As escalating border violence between Thailand and Cambodia forced residents to evacuate, many attempted to bring their animals along. For those who couldn’t, Thai authorities stepped in to care for the pets left behind.
Thailand’s Livestock Department instructed local branches to create safe zones for animals whose owners were displaced. Several provinces along the border, including Surin, responded by setting up temporary shelters.
In Surin, the Livestock Breeding and Research Center transformed its front area into a makeshift pet shelter, placing cages under cover to house animals. As of Sunday, five dogs and two cats were staying there, though the center can accommodate up to 20 animals.
Center director Sornchai Kongsook said pet owners can leave their animals at no cost, but they must visit daily to care for them.
“We’ve opened this space for cats and dogs that people couldn’t bring to evacuation centers,” he explained. “Some owners have moved to hotels that don’t allow pets.”
Though the shelter has yet to receive any livestock, Sornchai said farm animals are welcome. Authorities are also distributing food to cattle and buffalo left in evacuated zones. Many rural residents in the northeast are farmers and often own livestock, which now roam mostly empty fields.
The cross-border clashes that began last week have claimed dozens of lives and forced thousands to flee.
Among the evacuees was schoolteacher Wilawan Duangvao, who had to leave her dogs—Khawtom and Khaitun—at the Surin shelter after being ordered to evacuate from Prasat district.
She returned the next day to check on them. As she approached their cage, the dogs barked and wagged their tails in excitement. Wilawan tearfully cuddled Khawtom, a 2-year-old shih tzu-poodle mix, while Khaitun, a mix of American bully and Thai street dog, stood eagerly on his hind legs.
Leaving them behind was a painful choice, Wilawan said, but staying at home was no longer safe.
“Our house has no water or electricity. I was afraid they’d be traumatized if left alone,” she said. Now, she’s helping take care of evacuees at her school, which has been turned into a temporary shelter that doesn’t permit pets.
She expressed deep gratitude to the officials who stepped in.
“I’m incredibly thankful,” Wilawan said. “Everyone has been so kind. They welcomed my dogs and asked for nothing in return. I’m truly relieved.”