FOUR PAWS Southeast Asia Partnership Programme
An active cooperation for stray animal care
In Southeast Asia, most of the people see and treat stray animals differently in comparison to Western Europe. Cats and dogs are afforded little to no legal protection, there is a significant lack of veterinary training, spay/neuter capacity, massive stray animal overpopulation and endemic rabies. The presence of rabies and human-dog conflict unfortunately often leads to the cruel culling of dogs in a misguided attempt to control the disease. The dog and cat meat trade in Asia is also one of the most pressing companion animal welfare issues of our time, involving over 30 million cats and dogs a year. Dogs and cats that were once pets, as well as strays, often end up being stolen, trafficked, and killed in tortuous ways. Therefore, the suffering of stray animals is immense.
Through partnerships, we can accelerate positive change for stray animals.
FOUR PAWS is committed to improving animal welfare throughout the region, through the establishment of strong partnerships with local charities, operating effective programs, and local campaigning.
In Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand, FOUR PAWS engages with a variety of local charities to operate exciting programs involving the rescue of sick and injured animals, veterinary training, community engagement, and providing desperately needed medical services to animals that need it most. The program’s long-term objectives include improving community attitudes and empathy towards stray animals, training the vets of tomorrow, tackling the cruel dog and cat meat trade, and humanely managing stray animal populations. This way, we can ensure improved animal welfare for years to come.
Our Stray Animal Care Partnership Programme
Launched in 2018, and features the following programmes:
INDIA
Mobile Stray Animal Care – Chennai
In 2021, FOUR PAWS launched a stray animal care programme in Chennai, India, with our long-standing partner Blue Cross of India (BCI). The programme is focused on providing mobile stray animal care using a specialised ambulance. The project is the first of its kind, providing a “hospital on wheels” service for animals in Chennai, with a veterinarian providing ‘on-site’ treatment for sick and injured street animals. It’s hoped the FOUR PAWS/Blue Cross of India ambulance will have the capacity to help around 1,800 stray animals a year in Chennai.
THAILAND
Creating a Better Future for Stray Dogs – Trang
Trang is a southern province of Thailand and home to thousands of stray dogs. The condition and welfare of many of them is poor and in the past, the province has also struggled with rabies outbreaks. In the past, the local government has opted for the mass removal of dogs in an attempt to manage the population, instead of more humane methods like spay/neuter. This was largely due to a lack of expertise and a lack of veterinarians trained in high-volume spay/neuter. FOUR PAWS has teamed up with Lanta Animal Welfare, a well-respected charity from neighboring Krabi province, to assist the Trang government in developing a sustainable dog management program. Together with Lanta Animal Welfare, we will also provide intensive training for veterinarians and shelter staff, while showing the local community the benefits of spay/neuter and responsible pet ownership, and providing sick and injured stray animals with the care they need.
INDONESIA
Program Dharma – Bali
Together with local charity Bali Animal Welfare Association, FOUR PAWS has launched Program Dharma to eliminate animal cruelty, provide vital spay/neuter, medical, and rabies vaccination services, and fight the cruel dog meat trade in the Regency of Karangasem. Read more about our work in Bali.
VIETNAM
Cats Matter Too – Da Nang & Hoi An
FOUR PAWS and local groups PAWS for Compassion and Vietnam Cat Welfare have launched the 'Cats Matter Too' program, focused on raising local awareness of this issue, keeping cats safe, free spay/neuter services to pet owners and local businesses, and rescuing cats in need. The program also involves ongoing workshops at local schools to impart a message of compassion towards all animals. Read more about our work in Vietnam.
INDONESIA
Compassion Through Education – Jakarta
In Indonesia, there is widespread suffering of both companion and wild animals. There is a rampant dog meat trade and suffering of both pets and strays due to lapses in responsible pet ownership and understanding of the basic needs of animals. To address this, FOUR PAWS has teamed up with charity Jakarta Animal Aid Network to create an exciting online educational platform with a variety of toolkits, handouts, and lesions on animal welfare to help spread awareness and training materials to teachers, students, and public alike. The programme also supports educational seminars and presentations to schools, embassies, organisations, and at events throughout the capital city of Jakarta.
INDONESIA
Stray Animal Care Borneo
Deep in the heart of the rain forest, FOUR PAWS runs the first and only program of its kind in Kalimantan focusing on improving stray animal welfare while also protecting endangered wildlife from diseases that can be transmitted by domestic animals. In conjunction with our local partner Pro Natura, our team conducts mobile sterilisation clinics, primarily for cats, treats sick and injured animals, and educates community members on responsible pet ownership. Read more about our work in Borneo.
CAMBODIA
Silk Island
FOUR PAWS is committed to improving animal welfare in the Kingdom of Cambodia, and keeping the island dog meat-free. In February 2020, FOUR PAWS launched an island-wide mission with local partner Animal Rescue Cambodia. Read more about our mission.
THAILAND
Thailand’s Forgotten Dogs – Bang Saphan
FOUR PAWS teamed up with local charity, Headrock Dogs Rescue to staff an outreach team and deliver medical services to a huge, under-served area in Central Thailand. In the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, the programme provided desperately needed feeding services for over 500 dogs, responded to emergencies, free spay/neuter services, and helped educate monks, nuns, and local caregivers. Read more about our work in Thailand.
CAMBODIA
Saving Pagoda Animals – Phnom Penh
There is little veterinary capacity, a rampant dog meat trade, and unwanted animals are often dumped at Buddhist pagodas due to the misconception that monks will take care of them. FOUR PAWS teamed up with local charity Animal Rescue Cambodia to bring much needed veterinary services to local communities, with a focus on working at Buddhist pagodas to improve animal welfare, education, and awareness. The programme also worked to train young Khmer veterinarians in spay/neuter. Read more about our work in Cambodia.
