There are a lot of dogs in pretty bad shape all over Thailand and many of them end up in Temples. Here in Krabi we see injured dogs all the time and as always we help any that we see.. but "nong Derr" was a special case because even when he needed reconstructive surgery and after losing an ear, he never lost his very pleasant attitude towards caretakers or anyone else that would approach him. He quickly became a favorite at the temple, even though he was a bit scary looking when he would approach you.
We do not know exactly what caused Non Derr's injuries but when we happened upon him he was in really bad shape, covered in parasites and with multiple facial injuries with dried blood still on his head yet still coming running out to us with tail a wagging as if everything was just fine.
It could have been a car or bike, or even fights with other dogs over food, but nothing was able to get his spirits down as he would rush to the front for some lovin' even if we didn't have food with us at the time.
We joke about how Derr looks more like a Honey Badger than a dog these days but he certainly is more loveable. At one point we had to surgically remove one of his ears and had to carefully reconstruct the rest of his face as well. He was in danger of losing an eye as well but the veterinarians here in Krabi were able to save that.
It's hard to believe that an animal can go through what Derr has been through and still not just have the strength to go on, but also to still have enthusiasm and love for others when they approach you, but that is exactly what Derr's attitude is like. he'll be one of the first ones you see as you get out of your car at the temple he resides in and we kind of do give him extra special treatment.
I'm not trying to paint all the local Thai people with the same brush but it does seem to be the case that the dogs that end up being scary looking and mangled are the least likely to get handouts when they are strays and they stand almost no chance of adoption. We have no notions that Derr is going to be adopted even though he would be a lot better suited for it than many of the other younger and cuter dogs. Derr has been through a lot, but doesn't seem to hold any animosity towards the world due to his trauma.
At an estimated 8 years of age (we don't really know how old he is,) Nong Derr has seen more than most dogs see in twice that amount of time, but he still has plenty more love to give and doesn't seem to be bothered at all about his own appearance. We certainly aren't and if anyone was ever afraid of him because he looks tough, you will quickly find out that he is anything but that. he is an absolute sweetheart and has become a favorite at the temple.
don't judge a book by its cover I suppose is the moral of the story here!
If you would like to see how you can help out or simply spread the word, please visit our website at
http://krabianimalwelfare.org
Krabi Animal Welfare is a charity run entirely by volunteers and are a registered non-profit organization in Thailand and the U.K.. We aim to relieve the pain and suffering of dogs and cats within Krabi Province.
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