PHUKET: The campaign to beat dog-eating throughout the region gained a key supporter today with singer Will Young, who visited Phuket for a holiday a short time ago, becoming a patron of the Soi Dogs Foundation.
Here's what the media release has to say:
British singer-songwriter and actor Will Young today announced his patronage of the Phuket-based dog and cat welfare charity Soi Dog Foundation, which is leading the fight to end Thailand???s illegal dog meat trade. Mr Young first became aware of Soi Dog's work after a visit to their shelter in Phuket during a holiday in 2014.
''I am thrilled and honored to be a new patron of Soi Dog Foundation. The plight of dogs caught in the dog meat trade is heartbreaking.
''As a proud nation of animal lovers, I hope that people will get behind this incredible charity to rescue animals and give them a chance of happiness,'' said Mr Young.
At its height in 2011, around 500,000 dogs a year were illegally smuggled from Thailand to Vietnam, where their fate was torture and death prior to being served up in the restaurants of Hanoi as a delicacy.
Gill Dalley, co-founder and Global Ambassador of Soi Dog added: ''Every aspect of this trade inflicts such incredible cruelty and pain on the animals. From the sourcing of street dogs to the transportation in tightly packed cages for hundreds of miles without food or water, to the torture the dogs are subjected to prior to death, in the misguided belief that adrenalin improves the texture and flavor of the meat.
''Many dogs are boiled and skinned alive. Will can help us bring this trade to the attention of more people right around the world, and with greater support, we can shut it down for good much quicker.
''We really appreciate Will becoming a patron, and we look forward to working with him. Soi Dog has been working in co-operation with the Royal Thai Police, the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy to intercept trucks taking dogs from North East Thailand on the long trip through Laos to Vietnam, and to shelter the animals and have them adopted.
''Recently, Soi Dog together with three other charities in the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA) also launched a campaign in Vietnam to call on the government there to outlaw the consumption of dog meat.''
Will Young has been a fixture on the UK music and culture scene since his debut album in 2002 'From Now On' went straight to number one in the charts. He has now released six platinum albums in total and his most recent release, '85 percent Proof,' became his fourth No1 album.
Will has won two BRIT Awards and was recently nominated for an Oliver Award for his performance in Cabaret in London's West End.
About Soi Dog Foundation
Soi Dog Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2003, is a legally registered charity in Thailand, the United States, Australia, the UK, France and Holland. Our mission statement is to improve the welfare of dogs and cats in Asia, resulting in better lives for both the animal and human communities, to create a society without homeless animals, and to ultimately end animal cruelty.
Here's what the media release has to say:
British singer-songwriter and actor Will Young today announced his patronage of the Phuket-based dog and cat welfare charity Soi Dog Foundation, which is leading the fight to end Thailand???s illegal dog meat trade. Mr Young first became aware of Soi Dog's work after a visit to their shelter in Phuket during a holiday in 2014.
''I am thrilled and honored to be a new patron of Soi Dog Foundation. The plight of dogs caught in the dog meat trade is heartbreaking.
''As a proud nation of animal lovers, I hope that people will get behind this incredible charity to rescue animals and give them a chance of happiness,'' said Mr Young.
At its height in 2011, around 500,000 dogs a year were illegally smuggled from Thailand to Vietnam, where their fate was torture and death prior to being served up in the restaurants of Hanoi as a delicacy.
Gill Dalley, co-founder and Global Ambassador of Soi Dog added: ''Every aspect of this trade inflicts such incredible cruelty and pain on the animals. From the sourcing of street dogs to the transportation in tightly packed cages for hundreds of miles without food or water, to the torture the dogs are subjected to prior to death, in the misguided belief that adrenalin improves the texture and flavor of the meat.
''Many dogs are boiled and skinned alive. Will can help us bring this trade to the attention of more people right around the world, and with greater support, we can shut it down for good much quicker.
''We really appreciate Will becoming a patron, and we look forward to working with him. Soi Dog has been working in co-operation with the Royal Thai Police, the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy to intercept trucks taking dogs from North East Thailand on the long trip through Laos to Vietnam, and to shelter the animals and have them adopted.
''Recently, Soi Dog together with three other charities in the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA) also launched a campaign in Vietnam to call on the government there to outlaw the consumption of dog meat.''
Will Young has been a fixture on the UK music and culture scene since his debut album in 2002 'From Now On' went straight to number one in the charts. He has now released six platinum albums in total and his most recent release, '85 percent Proof,' became his fourth No1 album.
Will has won two BRIT Awards and was recently nominated for an Oliver Award for his performance in Cabaret in London's West End.
About Soi Dog Foundation
Soi Dog Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2003, is a legally registered charity in Thailand, the United States, Australia, the UK, France and Holland. Our mission statement is to improve the welfare of dogs and cats in Asia, resulting in better lives for both the animal and human communities, to create a society without homeless animals, and to ultimately end animal cruelty.
These people at Soi Dog do incredible work, we adopted a great dog from them 3 years ago. Dear Ed. - any chance you could give them a link to there website in your story?
Posted by Mark G. on July 5, 2015 07:07