescued dogs dying from disease, injuries and starvation.
We respectfully ask that the Government of
Thailand:

- Stop the trade and arrest those people behind it who are well known to the authorities.

- Stop the open sale of dog meat and dog products at shops and restaurants in Thailand, none of which operate legally.

- Provide funding to the Department of Livestock Development to care for the dogs rescued from the trade.

- Ban the export of dog skin and the manufacture and export of dog skin products.