Thai dog shelter blames coronavirus for drop in donations

BANGKOK: Cramped tooth and claw in vast cages, hundreds of dogs pass the day sleeping, fighting, or waiting to be fed at a controversial Thai shelter that does not believe in adoptions and blames a drop in donations on the coronavirus.

Launched in 2013, "Aunt Ju’s Shelter for Stray Dogs" has long relied on donors to feed more than 2,000 stray canines and 300 cats living under their care. But there has been a massive decrease in donations in recent months, and they have taken to Facebook to appeal to animal lovers with photos of dogs in their crowded facilities.

"It may be... due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has made people donate less," caretaker Yutima Preechasuchart told AFP, during a recent visit to one of its sites in Pathumthani province, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from central Bangkok.

Hundreds of dogs are packed into humid rooms behind a rusted fence, where playful fights and territorial clashes occur as the shelter’s employees attempt to clean the concrete floors with a hose.