Dogs! A call to Alms

[Willow]

good suggestions, Knocker. does anyone know someone at the paper to write a story on the dog charity? interview with Dawn?
also, if any of you are bar/restaurant owners, maybe you would like to host a fundraiser night. part of the profit could go to the charity and the rest of us would support the effort by eating and drinking ourselves silly.
also, since the thrift store has sporadic coverage; there may not always be someone there who can accept your donations. are there any business owners who would be able to keep things until they can be picked up? it is difficult to take things to the third floor, only to have to take them home again.
pay pal is also a good thought. dawn--can this be done?
keep it going, this is great.

[DawnHRD]

Thanks for all the comments & goodwill. Sorry I haven't been on for a while. Have had a distemper & parvo outbreak at my home; 4 deaths in the last 4 days & have been busy with vet trips & cleaning & meds. Also have had no internet access as pups chewed some of my computer lines (again!)
OK, donations. Have had problems with paypal, so have withdrawn that option from the website. We do have access to a bank account in UK (my mum's - she's the other manager, and funds can be withdrawn via ATM here) and of course have the bank acct here. The Thai bank acct details are on our website, for the UK ones, anyone interested can email me on info@dogrescue center.org. Obviously, we also have collection boxes dotted around & the shop & anyone interested in actually seeing the dogs can drop in personally & give a donation if they wish.
Yes, items to sell in the shop are always very welcome, but, as pointed out, we're not always open, because of lack of volunteers. If we could open more regularly, it would be a huge help, as we could get more money in & it's a point for people to contact us face-to-face.
Other items we'd like? On the website we have a wish list of things we need daily & things we'd like. Anything off there would be wonderful, particularly food. Our 2 biggest weekly bills are food & Vet bills.
If anyone in UK (or another Western country) is friendly with a vet & can get slightly out of date antibiotics or other useful drugs that they would just throw away, that would be good. Better get a letter from your vet supporting that, though - don't want anyone ending up in the BKK Hilton for smuggling syringes or cephalaxin!!
The main reason I said "no" to your son Willow, was not just money. We had (before this outbreak) 112 dogs. The center housed 49. The rest are split between my house & my mum's. The other volunteers only work in the center itself. We (mum & I) do shifts in the center and take care of all the dogs in our homes. We work for 3 hours every morning before we can even go into the center & then the evenings are the same. I'm not complaining - completely our choice, but we are stretched to every limit now. We simply cannot do any more. Having said that, Mum (against my wishes) has just gone out to get the dog your son told us about. If it doesn't need to be put down, she will have it in her house. Yesterday we went to a pup hit by a train - front legs & tail sheared off, it must have been lying on the tracks; that one did need to be put to sleep, but Mum still wanted to give it a chance. The vet & I had to convince her there was no hope.
Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent here. Help is needed, definitely & will be very gratefully received. Just give us an email or call. My number's in the Observer & in Hua Hin Today under "useful numbers".
Thanks

[Willow]

Hi All,
Dawn, thanx for the informative response. I think many of us are sufficiently informed now and are ready to help out in the way that each of us can.
Bless you and your Mum and your helpers for taking on such a difficult endeavor.
yes, Brian saw the dog again yesterday and it is so pitiful. i called your Mum to see about euthansia and she took a taxi to come and meet us to find the dog. as fate would have it, the dog decided to take a nap somewhere--out of sight. we searched for a good hour, to no avail.
well, the cavalry has arrived. members of HHAD are very interested in the Center. (if I may speak for them).
One thing needed: a new place for the thrift shop. Also, someone to give a few hours of their day to man it. somewhere with more access to shoppers. anyone have or know of such a place for low rent?
Cash is the number one need, of course. please call for a donation box for your business. Give till it hurts; this is not one of those nameless charities that keeps most of the money for the top; this is dedicated people trying to make a dent in a dire situation for creatures who have no voice of their own.
o.k., off my soapbox.

[DawnHRD]

Thanks Willow,

The donation boxes might be a bit difficult at the mo, as I only have a couple not in use, but if anyone would like one in their premises, please call, email or pm me.
What we would really like (as much as cash, although cash is great!! ) is food. We tried putting a Christmas box in the shop last year for donations of food; the idea being to keep some for HHDRC dogs, and distribute some to temples and Thai dog owners with little money. It didn't have much success, but I'd love to try again & I'm aware that many people would prefer to give something solid, rather than money. So, if anyone would like to donate anything from a can of food, to dog chews, to a sack of dry food, we'd be very grateful. Small gifts can be taken to the shop (3rd floor, Shopping Mall) & we'd be happier to pick larger ones up.
As for changing the shop location, if anyone can come up with anywhere CHEAP, we'd be happy to consider it ( how about the new Sailom Pavilion??! ) And anyone willing to take on a shift a week (11am to 2pm or 2pm to 6pm) in the shop, please get in touch. It's an ideal opportunity to catch up on your reading!!
Thanks, Willow & everyone for trying to help. We really are very grateful.

[Knocker]

Hi Dawn
I hope my comments/ suggestions did not come over as condescending as I had no idea of the scale of your operation. I have checked out your website which is also very impressive. I will send you an email to get details of how to contribute from UK.
I have only one further suggestion (which you may already have explored). Can you approach any of the international dog rescue charities etc for help or assistance? For example there is an International Aniomal rescue charity.
regards

[Rider]

Hello all you caring citizens. Our Dog Rescue Center is in dire need of assistance. Ours, meaning all of us living here.
My son has happened upon the sorriest dog in all the country, near the Daily Mart in Kao Takiab. he says it looks like something you would see in a horror movie.
i told him to put in a call to the Center to see if they could pick it up. he was told "they have no money".
Please help in any way you can: make a cash donation; shop at their thrift store;( third floor of the shopping mall) donate clothing, books, cd's, dvd's, etc., to the store; volunteer your time manning the store.
Even if you are not a dog lover, common decency must prevail. Mai pen rai is not acceptable in this area.
These poor mistreated, starving animals did not ask to be put in this position. Please act now. Dawn, if you are reading this and can help, we will be willing to defray part of the cost. please call Brian at: 09-174-7737.

Courage Willow!
Many off us have already seen the marvels already achieved from the coverage by the Observer magazine last month. It was mentioned how times were becoming hard, ere now it seems pretty worsening.

To that end upon the morrow my merry band will sally forth with what surplus materials we can spare for you. It won't be much but I'll throw in some provisions also and with luck more of the forums merry men will join you and donate there things too!

[Willow]

Hi All,
well this ball is certainly rolling. i met with Dawn yesterday and saw some of her dogs.
By now, i guess Dangerous; Knocker; Caller and Guess have seen that they can donate cash from the UK by emailing Dawn for the account #. also, as you will be traveling to hua hin next year, can you bring some supplies, such as: flea collars, frontline and worming tablets?
JD, lots of good ideas.
I took Dawn's last two donation boxes and she needs more. is anyone able to make some? they are shoebox size or smaller, with a closing lid that can be padlocked and have a small opening on top for money? this is a big need, i have several people who will take one as soon as we can get them.
Ianjames: Dawn says she tried paypal and it was not suitable. her website lists her bank account, so I will give it here:
Bank of Ayudhya; 074-1-2545-9, Mrs. Maureen McCulloch Taylor or Mrs. Dawn Poole
Website: www.dogrescuecenter.org
How about that fundraiser? Could make it a Christmas Party for HHAD members? Any Bar/restaurant willing??

[Knocker]

As i will be travelling before coming to Thailand it might be difficult for me to bring ythings over. Can I send these by post? If so, to what address can I send these?

[JW]

Why not link into HHAD birthday party at end of January?

[playboy]

Hello;

I was in Hua Hin last month and gave some food donation to county's animal shelter.
I tried to find the dog rescue shelter, the one you guys were talking about but could not find the address. Someone please gives me the address on the post so I can visit the shelter next of my visit. Also the place you mentioned above post on the third floor market????? Which market???????????????
I was at "something canine???" on the Hua Hin road to Palau before bypass but it was another shelter. They don't take any donation????

Anyway please let me know the adddress.

Thank you

[DawnHRD]

Again,

Thanks everyone for all your help & support. It's really wonderful for us to get such help & enthusiasm, as we often just encounter apathy, which can be disheartening after a while. Thanks!

No, I didn't find your suggestions condescending, Knocker. It's always useful to get suggestions, even if they are things we've tried before. Others often see things in another way, or have a new take on things. There is a reason why we get more about us published in the Observer rather than the English language newspaper covering Hua Hin, but I don't want to get into that in this forum. We have, however been lucky enough to have a couple of articles about us in the Bangkok Post, as well. Publicity is always a good thing.

As for the International Animal Charities, we have enquired about the procedure from WSPA, but we're not eligible as we're not a registered charity (another long story! ) We are working with a lawyer to try to become a foundation, though. So, maybe in the future...

I think I may have received your email about payment in UK, will answer soon.

Postal address is PO Box 163, Hua Hin Post Office, Hua Hin, Prachuabkhirikhan 77110.

Our location (at the mo) is:
Just South of Hua Hin Grand Hotel (on same side of Petchkasem Rd) is Soi 88, go down there & cross railway line. You will be facing a 7-11 & there is a fork in the road there. Take the right hand fork (towards Khao Hin Lek Fai) & carry on for about a kilometre and a half. We're on the left hand side, hidden by 2 new apartment buildings. If you reach the school & temple on your right, you've gone too far.

The place you visited, Playboy, is the municipal dog station, run by the local govt with some donations from His Majesty the King. I'm sure they would take donations, but there are very few people working there who speak English, so maybe they didn't understand you.

Well, thanks again for help & keep it coming! p-l-eeaase! Oh, by the way, is anyone local a real computer genius? Or just computer savvy? I'm having a couple of problems with HHDRC email and downloading digital photos onto website. Is anyone willing to spend an hour showing this technophobe what I'm doing wrong? Cheers!

[Rider]

Okay the charity shop was closed when I rode up to the shopping malls 3rd floor! But I've left some provisions for the dogs with a note with the thai lady who works in the stall at the end next-door for when you open tomorrow!

[buksida]

Oh, by the way, is anyone local a real computer genius? Or just computer savvy? I'm having a couple of problems with HHDRC email and downloading digital photos onto website. Is anyone willing to spend an hour showing this technophobe what I'm doing wrong? Cheers!

Send me a PM or email with the specifics and I'll see what I can do.

Or it may be worth posting your problems in the Digital Realm section.

[JD]

I took Dawn's last two donation boxes and she needs more. is anyone able to make some? they are shoebox size or smaller, with a closing lid that can be padlocked and have a small opening on top for money? this is a big need, i have several people who will take one as soon as we can get them.

This time of year I barely get time to sleep, it's not just the dogs that need feeding at Christmas. Maybe someone or Dawn could organise the manufacture of the needed charity boxes, let me know how much and I'll cover the cost of these. I'll even sort out the design for stickers on the boxes to try and attract more donars.

Keep it going people, this is good stuff.

[Knocker]

Charitable status of some sort would really help you. It is easier for charity trustees to make grants / donations to other bodies which are recognised / registered charities.