Woofers and wheels
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For those who don't own cars, transporting a dog to and from the vet in Bangkok can be a real headache
Chichi, a mixture of soi dog, spaniel and a bit of great Dane, is friendly, well-trained, charming – and very, very big.
His owner lives alone, and Chichi is not only her guard dog but also her beloved companion.
How many difficulties does she face keeping her friendly but big friend in Bangkok!
First, how can she keep him in her small condo? It’s usually forbidden to keep dogs or cats in most condos, and Chichi, 35 kilos plus, would be difficult to hide. Yet Chichi (and his owner) have never been kicked out. Perhaps she’s made some kind of arrangements or perhaps no one really knows that Chichi is a resident.
(Such a large dog doesn’t really belong in small living quarters anyway. Where does he exercise? Where can he walk? I don’t know.)
I do know, though, that when it’s time for Chichi to be vaccinated, he doesn’t go to the vet. Instead, the owner phones the vet, who comes to her place to administer the shots.
For the past three years of Chichi’s life, he’s only had to see the vet once a year, but this morning, the owner phones me in a panic.
Chichi is sick. He’s stopped eating, and he lies on his side panting heavily. The owner asks me to come and pick her and the dog up and take them to the vet.
The thought of smuggling a 35-kilo doggie into an elevator and down to the car park is alarming. Besides, I don’t have a car either.
Many Bangkok people who need to transport their pets face special difficulties, especially in emergencies and especially if they don’t have their own car.
I’ve heard of four-wheel Subarus who will accept animals. These drivers work in specific areas, and if you get their telephone numbers, you can phone them when you need to take your own Chichi to the vet.
Taxi companies, I’m told, might take your pet. When you phone the taxi company, you need to tell them if a pet is coming too, and the taxi operator assigning the destination can inform the taxi driver ahead of time.
You’d think that there wouldn’t be any problem taking Wan-Wan, my three-kilo poodle pup, in a taxi. Alas.
I stand by the road holding Wan under an arm, and the minute a taxi driver sees the dog, he shakes his head and keeps on going. One taxi driver was willing to take us to our destination – as long as I put the dog in the boot of the car.
Even when I put her in a carrier, some taxi drivers are reluctant to take any animal.
I’m happy to say that Chichi’s owner, in her desperation, has found a solution, although it’s an expensive one. A large vet clinic has a “pet taxi” and a driver willing to help carry Chichi down to the car park.
Even better news – under questioning by the vet, the owner admitted that Chichi stole her peanut butter this morning. A spoonful is fine, but Chichi finished the entire (jumbo-sized) jar, and his body has been reacting to too much of a delicious but very rich treat.
He’ll be just fine in a few hours when the problem is eliminated.
The most frightening experience I ever had with Wan occurred when the taxi driver who picked us up immediately formed a strong friendship with my dog.
As the taxi moved slowly down the road, the driver and the dog had their own private conversation – with the driver turning around to talk to the dog. Imagine driving without ever looking at the road – and yet, we survived.
