- Title: THAILAND: THAI VETS HELPS DISABLED DOGS TO WALK WITH AID OF WHEEL CHAIR HARNESSES
- Date: 27th March 2002
- Summary: (L!2) BANGKOK, THAILAND (MARCH 27, 2002) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE/ PAN EXTERIOR OF VET CLINIC IN BANGKOK 0.07 2. SMV OF DOG BEING TREATED IN CLINIC 0.12 3. SCU DOG BEING PREPARED FOR TREATMENT 0.17 4. SUC DOG LYING ON BED 0.19 5. WIDE OF DOG WITH OWNER 0.25 6. SMV /SLV DOGS BEING CARRIED INTO KENNEL (2 SHOTS) 0.35 7. WIDE OF DOGS IN CAGES IN KENNEL WITH ANIMALS HANDLERS 0.43 8. SMV WOMAN WITH PARALYSED DOG 0.50 9. SCU PARALYSED DOG 0.56 10. SCU SOUNDBITE) (English) VET, SUTHASANARN SOWAPRUX, SAYING: "Some have been bitten by other dogs, or some puppies have been bitten by dogs or stray dogs that fight each other. Or a car accident. Sometimes it drops from condominium or apartment and broke vertebrae and make them to be paralysed." 1.20 11. VARIOUS, OF VET FITTING DOG WITH WHEEL CHAIR HARNESS TO ALLOW ANIMAL TO WALK (2 SHOTS) 1.31 12. VARIOUS, DOG WALKING WITH THE HELP OF WHEEL CHAIR 1.40 13. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) SUTHASANARN SOWAPRUX, SAYING: "I have a Great Dane that's paralysed and his health is still good but he can't walk so we try with my friend who is an architect to help. He help me to find the wheels for the animal and that's the first dog that tried the wheels" 2.07 14. VARIOUS, DOG IN WHEEL CHAIR HARNESS (4 SHOTS) 2.30 15. VARIOUS OF DOGS WALKING WITH HELP OF WHEELS 2.46 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th April 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVA284GN02AKPRWRU32FO151JZMB
- Story Text: There are more than 50,000 stray dogs in Bangkok and
many of them suffer from health problems and disabilities.
In the past, paralysed dogs were put down or left to
struggle on the city streets, but now a vet in the capital is
using 'pet wheel chairs' to get the canines back on their
paws.
There are more than fifty thousand stray dogs roaming
the streets of the Thai capital, Bangkok. Many of them suffer
from diseases and disabilities. But the lucky ones are brought
to vet clinics like this one, where something is being done to
make their lives a bit more bearable.
For over twenty years, Vet Suthasanarn Sowaprux has been
fitting dogs with 'wheels' -- custom making what can be
described as pet wheel chairs. During this time she has helped
more than one thousand canines.
She says there are a number of reasons why so many dogs in
Thailand become paralysed.
"Some have been bitten by other dogs, or some puppies have
been bitten by dogs or the stray dogs that fight each other.
Or a car accident. Sometimes it drops from a condominium or
apartment and broke vertebrae and make them to be paralysed,"
she said.
Each dog that is brought into the clinic is measured so
the wheel chair can be specifically made to suit their size
and shape.
Suthasanarn says the idea came to her many years ago when
her own pet became disabled.
"I have a Great Dane that's paralysed and his health is
still good but he can't walk so we try with my friend who is
an architect to help. He help me to find the wheels for the
animal and that's the first dog that tried the wheels," she
said.
A lot of the dogs treated at the clinic are permanently
paralysed -- unable to walk even with extensive therapy and
treatment.
The devices cost between 1,000 Baht (US$ 23) to 4,000 Baht
(US$ 92). But owners of the dogs say they are more than happy
to pay the fee so their pets can have a better quality of
life.
And once the wheels are fitted there's no stopping the
portable puppies.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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