THEIR STORY
It is estimated that there are about 8.5 million dogs in Thailand (of which an estimated 730,000 are abandoned by their owners). Some are ravaged by mange, others have broken limbs, and many are starving.
They arrive, eyes wide – full of broken promises made by humans that many will never see again. Many are hairless, patchy, and scaley. Those with hair range from rustic pale yellows to dust-ridden browns, matted from neglect. Some of these deserving souls are severely hurt, sometimes from accidents, abuse, or otherwise. Some are emotionally and mentally broken, sometimes from abuse or neglect. Some are lost, some abandoned, and some forgotten. But ALL of these animals have been let down. All are in desperate need of help.
Every day presents a new challenge, and a new soul to be taken care of. And many of these animals need immediate medical care.
THE SOLUTION: TMTRD ANIMAL HOSPITAL
At the moment, we have no other choice but to turn to an outside hospital for help. When we have an animal needing surgical/intensive help, we must first check the local Emergency Hospitals to see if there is room to take them on. Much of the time, they do not. The animals are made to wait to be squeezed in. Relying on emergency hospitals also takes up a core chunk of our annual funds. The cost for 1 night in the ER is $200 USD alone – and this is if nothing more extensive (oxygen, blood transfusion, etc.) is needed. The cost of surgery is much higher, sometimes double or even triple.
Before Covid-19, there were already plans of a TMTRD Animal Hospital in the works, with the main goal being to save more lives. We focus on rescuing dogs living on the streets of Thailand, as well as work closely with the local municipalities to provide basic care (vaccinations, flea/tick treatments, food, etc.) and take on their dire cases.
From feeding, spay/neutering, providing medical attention, educating the locals, and everything in between, TMTRD is wholly devoted to helping the poor lives of Thailand’s forgotten and animals. However, as we are now, TMTRD is not yet equipped to handle such specialized and surgical needs.
Our existing clinic, where our veterinarians currently provide medical care (spay/neuter, sutures, wound care, oxygen, IV fluids, etc.) is far too small; and there was no opportunity to build. – Until now. Now, we’ve been granted permission to expand, to build our TMTRD Animal Hospital.
NOW WHAT?
Expanding our clinic into a functioning and equipped hospital will do so much, for so many. According to our shelter database, we now have 510 dogs who call the Sanctuary home, and 350 dogs we track and feed on the streets.) Being able to provide the medical care they need at the TMTRD Animal Hospital will significantly reduce the need to turn outside hospitals, as well as dramatically reduce that cost.
The TMTRD Animal Hospital is a big undertaking. It will take months to complete (weather and covid-restrictions permitting), and $140,000 USD to complete. But our dream is to save animals. We are not looking at a short-term solution; we are here for the long haul. We intend to treat, care for, spay and neuter, in an attempt to control the population of stray and street dogs, to keep both the animals and residents who call Thailand “home” safe.
WHY $140,000?
Now is an essential time for TMTRD. The video you see above shows our current clinic, and what we have currently available there. Space is limited, with equipment only enough to cover basic medical needs.
Our goal has always been to provide the best possible care for the animals in our community. The TMTRD Animal Hospital will further our mission in doing just that, and do it while saving costs long-term. And most importantly, it is essential for the dogs and cats who live among us.
Having a central location to treat the animals will allow us to treat more animals, more effectively, during the visits from our veterinarians. The number of animals we are able to spay and neuter will increase, as will our free spay/neuter programs. And with the TMTRD Animal Hospital, we will no longer require the use of the outside clinic we use for severe cases.
WHAT THE HOSPITAL ENTAILS
The hospital will have a wing of surgery rooms, a pre-op and post-op unit, and a laboratory. As it will be open to the public, it will also have a small waiting area leading back to the examination rooms. These rooms will be equipped to allow our doctors to perform full diagnostic tests, scans, and exams.
The hospital will enable us to provide help in ways we are unable to do at the clinic. It will have an X-Ray machine, an Anesthesia machine (and Ventilator), and an Ultrasound machine – the equipment we find is most often needed amongst our dogs. The X-ray and Ultrasound machines are essential for early and accurate diagnosis of key conditions; and the laboratory, for accurate analysis of blood and skin samples to help determine treatments required as early as possible.
HOW TO HELP
We need your support now – more than ever. With the uncertainty of how long the effects of the Coronavirus will last daunting, we must continuously work to prepare for the worst – and the long-term impact it will have on TMTRD and our dogs. So, while the Animal Hospital and building costs needed to transform it is a big undertaking, the urgent, immediate need to take this step is even bigger. The developments of the pandemic persist, with no signs of slowing down.
Whether you are able to donate or choose to share our cause with your friends and family instead, please consider joining our mission. The completion of the Animal Hospital is a big project, one that will take months to finish (weather and covid-restrictions permitting), and $140,000 USD to build. Any donation amount, $5 or $50, helps significantly in reaching this goal; the entirety of the funds from this campaign go towards the establishment of the TMTRD Animal Hospital.
