Killing stray dog: Cruelty or self-defence?

20 stray dogs encircled pregnant wife. Same dogs bit neighbours claims Police major charged with animal cruelty.

STRAY DOGS & ANIMAL CRUELTY

Police inspector apologises for killing stray dog

11/04/2016

If your dog eats your neighbour's chicken In rural Thailand, it is not uncommon for the dog to get a swift bullet in the head. 

Sad but true.

But what if there is a threatening pack of stray dogs on your city street

And this pack of stragy dogs threatens just about everyone.

Then, one day, the pack of dogs threatens your pregnant wife.

What to do?

Call local animal control authorities at the BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Authority) ?

Do they even exist? Are they capable of taking effective and timely action?

If not, what should you do?

If you are a high-ranking police officer or government official, you might pull out your gun and shoot it.

That is the essence of one controversial case to hit social media in the last few days.

This is not an isolated incident either.

Just last month the story of former deputy minister Tawee Kraikupt, 78, made the headlines when he shot a stray dog dead in front of a 7-11 in Ratchaburi after it allegedly bit him (see here & here).

WHAT HAPPENED?

A police major surrendered on Monday to face charges of killing a stray dog and injuring another at his Bangkok flat last week.

He insists that he was only protecting his pregnant wife.

Pol Maj Wasawat Sukthai, an inspector at the research division of the Office of Policy Strategy, turned himself in at the Phahon Yothin police station in Chatuchak district.

20 STRAY DOGS ENCIRCLED HIS PREGNANT WIFE

The police officer admitted to shooting dogs outside his police flat in Lao Yao sub- district on Friday.

The officer apologised and claimed about 20 stray dogs in the area had encircled his wife and were about to attack her on Wednesday before she escaped.

LOST HIS TEMPER & FIRED HIS GUN

Two days later, the dogs did the same thing as the couple returned to their flat.

He lost his temper and fired his gun at the dogs, the inspector said.

He added that he had to protect his wife and their unborn child, as neighbours had been bitten by some of the same dogs.

CHARGED WITH ANIMAL CRUELTY

At the Phahon Yothin station, deputy national police chief Pongsapat Pongcharoen said the inspector was charged with animal cruelty.

Animal cruelty which carries a fine of up to 40,000 baht and a jail term of up to two years.

He also was charged with firing and carrying a gun in a public place without cause.

His supervisor will consider disciplinary action later.

Pol Gen Pongsapat also said he would pay for the 10,000-baht for medical treatment of the injured dog, which already has been adopted.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/929749/police-inspector-apologises-for-killing-stray-dog

http://www.posttoday.com/crime/426108

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/890032/democrat-politician-charged-with-animal-cruelty

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/03/08/former-deputy-minister-charged-over-shooting-dog-dead-outside-7-eleven

https://www.facebook.com/watchdogthailandpage/

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