A retired man living alone with over 30 dogs passed away, leaving the dogs hungry for several days and in poor health under unsanitary conditions.
Officers from Nimit Mai Police Station were notified of a body found in a two-story house in a village on Nimit Mai 40 Alley, Sam Wa Tawan Ok Subdistrict, Khlong Sam Wa District, Bangkok. Upon arrival, they found the house in a filthy state, with garbage strewn about and several small dogs in shabby condition. Dog feces were scattered throughout the room.
Forensic doctors and evidence examination officers identified the deceased as 62-year-old Attapol, the homeowner. He was found dead beside his bed on the second floor, with no signs of assault. However, his left leg had been gnawed to the bone, likely by 5-6 dogs surrounding him. It’s estimated he had been dead for at least a week.
Sompong, a 53-year-old neighbor who reported the incident, said he became suspicious when Attapol’s car remained parked in front of the house for weeks, contrary to his daily routine of driving out for groceries. After ringing the doorbell with no response and seeing lights on inside, Sompong alerted the authorities.
Initially, officials assigned the Ruamkatanyu Foundation to transfer the body for examination at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Police General Hospital. They also contacted The Voice Foundation, led by famous model Chonlada Mekrat, to take care of the remaining dogs in the house.
At 3:00 PM, The Voice Foundation team came to rescue all the dogs, numbering over 30. Veterinarian Benjalak Leeprapaiwong examined the Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus, finding them all malnourished. Two dogs were particularly weak, requiring blood tests and other health checks. Some dogs had eye problems needing continuous treatment for 2 weeks to a month.
“All dogs are in concerning condition. We need to check if there are any complications besides malnutrition, as they were kept in unhygienic conditions with a lot of accumulated dog feces in the room,” the veterinarian said.
Supawadee Sritassanakan, an officer from The Voice Foundation, said that in 2021, a veterinarian caring for dogs at Attapol’s house asked the foundation to inspect the house because dogs were dying every week. The team inspected with police and livestock officers, finding 44-46 dogs.
During that inspection, the foundation offered to neuter over 20 dogs to help manage the population, but Attapol filed a trespassing complaint. After negotiations at Nimit Mai Police Station, the neutered dogs were returned.
Attapol then agreed with the foundation that if he died, he would entrust the dogs to the foundation’s care. The case was suspended at that time. Today, they were notified by rescue workers to take care of over 30 dogs in the house.
The foundation is now seeking people interested in adopting these dogs. Those interested can contact The Voice Foundation at phone number: 098-878-8477.
