| Bangkok has more pets now than ever before, | | | | At a pet shop, you would find all kinds of pet |
| something in the order of several hundred | | | | items; dog food, cat food, bird food, chewy |
| thousands. | | | | bones, as well as cat litter boxes. These items |
| I came back to Thailand from the US in 1989, and | | | | can also be found in a supermarket like Big C and |
| since then I have seen more pets in this city. My | | | | Foodland. Some of these stores may also stock |
| wife and I are pets lover. We have three dogs, | | | | pet clothing especially for dogs and cats. It does |
| two Golden Retrievers and a local brand dog. | | | | get cool for a few days in December and |
| Chihuahua and other small dogs are very popular | | | | January. |
| here as well, due to their pocket-sized profile. | | | | There are some unfortunate sides to some of |
| They are perfect for apartment and condominium | | | | these pets like stray dogs. There are too many |
| dwellers. | | | | stray dogs in some streets. This is so because |
| Other traditional pets like gold fishes in a tank are | | | | some people had taken in these dogs for a while |
| also on the rise, you would see them in local | | | | and then later abandoned them. Shopkeepers on |
| restaurants and hotels. | | | | the streets feel sorry for them and feed them. |
| We enjoy our pets very much. Every time we | | | | Every once in a while you would see a very fat |
| come back home from somewhere, we are | | | | dog walking around some sidewalks. |
| happily greeted by these barking children. A | | | | Lately, the Bangkok City Administration has taken |
| Golden Retriever would greet us by barking | | | | some actions on the stray animal issue. They |
| quickly while a tennis ball is still in her mouth. | | | | have announced that all dogs in the city will need |
| In many Bangkok neighborhoods you could find | | | | to be tagged with microchips. The city now wants |
| pet shops as well as veterinary clinics. We have a | | | | dog owners to be responsible for their pets. Dogs |
| very good veterinary clinic not to far from our | | | | will not be allowed to roam around town without |
| home. There you could have your pets checked | | | | collars and tags. |
| out. At one time, we had to take one of the | | | | This is a drastic move because the only place you |
| Golden Retrievers for an examination for a lost of | | | | can have your dogs tagged is at the central |
| appetite symptom. | | | | branch of the city administrator, and there are |
| The clinic had kept her there for a few days, so | | | | several hundred thousands dogs. So you see, it is |
| it almost like a little hospital stay. By the way | | | | difficult for dog owners to take their pets there. |
| they also make house call. | | | | It will be a while before all dogs are tagged. |