A New Home for Rescued Dogs
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by
scott
Thriving in Their New Sanctuary
In animal rescue, there are many things we cannot plan. Sometimes the unexpected leads us to lives waiting for help — and when that day comes, it can change our lives, and theirs, forever. We never imagined we would one day build a large shelter for homeless animals until the story below unfolded.
In 2011, during the major floods in Central Thailand, our team traveled from Chiang Mai to help both people and animals affected by the disaster. We rescued countless stray animals. One of the most heartbreaking sights was a group of newborn puppies, their eyes still closed, floating lifelessly against a temple fence. They had no chance to save themselves. That image has stayed with us, and it was the reason we could not turn our backs on these animals.
Thousands of lives — pets and strays — were brought to our temporary shelter in Bangpoo. When the floodwaters receded, hundreds of stray dogs and cats remained unclaimed. Save Elephant Foundation made the decision to bring all of them back to Chiang Mai.
Once we opened our shelter, we began to see and hear even more stories of animals in urgent need. The requests never stopped. From hundreds of lives, the number grew into thousands who found refuge with us.
From 2011 to 2024, the floods returned — this time covering almost our entire property. The dog shelter was several feet underwater. It’s distressing to imagine the fear and trauma they must have felt.
In response, we made the decision to find a safer place and build a new home for them — turning disaster into positive change.
Every day, we work for the animals. This is the new shelter for stray dogs — a fitting sanctuary for our rescued dogs, many with disabilities. A home safe from floods, with wide-open spaces to run, abundant food, and veterinary care whenever they need it.
