Furry friends' flood fate

The devastation left by the floods has not just displaced thousands of people but also their pets. Numerous makeshift shelters have sprung up to house hundreds of dogs, cats and rabbits that were evacuated during the rising waters.

As animal abandonment has become pretty much common practice in the country, the big question is whether pet owners will take their animals home when the waters recede.

To get a better idea, I took time out to volunteer at the Bang Prakong Livestock Development Department _ a safe haven for thousands of mutts and felines _ most with owners affected by the floods. 

I was told that while a significant number of pet owners visited regularly, there was no way to determine whether most would bring their pets home when the flood crisis was over.

Even before we entered the barbed-wire entrance to the kennel where thousands of pooches were holed up in partitioned enclosures, I heard their yearning barks for their owners that made my heart melt. 

Their lamenting holler had a painful ring to it. In some ways reflecting their longing to see a familiar face. Many of the pets had a collar with the name and phone number of their owner, but there were also strays among them.

As we fed them snacks, they seemed happy, even though momentarily, to get undivided attention. The one-on-one interaction gave me a better idea of their emotional state. 

While some sat in a corner brooding, others seemed to sleep it off in the hope they would awake at home. There were also many that had not touched their food. 

Among some of the foreign breeds were a baby husky and an alsatian, all housed under a netted covering that served as a roof to shield them from the searing afternoon sun.

After going through the rattling chorus of howling dogs, we went to the cats' enclosure, where more than 200 cats slept in portable cages stacked one on top of the other. 

It was pitiful to watch these cuddly balls of fluff cramped into such small narrow cages, sometimes more than three cats to one confine. 

Quite surprisingly, it was the owners who agreed for them to be put together in this manner, for fear that it would be difficult for them to trace the whereabouts of their pets if they were put in separate cages. 

Still for me, or any animal lover for that matter, it seemed inhumane to subject a pet to that emotional and physical trauma, especially if you profess to love them as family members. There was one cat family where the area of confinement was so small that the newly born kitten was suckling on its slightly older sibling. 

As the cat enclosure was originally a horse stable, it was better ventilated, but the absence of human contact seemed to make already gloomy conditions worse.

The situation at the animal clinic was no better despite the presence of dedicated veterinarians. I found the dogs happened to be more emotionally needy than their feline counterparts, or at least that is how it seemed. But if there is one thing that is for certain _ pets thrive on the attention of their masters.

As the floodwaters begin to abate, it is my earnest desire to see these pets reunited with their owners. The constant fear of them being abandoned makes my heart heavy with anxiety. 

Situations like the floods find people in a bind_ spotlighting the plight of owners leaving their pets due to all sorts of reasons. But I do want people to contemplate their decision. 

Aside from being cute, adorable and talented _ pets are there for us through thick and thin. Regardless of how we look, smell or behave, our furry friends play a therapeutic role in making our journey through life a pleasant one. 

Their reassuring companionship _ best demonstrated with a wag of the tail or a look in the eyes _ is always there when we need to be comforted. The best we can do to reciprocate their unconditional love towards us is by caring for them when they need us most.

Pets, unlike strays, are more vulnerable when they are forced to fend for themselves. This is why my blood boils when I come across unscrupulous pet owners abandoning their charges in the most unheard of places during the floods. 

One story on the internet involved a family that had deserted 14 poodles, of all ages and sizes, in an elevated open-air shed, inches away from the murky waters. 

Neighbors had to rescue the mutts, who seemed weak but in glee to be freed. Others, such as a family of dogs that were found dead in the back of a vehicle at Don Mueang Airport, were less fortunate.

No reason is good enough to reject your responsibilities towards your pet. Just remember that the trauma of undergoing one of the country's worst floods for our four-legged friends must be just as stressful for them as it is for us. 

The day people start having a deeper appreciation and genuine love for their pets will be the day we can expect fewer animals to be discarded like old furniture. 

Just remember that there is a greater chance of your child leaving you when you're old and grey than your faithful furry companion that will stand by you come rain or shine.