Bangkok's Street Dogs

A dog with the freedom to define its own days

Love, pity or despise them, street dogs are a part of Bangkok. Some districts of the city may manage to clear most of them away occasionally but never all of them. And elsewhere, particularly out on the fringes, they will thrive and seep back to fill any void.

Their lives can be harsh, full of mange, hunger and hatred, where they are treated more like unfeeling objects than living animals. But on the other hand it's actually more common that they follow lives of close connections to caring people without the restrictions of ownership. They can define their own lives, interact with other dogs and decide for themselves what to do and when to do it.

Take a close look at dogs on Bangkok's streets and you can see a story with more than one side. They are a problem but they are not only a problem. There are as many Bangkokians who enjoy their company as there are who hate their presence. For every aggressive dog on the street (that is actually more likely to be a pet on the loose) there are many dogs that slink away to hide from strangers and many others who are so comfortable around people that they simply ignore them and get on with their own lives. They may not be in perfect health but as far as I can see many street dogs live reasonably good lives without causing a problem. But I know not everyone would agree with me.

Everybody has an opinion about these dogs, including me, but today I just want to offer a mainly visual portrait of some street dogs in Bangkok. I call them street dogs rather than strays or feral because the dogs on Bangkok's streets are such a mixed bag of pets on the loose, semi-owned animals, abandoned pets and those born and bred on the streets. It really is a complicated story where their behaviour and lives depend so much on their roots and the location...but talking about the detail can wait for another day...

Plenty of time to relax in the sun

...or in the shade

The boys are getting interested in this little cutie

Happy to have the pleasure of puppies without the full-time responsibility

A retired army general enjoying his daily task of feeding the dogs at his local temple

Another temple, another feeder - imagine all the tail-wagging gratitude she gets

Children perhaps enjoying feeding the pigeons more than the indifferent, well-fed dogs

A market trader donating some scraps (I find her little toe very distracting in this photo!)

Young and so far healthy this dog seems content with life...

...let's hope she doesn't end up like this one

The street dog's favourite resting position which I guess helps it stay cool... and always having to look over its shoulder