Rescue Dog Bobby

Compassion saved Bobby's life, after he was sold to the dog meat trade

26.6.2019

Bobby lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and was discovered by a concerned citizen who cares for abandoned and stray cats at a local pagoda (temple).

This concerned citizen was at the local market when she overheard a discussion with a woman who was fed up with her pet dog, the dog who would later become known as Bobby.

According to the owner, Bobby was misbehaving and being destructive at home, causing her a lot of frustration, time and money. The owner claimed she was going to sell Bobby to a dog meat restaurant for misbehaving. Sadly many dogs in Cambodia are sold by their owners because they're perceived to be "naughty" or damage property. Millions of dogs face a cruel and painful death for behaving in a way they never understood to be wrong.

But thankfully, Bobby's luck was going to change.

The concerned citizen, an animal lover herself, was so shocked and upset by what she heard, she immediately intervened. After several minutes of heated discussions, the citizen persuaded Bobby's owner to allow her to spare Bobby's life, offering to take the dog off her hands. The owner agreed.

Our rescuer then brought Bobby to our partner charity in a tuk-tuk (a three-wheeled motorised vehicle used as a taxi.) Once safely in the hands of our veterinary team, Bobby was immediately given love and veterinary treatment, including vaccinations and was dewormed.

"It's hard to believe that a pet owner would be willing to sell their dog into a terribly cruel industry for what could be considered normal dog behavior. With a bit of training and patience, Bobby has shown what a sweet boy he really is and I'm so glad this concerned citizen took action on Bobby's behalf. That's why our program is designed to educate local community members and empower them to stand up against the dog meat trade."

Dr. Katherine Polak, Head of Stray Animal Care Southeast Asia

What is FOUR PAWS doing?

Unfortunately, the Yulin festival isn't the only place where dogs and cats are brutally slaughtered. The dog and cat meat trade takes place in Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam year round.

In Cambodia, FOUR PAWS funds a Saving Pagoda Animals program in conjunction with local charity Animal Rescue Cambodia. This program provides veterinary training, free spay/neuter services, and animal welfare education initiatives for locals in the capital city of Phnom Penh. FOUR PAWS also works closely with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre to combat the cruel dog meat trade.

But FOUR PAWS is not just active in Cambodia. Our team is working actively in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand to help bring an end to the dog and cat meat trade and save more precious lives like Bobby's.