OCT - JANTHAILAND FLOODS

Log 5: Wading Deep Log 5: Deep

OCT - JANTHAILAND FLOODS

Log 5: Wading Deep

The team wades out to stranded animals, Kinship Circle

Dog in Thailand flood waters, (c) Kinship Circle

Dogs are stranded atop patios and steps at flooded Buddhist temples in Thailand, (c) Kinship Circle

Stranded Thailand flood dog, (c) Kinship Circle — Water's Edge

Water's Edge

KC-DARTBeth Schmidt, Cara Blome, Ron Presley, Cheri Deatsch, Brenda Shoss, Grady Ballard, Adrienne Usher, Bryan Grant
LocationEmergency Shelter and Field in Bangkok, Thailand Dec 1-4 2011
Field LogBrenda Shoss, Kinship Circle director in Thailand

RESCUED FROM WATER'S EDGEA Temple, half-submerged. Past gold Buddhas and steps. Then, a splash of waggy tails. The frantic paddle to our boats. Inside flooded temple grounds, our feeding boat stops alongside a canine family on the steps of a small meditation building. Dad paces top steps while wheat-colored mom stands guard. Three pups splatter in water as we open food bags for them. The pups follow as we slog in thigh-deep water toward the larger temple. About 30 dogs align at water's edge. They paddle with choreographed precision, a ripple of paws and waggy tails. We intend to rescue a small Shepherd-mix girl with a mangled paw; a black skinny girl whose pelvis appears dislocated; and a furless dog with advanced mange. Though told that “owned” dogs — left behind when people evacuated — could not be taken, we've learned residents are unhappy about their growing numbers. With no municipal animal control in Thailand, private citizens sometimes poison “nuisance animals.”

A stranded dog at flood-filled temple, (c) Kinship Circle

A dog leaps ledge to ledge over water, (c) Kinship Circle

Dogs follow us during food drops, (c) Kinship Circle

A hungry white dog at our food boat, (c) Kinship Circle

A hungry white dog in floodwaters, (c) Kinship Circle

This dog has a chronic jaw injury, (c) Kinship Circle

Dogs are stranded at flooded temples, (c) Kinship Circle

KC-Dart team in Thailand floodwaters, (c) Kinship Circle

Dogs huddle close at dry spots, (c) Kinship Circle

Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss carries an injured dog to a rescue crate, (c) Kinship Circle Thailand Floods — Frail, Sick, Saved

A black dog is thin, her ribcage evident. One hip joint protrudes sharply. When Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss approaches, the timid dog withdraws. Curious dogs crowd around her, so she retreats to a cement corner on the temple patio. But after gentle coaxing, she is scooped into a firm hold, her legs dangling with no pressure on a possibly dislocated pelvis. The skinny girl is lowered into a cage. Bewildered, she barely notices oue treats. Still, she is calm in Bangkok traffic for the long, bumpy truck ride to the shelter.

Brenda Shoss and Cheri Deatsch rescue animal victims of Thailand floods, (c) Kinship Circle — Frail, Sick, Saved

A black dog is thin, her ribcage evident. One hip joint protrudes sharply. When Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss approaches, the timid dog withdraws. Curious dogs crowd around her, so she retreats to a cement corner on the temple patio. But after gentle coaxing, she is scooped into a firm hold, her legs dangling with no pressure on a possibly dislocated pelvis. The skinny girl is lowered into a cage. Bewildered, she barely notices oue treats. Still, she is calm in Bangkok traffic for the long, bumpy truck ride to the shelter.

Frail, Sick, Saved

A black dog is very thin, her ribcage evident. One hip joint protrudes sharply, similar to the dislocated hip of Mabel at the flood shelter. When Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss approaches her, the timid dog draws back. Many curious dogs crowd around her, so she retreats to a cement corner on the temple patio. But after gentle coaxing, she is scooped into a firm hold, her legs dangling with no pressure to hip joints. The skinny girl is carefully lowered into a cage. Bewildered, she barely notices the treat we give her. Still, she is calm in Bangkok traffic for the long truck ride to the shelter.

KC-DART members prep a rescue for shelter, (c) Kinship Circle — Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss coaxes a timid, frail dog into a slip lead and firm hold, so the team can gently crate her for transport to the disaster shelter in Bangkok.

© Kinship Circle, Thailand 2011-2012

We prep a sick dog for transport (c) Kinship Circle — Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss coaxes a timid, frail dog into a slip lead and firm hold, so the team can gently crate her for transport to the disaster shelter in Bangkok.

© Kinship Circle, Thailand 2011-2012

Rescue of frail, hurt black dog, (c) Kinship Circle

On Our Bellies

Brenda Shoss belly crawls to rescue a dog, (c) Kinship Circle — On Our Bellies Belly Down

A shep mix with a mangled paw by floods, (c) Kinship Circle

KC-Dart tries to rescue a hidden dog, (c) Kinship Circle

On Our Bellies To Rescue Dog With Mangled PawWe find a Shepherd mix with a lacerated paw, unable to bear weight on the paw. Still, she is a runner. As volunteers chase, the dog barricades herself behind a water buffalo family — two bulls, a cow and calf — who graze at water's edge. She is a tan and black dash between the bull's thick legs. Then a peek. A few steps toward us. A sprint of damp fur. Gone.

Kinship Circle's Cheri Deatsch suggests we encircle her from all sides. The dog darts beneath a low wooden table, enclosed on some sides, buried under mounds of hay. Kinship's Brenda Shoss, along with Corrina, a Singapore veterinarian, belly crawl under the table on either side of the injured pup. Brenda's slip lead nearly encircles the dog's neck, but needs a tug from the opposite side to complete its loop. Corrina reaches through a tiny opening under the table to pull the yellow twine and the dog is finally leashed! Safely caged, she settles in for transport to the flood shelter, where U.K. vet Emma Sant Cassia can treat her wound. Like others, she'll enter SCAD Bangkok's foster-adopt program or live at SEF's sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Images (c) Kinship Circle

A scared shep mix runs toward water, (c) Kinship Circle

We coax out a scared dog to rescue, (c) Kinship Circle

Thai Mabel ➑Chances ➐Despair ➏Begin Deep ➍Hunger ➌Alive ➋Alone ➊Save

A furless dog is fearful of rescue, (c) Kinship Circle — Harry Is Hairless

Harry Is Hairless

Harry Is Hairless

Harry, a furless dog with advanced mange, (c) Kinship Circle

Harry has endured hunger, mange, floods, (c) Kinship Circle

Hope For Harry, Flood Dog With Severe MangeThe next rescue is complex. A furless dog with advanced mange is aggressive and fearful. We have a large net attached to a pole to catch him. Despite his leathery black skin and decrepit appearance, the dog is strong and agile — easily jumping between ledges, splashing into floodwaters and crawling ashore beyond reach. Lit, a SCAD Bangkok volunteer, eyes the dog closely. With a perfectly timed swoosh, Lit throws the net over the dog. Much thrashing ensues. This dog has endured hunger, mange and floodwaters. He does not understand we are here to ease his struggles. Lit, a SCAD Bangkok volunteer, eyes the dog closely. With a perfectly timed swoosh, Lit throws the net over the dog. Much thrashing ensues. This dog has endured hunger, mange and floodwaters. He does not understand we want to ease his struggles. Part two of Harry's capture involves placing a netted dog inside a cage, removing the net and securing the cage door. Kinship Circle's Beth Schmidt, Cheri Deatsch and Brenda Shoss ultimately crate the dog with careful angling and quick reflexes. This stubborn boy joins the Shepherd mix, black dog, and terrier mix with neck gash at the shelter in Bang Pu. We situate them near each other, to ease anxiety with familiar faces and smells. Safe at last. Plus, great canine grub. In Thailand, local volunteers at the disaster shelter gather around huge bowls and crocks to chop fresh veggies and plant-based proteins into giant stir fry meals for doggies. Woof! Yum!

OUCH!As Cheri Deatsch, Kinship Circle Field Response Manager, secures Harry in his travel crate, the team assumes we caught the defensive dog without incident. The dog had led us on chase from steps and patio-tops to water's edge — until Lit cast a capture net over him. We'd lowered the net into the crate and Harry squiggled free. But hairless Harry gets in one final chomp (clean through Cheri's bite-glove) that leaves her finger with a deeply painful puncture wound. We treat her on-site with a first-aid kit. After the day's rescues are situated at the emergency shelter, Cheri is taken to a Thailand hospital for stitches and rabies shots.

Mangy Harry leads us on a chase, (c) Kinship Circle

Harry is scared but swift, (c) Kinship Circle

Lit nets hard-to-catch Harry, (c) Kinship Circle

We attempt to ease Harry's struggles, (c) Kinship Circle

We must free netted Harry once caged, (c) Kinship Circle

Lit brainstormed the net rescue (c) Kinship Circle

Cheri secures Harry, safely net-free, (c) Kinship Circle

A furless dog with advanced mange, (c) Kinship Circle

Shiba rescued in Fukushima, (c) Kinship Circle

Thai Mabel ➑Chances ➐Despair ➏Begin Deep ➍Hunger ➌Alive ➋Alone ➊Save

Brenda Shoss and Mot Waraler Sangkham, (c) Kinship Circle — Thank You!

Kinship Circle and SCAD (Soi-Street Cats & Dogs Of Bangkok) do regular food and rescue runs in SCAD's truck and Save Elephant Foundation's paddle boat. We bring food to temples, bridges and more sites where dogs and cats (not to mention water buffalo, monkeys and other animals) struggle to survive. SCAD Bangkok's Mot Waraler Sangkham serves as translator, asking locals about animals. Lit, also with SCAD, is a driver who never loses his cool in long treks through Bangkok traffic to flood zones, even as water laps at truck doors! During one ride, Mot told Kinship Circle's Brenda Shoss about Chalee, the childhood dog who inspired Mot's devotion to animals. When Mot was 8-years old, her mother refused to sterilize Chalee. After each birth, Chalee's pups were dumped at faraway temples where monks care for strays and drop-offs. Mot grieved each loss and formed an everlasting bond with Chalee. But Chalee grew aggressive toward everyone else. Mot's mom eventually took Chalee away too. Mot was inconsolable. Months passed. One day, Chalee staggered into Mot's yard emaciated, sick, barely able to stand. She'd crossed hundreds of miles to find Mot. Chalee died days later. Mot still cries for her. Yet the dog's love forever changed their lives. Mot's mom advocates spay-neuter and no animals are discarded. Mot works for SCAD and is here in a truck with Kinship Circle, to save forgotten animals in a flood.

WE ARE SO GRATEFULTo Mot and Lit for their navigation of Thailand roadways and floodwaters, along with unwavering devotion to animal rescue. Kinship Circle director Brenda Shoss bonds with Mot Waraler Sangkham in Bangkok, Thailand. Photos (c) Kinship Circle, Thailand Floods

Lit and Mot drive the team to flood areas, Kinship Circle — Lit and Mot drive us from the disaster shelter to flood sites in northern Bangkok. Dry streets slowly go underwater as we near areas where animals are stranded.

Photo © Kinship Circle, Thailand Floods 2011-2012

We bring food to stranded animals (c) Kinship Circle

The team unloads in a flooded temple, (c) Kinship Circle — Mot aligns the truck so we can load the boat for animals in deeper waters at a flooded temple in northern Bangkok.

Photo © Kinship Circle, Thailand Floods 2011-2012

Search & Rescue

Kinship Circle Works With SCAD (Soi-Street Cats & Dogs Of Bangkok) and Save Elephant Foundation (SEF)

Small white dog in floodwaters, (c) Kinship Circle

Many temple complexes are overrun with animals, some collared. When caregivers fled, dogs and cats huddled on temple steps, doorways, mezzanines. Kinship Circle's Beth Schmidt, Cara Blome, Brenda Shoss, and Adrienne Usher wade waist-deep in the murky wet. A monk draped in orange robes waves us toward animals. We leave food on steps, patios, near pillars. We feed all animals in the field, but an overcrowded disaster shelter forces us to triage rescue. That means healthy animals are sheltered in place. Others — sick, hurt, weak — are transported to the disaster shelter and eventually foster or adoptive homes.

The weak are evident: One hobbles on three legs; her right hind leg dangles zigzag above the ground. A hairless dog with advanced mange looks gloved in black leather with no hint of his original fur color. A bulldog mix has an old jaw injury. A black, pointy-ear girl favors a leg. Her pelvis appears dislocated. We take notes for the shelter veterinarian and rescue the most vulnerable. We cannot save them all. Some will ride out receding waters here with monks.