Wednesday, 1 January 2025
I barely slept and was back at the shelter very early. On my first walk through the areas, I was relieved to find that all the fence reinforcements had held, and all the dogs were accounted for and uninjured. I first returned Shaina and then Safo to their respective areas. Both had behaved perfectly in the house.
Afterward, I cleaned the house and the house area, then checked on the dogs in the double-gate section. They, too, had weathered the night’s chaos unharmed.
Once I cleaned the back areas and disposed of the waste, I took Kira and Tarik to the clinic. Both dogs had their bandages changed. Tarik went back to the kennel in the farthest part of the house, while Kira was allowed to stay in the house area.
After ensuring all the dogs were fed and had fresh water, I headed to check on the temple dogs. At Ba Bät’s area, I restocked dry food and rice. At the temple’s front hall, I was greeted cheerfully by Victor, Dahn, and Talib. Down at the beach, I met Kofi and Toto. All five, along with the other beach dogs, were in good condition.
Back at the shelter, I did another round of cleaning through the sections. I found Safo in Kenji and Shaina’s area—he had jumped over the fence. Since the three dogs got along well, I decided to leave him there.
On my way home, I administered eye drops to Booboo and then visited the park dogs. I saw Randy, Sharkey, Daria, Meefoo, and Old Man. I sat with them for a while, finally beginning to relax.
Thursday, 2 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, I manage to catch Booboo again and administer another dose of eye drops. In the house area and the double-gate section, I find all the dogs safe and sound. The dogs in the rear sections are also in their designated spots.
I then pick up Tarik and carry him back to his area, where he will now share space with Nuri and Khiaow. Afterward, I start cleaning the house, work my way through the other sections, and dispose of the waste. Kira is well-integrated into the house group, which should positively impact her recovery process.
Friday, 3 January 2025
Pat is taking care of most of the main work at the shelter again today. I don’t arrive until the afternoon, stopping on the way to treat Booboo’s eyes with drops. I enter the shelter with mild concern but feel relieved during my initial walk-through to find all the dogs in their places. Tarik, Khiaow, and Nuri have gotten along well. Tarik seems back to his old self, happily greeting Venus, Sita, and Buffy in the neighboring area. The wound on his front leg appears to be healing nicely. Shaina is still staying close to Kenji.
Pat has done an excellent job caring for the dogs, leaving me only to distribute medications, clean up, and dispose of waste after a quick round of tidying up. By the time I leave the shelter in the late afternoon, most of the dogs have already settled down to rest.
On my way home, I stop by to check on the Pong Park dogs. Aside from Bella, I see all of them.
Saturday, 4 January 2025
After administering eye drops to Booboo in the morning, I return to the shelter dogs. During a quick walkthrough of the areas, I notice that Nuri is no longer willing to share her space with Khiaow. To prevent any further incidents, I move Khiaow back to her corner sala area. Safo has wandered into Kenji’s area again and seems unable to find his way back, so I return him to his designated space as well.
Next, I handle the medication rounds and then begin cleaning the house and the front areas. Afterward, I move on to the back areas, removing waste. My next task is feeding the dogs and refreshing their drinking water in the house and a few other sections. By late afternoon, the dogs have settled down to rest. Hoping to see them all healthy again, I leave the shelter for the day.
Sunday, 5 January 2025
This morning, I arrived at the shelter very early because Chang Wai had scheduled a visit to repair the damaged metal sheets in various areas. By late morning, all the newly incurred damages were fixed.
Once the workers had left, I started cleaning. I made another attempt to integrate Khiaow with Nuri and Tarik, leaving the connecting door between the two areas open. This provided the dogs with enough space to avoid conflicts. By the afternoon, peace seemed to have settled between Nuri and Khiaow. Tarik, whose wound is healing well, stayed out of any potential disputes. All the other dogs were safe and sound in their respective areas.
After disposing of the waste, I began feeding the dogs and replenishing drinking water in most areas. I then went through the areas again to ensure everything was clean. As nightfall approached, most of the dogs had already settled down to rest, and I decided to call it a day.
Monday, 6 January 2025
This morning, Claudia and Martin are taking care of the dogs. I take Kyra and Jack to Dr. Oi's clinic. Kyra’s stitches are removed, but she still needs to wear a shirt until her next check-up in three days. Blood is drawn from Jack for testing, and I receive the results in the afternoon. Jack is slightly anemic and will be treated with a vitamin B complex and ferric supplements for the next two weeks.
After returning the dogs to the shelter, I leave the remaining tasks to Claudia and Martin and head back to the shelter later in the afternoon. I distribute the medications, go through all the areas for another round of cleaning, and dispose of the waste. The dogs are in a calm mood. I leave the gate to the Pat area open for Khiaow, Tarik, and Nuri. The three dogs have been getting along well and now have more space to roam freely.
On my way home, I stop again at the Pong Park dogs’ area. A visitor is feeding them, but it seems they get plenty to eat during the day since only Old Man is eating heartily. Across the street, I come across Rico and Dodo. Dodo’s left eye is slightly inflamed again, so I administer another dose of eye drops.
Tuesday, 7 January 2025
This morning, I pick up Stefan in Jomtien, and we head to Beppe's place together. Yesterday, Beppe informed me that Rambo, one of the dogs he had taken in, was in poor condition. Beppe had already taken Rambo to a veterinary clinic but wasn’t satisfied with the service provided. Stefan gives Beppe a generous donation, enabling him to seek a second opinion.
We take Rambo to see Dr. Oi, who conducts a blood test and performs an ultrasound on his abdominal area. She discovers that Rambo’s blood values are in a critical range and that his liver is enlarged. Rambo is prescribed Prednisolone and Samarin, with instructions to return for a follow-up in five days.
I bring Beppe and Rambo back home and then head to the shelter. There, I handle the usual cleaning tasks, administer medications, and feed the dogs. Khiaow has gotten along well with Tarik and Nuri, while Shaina has stayed close to Kenji. All the other dogs are in good spirits as well.
On my way home, I administer eye drops to Booboo and Dodo and visit the park dogs, finding them all accounted for.
Wednesday, 8 January 2025
Thursday, 9 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, I administer eye drops to Dodo and Booboo again and feed the dogs in front of the shelter with dry food. Afterward, I distribute medications to Kyra, Jack, and Tarik. Tarik’s wound is now healing quite well.
Next, I clean the front areas and then take Kyra to see Dr. Oi. Kyra’s wound is also healing normally, but she needs to be checked again in four days.
Back at the shelter, I clean the back areas as well and then feed the dogs. I move Khiaow back to the Pat section since she isn’t getting along well with Nuri. However, this separation doesn’t need to be permanent, and I’m hopeful I can leave the door between the two sections open again tomorrow.
Friday, 10 January 2025
I take care of Dodo and Booboo again on my way to the shelter. There's still dry food available for the dogs outside the shelter. I distribute the medication and clean the front areas. Later, I have some errands to run in town and also stop by to visit Beppe. It seems that Rambo is recovering, as he's eating normally again. In the afternoon, I return to the shelter and start by feeding the dogs. Everyone seems to be doing well. After cleaning all the areas and disposing of the waste, I leave the dogs for the night.
Saturday, 11 January 2025
Claudia and Martin are back at the shelter working today. I only distribute the medications before heading back home. In the afternoon, Claudia informs me that the water supply has been interrupted. After several unsuccessful attempts to identify the cause, the pump miraculously starts working again. In the meantime, Claudia and Martin had already taken care of the dogs. While they finish up the final tasks, I head home, stopping along the way to give Dodo and Booboo their eye drops.
Sunday, 12 January 2025
I continue administering eye drops to Booboo and Dodo before heading to the shelter. After the usual round of greetings, I begin distributing medications and then start cleaning the front areas. Next, I feed the dogs, refill their drinking water, clean the back areas, and dispose of the waste. All the dogs are in good spirits, allowing me to leave them for the night with peace of mind.
Monday, 13 January 2025
I have errands to run in the city all day today and won’t be back with the dogs until late afternoon. Before nightfall, I’ll just manage to clean most of the areas. Feeding will be postponed until tomorrow when Pat will take care of the dogs again.
Tuesday, 14 January 2025
This morning, my first stop was at the Takhiantia municipal office to address yesterday’s inspection of local shelters. I had a productive conversation with an official who explained that the inspection was prompted by a noise complaint from distant residents. While it’s true that the dogs in the shelters aren’t always quiet, there haven’t been any complaints in previous years. I suspect the recent complaints are due to the barking of the hundreds of dogs housed in the newly constructed shelter nearby. I invited the official to inspect my shelter as well.
When I arrived at the shelter, Pat was already hard at work. I started cleaning up the waste while Pat fed the dogs. Once I had thoroughly cleaned the front areas, Pat finished her tasks, and we secured the shelter for the night before leaving.
Wednesday, 15 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, I administer eye drops to Booboo once again. Upon arriving at the shelter, I find all five dogs in good condition. I distribute the medications and then clean the house and the front areas.
After inspecting the back areas, I head to Baan Amphur. There, I purchase rice at the pet food store and leave a sack of dry food for Ba Baet. I then take the three front-area dogs—Victor, Dahn, and Talib—for a walk on the beach, where we encounter Kofi and Toto. On the way back, I check on the boat dogs. They are all accounted for and in good health.
Back at the shelter, I feed the dogs and clean all areas thoroughly. All the dogs are in good spirits, allowing me to leave them unattended until tomorrow with peace of mind.
Thursday, 16 January 2025
After administering eye drops to Booboo in the morning, I tend to the five dogs outside the shelter gate. Once the medications are distributed, I start cleaning the front areas and then work my way through the back sections. All the dogs are calm and in good health. After disposing of the waste, I move on to feeding them and refreshing their water bowls.
Late at night, I visit the Pong Park dogs. I find nearly all of them in the parking lot, though Daria is missing. Michael is in Bangkok for a few days, so I’ll be checking on the dogs during the nights ahead.
Friday, 17 January 2025
In the morning, I give Dodo and Booboo their eye drops and then head to the shelter. Pat is already at work. I start with cleaning tasks and refill the drinking water. All the dogs in their designated spots are doing well. After disposing of the waste, I leave the remaining tasks to Pat. On my way home, I check on the Pong Park dogs but only find Sharkey.
In the early evening, I visit Bobo at Chris's place. Bobo's condition has improved further, and his slight remaining impairment doesn’t seem to bother him. Later that night, I search for the Pong Park dogs again and find all of them safe and sound.
Saturday, 18 January 2025
On my first round through the shelter, I find all the dogs in good health. I distribute medications, clean the front areas, and then start feeding the dogs. Once all the dogs are taken care of, I clean the back areas, refill drinking water, and dispose of the waste.
Sunday, 19 January 2025
Today is a routine day with the usual cleaning of the house and all areas, distributing medications, and feeding afterward. All the dogs are doing well and have already settled down by the time I leave in the late afternoon.
Monday, 20 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, I once again give Dodo and Booboo their eye drops. Near the shelter, I only see Sahm and Mee. The dogs in the house area are in good spirits. After distributing the medications, I start cleaning the house, the surrounding area, and the double-gate section. Then, I move on to cleaning the back areas and disposing of the waste. Since I obviously overfed the dogs yesterday, they only get half their usual portion today. While distributing the dry food, I also refill the drinking water in all areas.
I go through the areas once more for a final cleaning and then sit with the dogs in the salas. The cleaning tasks always take up so much time and energy that I hardly get to spend quality time with the dogs. They are all so sweet and crave my attention, but I can only sit with them briefly before the next task demands my attention.
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
This morning, Pat took care of the shelter dogs. I administered eye drops to Booboo and then headed to Wat Amparahm. Claudia had informed me that Victor had sustained a wound on his ear. Fortunately, the wound is only superficial, and I treated it. Paula, a female dog that stays near the boats, has injured her right hind leg. However, she’s still moving quite swiftly and doesn’t appear to be in pain. I plan to return to the temple in a week to check on Victor and Paula.
On my way back, I stopped by Beppe’s place and brought him Renavast for Rambo. Beppe is currently treating Rambo with saline solution, as his kidney values are at the upper end of the normal range. According to Beppe, Rambo has been doing well over the past few days.
In the afternoon, I finally made it back to the shelter. Pat had taken good care of the dogs, so I only needed to distribute the medications and go through the areas for a final cleaning.
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, Dodo and Booboo receive their eye drops again. Outside the shelter, Mee, Sahm, Soda, Noona, and Woody greet me. The dogs in the house area and the double-gate section are in good spirits. I distribute the medications and then begin the cleaning tasks. After that, I feed the dogs, clean up again, and dispose of the waste. By the time I leave the shelter in the afternoon, the dogs have already settled down to rest.
Thursday, 23 January 2025
This morning, only Booboo received eye drops, as Dodo's eyes no longer show any signs of inflammation. My first task at the shelter is administering the medications. After that, I clean all areas, dispose of the waste, and start feeding the dogs. Today, my special attention is on Billy, who seems to be getting on in years. I let him stay in the kitchen for a while so he can avoid the hustle and bustle of the main living area. All the other dogs are behaving normally and have already settled down by the time I leave in the late afternoon.
Friday, 24 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, I manage to catch Booboo again and administer his eye drops. Pat is already at the shelter and has taken care of the dogs in the front areas and outside the gate. I distribute the medications and then start cleaning the back areas while Pat feeds the dogs there and refills their drinking water. After disposing of the waste, I leave the remaining tasks to Pat for the day.
In the evening, Claudia informs me that Mona, Lucy, and Tessa—three of my shelter dogs that Jutta had taken in—were poisoned. Jutta, who is preparing to return to Germany, had already made all the necessary arrangements to take them with her.
Saturday, 25 January 2025
Today is another routine day, consisting of cleaning all areas, distributing medications, refreshing the drinking water, and then feeding the dogs. I’m still struggling with the loss of the three dogs I entrusted to Jutta, but I have to focus on the ones still in my care. They are all doing well when I leave them in the early evening.
Sunday, 26 January 2025
Upon arriving at the shelter, Claudia and Martin had already fed the dogs outside the gate and were busy tending to the ones inside. Khiaow's forehead wound was too deep to treat without professional help. Dr. Oi took care of the wound, and I brought Khiaow back to the shelter. With the right medication, the wound will hopefully heal within a few days.
At one o’clock, Martin and Ann visited us again, bringing a generous donation of dog food. They stayed for an hour while Claudia and Martin finished up their tasks. After they left, I went through the areas once more, cleaning up and disposing of the waste. In the late afternoon, I left the well-cared-for dogs, most of whom had already settled down to rest.
Monday, 27 January 2025
This morning, shelter work begins with administering medications, followed by cleaning the house, the surrounding area, and the double-gate section. After also cleaning the back areas and disposing of the waste, I move on to feeding the dogs. I leave them well cared for in the late afternoon.
Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Pat is already hard at work at the shelter when I arrive in the morning. I clean the outdoor areas before heading to a dentist appointment. After running errands in town, I return to the shelter in the afternoon. Pat has taken excellent care of the dogs. I administer their medications, clean all the areas, and dispose of the waste. On my way home, I check on the Pong dogs—they are all doing well. I can only hope the same will be true tomorrow, as tonight’s Chinese New Year fireworks are bound to cause panic among the dogs again.
Wednesday, 29 January 2025
I won’t know until this evening whether the park dogs made it through the fireworks unharmed. At the shelter this morning, I make my way through all areas and am relieved to find that the dogs got through the night without any issues. After distributing their medication, I begin cleaning. While doing so, I notice a slight swelling on Khiaow’s left hind leg and treat it with Prednisolone.
After a short break, I return to the dogs in the afternoon. I feed them and then go through the areas once more to clean up. On my way home, I stop by Pong Park and find all the dogs there safe and well.
Thursday, 30 January 2025
On the way to the shelter, I administer eye drops to Dodo and Booboo again. Once there, I start by cleaning the house and the front areas before working my way through the back sections. After disposing of the waste, I feed the animals and refill drinking water in some areas.
Just as I finish all my tasks in the afternoon, we receive a visit from the Takhiantia District Office. Four of the approximately twenty officials who arrived inspect the house area. I accompany one of them on a walkthrough of all sections. He takes notes and informs me that he will update me soon on the agency’s next steps.
Friday, 31 January 2025
Pat is already at the shelter when I arrive in the morning. While Pat feeds the dogs, I distribute the morning medications and then replace damaged wooden pallets with sturdy plastic ones at three area doors. These pallets serve as visual barriers and help prevent the dogs from damaging the doors.
In the afternoon, I return to the shelter. Pat has taken good care of the dogs. I go through all areas, cleaning as I go, and then dispose of the waste.
Saturday, 1 February 2025
This morning, I clean the entire shelter and refill the drinking water. Then I feed the animals and head to the temple dogs. I order 30 kg of rice and leave a 20-kg bag of dry food for Ba Baet. In the temple area and by the boats, I find all the dogs well cared for. Kofi and Toto also greet me during my walk along the beach. After a brief visit with Rita and Ernest, I return to the shelter in the afternoon. I go through the areas once more, cleaning, and then dispose of the waste. Just before nightfall, I leave the dogs, who have already settled in for the night.
Sunday, 2 February 2025
After giving Dodo and Booboo their eye drops, I start the cleaning work at the shelter once the medications have been administered. While I’m feeding the dogs, Pat arrives and takes over cleaning the front areas. I handle the back sections and dispose of the waste. Pat leaves, and I finish up the remaining tasks. The dogs are well cared for and settle in for the night.
Monday, 3 February 2025
This morning, I give Dodo and Booboo their eye drops again. Their eyes are now clear enough that I’ll pause the treatment for the time being. The shelter dogs are in good spirits, so I get straight to cleaning and distributing medications. After refilling the drinking water and disposing of waste, I start feeding the dogs in the front areas before tending to those in the back.
Late in the evening, I visit the Pong Park dogs and run into Michael, who, as always, treats them to special meals.
Tuesday, 4 February 2025
When I arrive at the shelter, Pat is already at work. She has cleaned the main area and is preparing the feedings. I clean the double-gate section and then work my way through the back areas. After disposing of the waste, I leave the remaining tasks to Pat.
In the late afternoon, I return to the shelter. The dogs are well-fed and content. I do a final round of cleaning through all areas before leaving them for the night.
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
My first task this morning is once again cleaning the house, the house area, and the double-gate section. Billy, who spent the night outside, I bring into the kitchen, where he’s safe. He gets along fine with the household dogs, but he’s quite old and has had a tough life before coming to us—he deserves some extra care.
After distributing the medications and finishing the cleaning of the back areas, I feed the dogs. Then, I go through the areas once more for a final cleanup and waste disposal. In the late afternoon, I leave the dogs.
Thursday, 6 February 2025
Late this morning, I receive an emergency call from Beppe—Rambo has been unwell since yesterday. A month ago, we took Rambo to Dr. Oi, where an ultrasound revealed an enlarged liver. With intensive medication, his condition had stabilized over the following weeks. When I arrive at Beppe’s, I find Rambo weak and lethargic. His symptoms likely stem from impaired liver function, and I advise Beppe to continue treating him with Samarin.
Hardly back home, I get a call from tourists who have found a tiny, four-week-old puppy beside its dead mother. I bring the little one to Dr. Oi and then head to the shelter. After a round of cleaning, I feed the dogs and replenish their drinking water. Later in the afternoon, I return to the clinic. The puppy, whom I name Johnny, has received initial care, and I decide to take him in for now. The next hours and days will determine whether the little guy has the strength to survive.
Friday, 7 February 2025
Johnny made it through the night, but I didn’t get much sleep. The first few days and nights are always the toughest, but so far, I’ve managed to pull every puppy through, and I’m hopeful I can do the same for Johnny. I offer him some goat’s milk, which he drinks a little of. At just 600 grams, he can only digest small amounts. He also gets his second dose of Vibravet.
After finishing my morning tasks, I take Johnny with me to the shelter. For now, I settle him in the kitchen. Pat is already at work and plans to ask around to see if anyone can take him in. But for the next few days, he’ll stay with me. While Pat feeds the dogs, I clean the areas.
Once Pat is done, I take Johnny back home with me. He’s drinking the goat’s milk more easily now and is starting to respond a little when I talk to him. The first few months without a mother or siblings are far from ideal for a puppy, but I try to give Johnny as much closeness as possible so he can develop not just physically but also emotionally in a healthy way.
Saturday, 8 February 2025
Last night, I only had to feed Johnny twice, and then again early in the morning. He’s drinking well now and seems to be developing. As the sole apparent survivor after his mother passed away, he seems to have a strong will to live. He’s still sniffling, but with his daily Vibravet dose, I hope to get his respiratory issues under control.
I’m taking him with me to the shelter again and starting there with cleaning and distributing medications. After that, I feed the dogs and refill their water wherever needed. Once I’ve done another round of cleaning and waste disposal, I leave the dogs and bring Johnny back with me.
Sunday, 9 February 2025
Johnny slept relatively well last night—I only had to feed him milk once over a six-hour period. In the morning, after finishing his portion of milk and receiving another dose of Vibravet, he goes back to sleep for a while.
Claudia calls to tell me that there’s no power at the shelter, but she and Martin are still able to take care of the essential tasks. I arrive at the shelter in the early afternoon, just before they head home. Since the neighbors are also without power, I assume it’s a local issue.
Back in Pong, I run into Lin and her boys, Jake and Steve, at the pet food store. Shortly after, I receive a generous transfer from Will. Then I check on Johnny and feed him.
By late afternoon, I’m back at the shelter. The power is back on. I make sure everything is in order before leaving the dogs for the night.
Johnny has had a trouble-free day. Pat messages me to say that Josie is willing to take him in next week, provided he tests negative for parvo and distemper. I’ll continue his treatment over the next few days and then take him back to Dr. Oi for a check-up.
Monday, 10 February 2025
Johnny is improving by the day. He's gaining confidence and seems to be enjoying life more and more. I can now leave him alone for several hours without any trouble while I work at the shelter.
The dogs there are also in good spirits, which makes the work easier. I distribute medications, clean, and refill their drinking water. After disposing of the waste, I start feeding them. Once I’ve done another round of cleaning, I leave as night begins to fall.
Back home, a cheerful Johnny greets me. He’s finished his milk, so I give him another serving. He’s becoming braver, and I hope he has now made it through the most critical phase of his early life.
Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Johnny made it through the night well again. He received his milk every four hours and had several more servings in the morning. The daily administration of Vibravet now seems to be helping with his respiratory issues as well. I can leave him alone without worry and head to the shelter at midday.
Pat is already at work, having cleaned the front areas and started feeding the dogs. I distribute the medications, clean the remaining sections, and dispose of the waste. Pat finishes up, and I take care of the rest.
On the way back, I stop by the park dogs. I find some of them, while others are off wandering. Johnny seems to have had a good day. I give him more goat’s milk and, for the first time today, some cooked meat, which he eats eagerly. He’s now at the point where he can also handle solid food in between milk servings.
Wednesday, 12 February 2025
After taking care of Johnny in the morning, I spend the late morning at the shelter. All the dogs are doing well, so I get straight to the cleaning tasks. After distributing medication and refilling the water containers, I feed them. Then, I go through the areas again to clean up and dispose of the waste.
Back at the apartment, I take care of Johnny. He has been with me for a week now, is lively, and seems to be developing normally. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take him to Dr. Oi for another check-up.
Thursday, 13 February 2025
In the morning, I take Johnny to see Dr. Oi again. She deworms him once more and has no concerns about passing him on to Josie. Over the past week, Johnny has gone from 600 grams to 1,000 grams. I bring him back home, take care of him, and then head to the shelter.
There, I go through my usual cleaning routine, administer medications, and feed the dogs. Afterward, I do another round of cleaning and refill the water bowls. All the dogs are doing well and have already settled down for the afternoon.
After checking on the Pong Park dogs, I return to my place at the resort. Johnny has been well-behaved, and I give him goat’s milk again. Later in the evening, he curls up to sleep, and I finally get a moment to relax.
Friday, 14 February 2025
Johnny is getting stronger by the day, so now seems like the right time to introduce him to other puppies around his age to ensure he develops properly. Early in the afternoon, I take him to the shelter. Pat is busy feeding the dogs while I go through all areas, cleaning as I go.
Once Pat finishes up, I drive Johnny over to Josie’s place. For now, he is housed separately in a cage. Among the many dogs Josie cares for, I spot Bee—the dog I entrusted to her over a year ago. Bee is in excellent condition, and we’re both happy to see each other again.
Later in the afternoon, I visit Leo. He recently took in a puppy and is thinking about adopting a second one. We agree to visit Josie together tomorrow—maybe he’ll find the right match at her shelter.
Saturday, 15 February 2025
This morning, I took Leo to Josie’s place. Surprisingly, a spontaneous bond developed between Johnny and Leo, leading Leo to decide to take Johnny in. Over the next few days, we’ll see whether Johnny settles in with Leo and Serafin, the puppy Leo had previously adopted. Their first interaction went very well. Despite Johnny’s limited experience with other dogs, he approaches unfamiliar ones with remarkable courage.
Early in the afternoon, I headed to the shelter. All the dogs were doing well, so after distributing the medications, I started cleaning. Once I finished, I fed the dogs and removed the waste, going through the areas one more time to tidy up.
In the evening, I checked in with Leo to see how Johnny was doing. It looks like he’s adjusting to his new environment and getting along with Serafin.
Sunday, 16 February 2025
After cleaning and distributing medications at the shelter, I leave the dogs there for a while and head to the temple dogs. I drop off another sack of dry food at the pet supply store and buy rice for Ba Baet.
At the temple’s front hall, I run into Victor, Dahn, and Talib. I give Victor goat’s milk mixed with egg yolk—his coat has already improved since his last treatment. Down by the boats, I spot all the beach dogs, and farther along the shore, I find Kofi and Toto. All the dogs appear to be in good condition.
Back at the shelter, I feed the dogs, do another round of cleaning, and dispose of the waste. In the late afternoon, I leave the shelter and stop by Leo’s place. Johnny seems to be settling in well—he’s already playing with Serafin.
Monday, 17 February 2025
Today is a routine day with the usual cleaning of all areas, distributing medications, feeding, and waste disposal. All the dogs are in good spirits, so I feel comfortable leaving them by early afternoon.
Tuesday, 18 February 2025
This morning, I picked up 280 kg of dry food and stored the sacks in the supply room. After that, I distributed the medications and started cleaning. Once I had disposed of the waste, I fed the dogs. I then went through the areas one more time to clean up before leaving them for the night. As usual, Billy made his way back to the kitchen.
Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Pat is taking care of the dogs again today. I only stop by the shelter briefly to distribute medication. After that, I take the pickup to Khun Yao. With the rainy season starting, the leak in the roof urgently needs to be repaired. Khun Yao tells me the repair will take a week.
I take a taxi back and return to the shelter in the afternoon on my motorbike. As always, Pat has done a great job caring for the dogs. I go through the areas once more, cleaning up and disposing of the waste.
Thursday, 20 February 2025
After dropping off my motorbike for a check-up at a nearby workshop in the morning, I head over to Leo’s place. Johnny is full of energy and gets along well with Serafin. Outside the shelter, I run into the usual suspects, all in good spirits. Inside, the dogs are in a good mood as well. I distribute the medications and then get to work on cleaning. Once feeding time is over, I do another round of cleaning and dispose of the waste. Before nightfall, I leave the well-cared-for dogs and make my way home.
Friday, 21 February 2025
This morning, I set out for the shelter on my motorbike again. Pat was already at work and had brought Maria along. Maria has experience handling shelter dogs, so they had no issues with her presence. By the time I arrived, Pat and Maria had already cleaned the front areas, and Pat had started feeding the dogs. I took care of cleaning the back areas, disposed of the waste, and then left the rest of the work for Pat to finish.
Saturday, 22 February 2025
Sahm greets me at the shelter gate, while the other three free-roaming dogs linger nearby. The house dogs are in good spirits. I let Billy out of the kitchen and start cleaning the house before working my way through the rest of the areas.
After disposing of the waste, distributing medications, and refilling the water containers, I begin feeding the dogs. Once they've eaten, I collect the food bowls, do a final round of cleaning, and wrap up my work in the late afternoon.
Sunday, 23 February 2025
It seems that Takhiantia was hit by heavy rain last night, as both the kitchen and the rest area inside the house are flooded. Since the house has no basement, the saturated groundwater is seeping up through the floor, causing the flooding. It takes me quite some time to dry out the rooms. Fortunately, the area where most of the dogs stay has remained dry, and the flooding hasn’t bothered them at all.
After getting the house back into a presentable state and distributing the medications, I move on to cleaning the outdoor areas. The dogs handled the overnight rain well out there too. I refill the water containers and then start feeding them. Once I’ve done a final round of cleaning, I leave the dogs for the night.