Our Beginnings

February 2002:  While enjoying a 3-month sabbatical in the fishing village of Bang Saray, British expat Sherry Conisbee first spotted a sad-looking dog she later named “Boy”.  Boy’s hair had all disappeared, leaving his skin blistered and scabby. His eyes were caked with infection, his feet swollen and bloody, and he walked with a pronounced and obviously painful limp.  Having lived in Bangkok for 5 years, dogs in this state were not an uncommon sight to Sherry, but with more time on her hands, she decided to try and do something to help this dog.  After feeding and encouraging him nearer, she tried scooping him up in her arms, but frightened and in pain, Boy bared his teeth and snapped…

That chance encounter with a mangy mutt on Bang Saray’s beach was the start of what emerged shortly after as “Soi Dog Rescue” – an organisation known today as SCAD and which remains dedicated to improving the lives and controlling the number of stray dogs and cats through programmes of adoption, education and sterilisation.

16th October 2002:  Soi Dog Rescue – it’s official!
Sherry was joined at the outset by her niece in the USA, Sarajane Daniels, who chose the name, developed a website and established Soi Dog Rescue’s overseas adoption programme.  Sherry & Sarajane chose 16th October 2002 as the official start date of Soi Dog Rescue being the date the first rescued puppy in Sherry’s care in Bangkok was flown to the USA to a better life.  That pup’s name was SUAY, meaning ‘beautiful’. Within a year, 25 more “soi” dogs would find loving homes overseas.

15 November 2003: Soi Dog Rescue’s first ‘Neuter & Return’ Community Project
20 kms outside Bangkok, Soi Dog Rescue (SDR) volunteers set up a field clinic.  Leaflets were distributed asking folks to bring their dogs for rabies vaccination and sterilisation.  Worried that no-one would show, volunteers were moved to tears to see a large queue developing an hour before time.  Dogs were arriving in golf buggies, trucks, vans and even on motorbikes and bicycles.  SDR ran out of rabies vaccinations quickly – they only had 50 - and the local veterinary hospital called in a panic to say they couldn’t take any more street dogs for sterilisation. SDR volunteers had ferried 17 dogs that day to be spayed.  It was so successful that on 13 December 2003 a second “Spay Day” on that estate was held – and so began in earnest Soi Dog Rescue’s community-focused Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes.

January 2004: Added school presentations to our educational outreach.

October 2004: In an effort to sterilise more soi dogs and to reduce expenses incurred in private veterinary hospitals, SDR began operating field clinics using volunteer vets mainly from overseas.

April 2005: Rented land for a permanent spay/neuter and treatment facility.

August 2006:  To facilitate legal and administrative matters for Soi Dog Rescue (SDR), a group of Thai supporters led by Khun Panjai registered the Homeless & Sick Dogs Funding Association (HSDFA) to help raise funds and support SDR’s programme activities.  HSDFA still acts today as the umbrella organization for SCAD.

September 2006: Completion of renovations to the Bang Phli spay/neuter clinic to provide kennel runs, cat pen, storage, water pump, sewage system, drainage channels, increased electric power, running water in each kennel run, and toilet

14th September 2006: The first ReTails store opens in Lake Rajada Office Complex, called ReTails ‘Pretty New’ Store selling new and nearly-new household and personal items, all profits to Soi Dog Rescue. A few days later, on 19th September, Thailand faced a military coup and tanks rolled into the city centre… but ReTails opened up anyway!

February 2007: A landmark! Thanks to a more sustainable revenue through ReTails Store,  SDR employs its first salaried General Manager to oversee the running of the Health Centre and help expand the community ABC & education programmes.

29th March, 2007:  Miss Natalie Glebova, crowned Miss Universe in 2007 and a much-loved celebrity in Thailand well known for her support of charitable causes, accepts the role as SDR’s Ambassador to help promote SDR’s NEUTER YOUR PETS campaign.  She begins by officially opening ReTails Pretty New Store.

May 2007:  Another landmark!  Thai veterinarian, Dr. Komkrit, joins Soi Dog Rescue as resident vet.

July 2007: With an ever-increasing number of cats entering our ABC and adoption programme, SDR decides to re-think its name and make the inclusion of cats official.  Soi Dog Rescue became SCAD, an acronym for Soi Cats And Dogs.  The word “Rescue” is dropped from the name as neither SCAD, nor Soi Dog Rescue before it, has ever operated a Rescue Shelter for the permanent housing of rescued cats and dogs.

3rd October 2007:  At a press conference organised to celebrate Emporium’s Pet Passion Week – with the centre-stage presence of Miss Natalie Glebova and Bangkok’s Governor – SCAD officially launches its NEUTER YOUR PETS campaign (A Cut Above the Rest), and kicks off its “STRAYWATCH Sukhumvit” animal birth control project.

4th October 2007: The lease on SCAD’s second Retails store (ReTails Too) is signed. ReTails Too is home to the “The Big Stuff”(large furniture items and household appliances). ReTails Too also accommodates SCAD’s adoptable cats and dogs.

SCAD’s dream for the future.  Please help us to turn it into reality.

• SCAD satellite clinics for Animal Birth Control (ABC) in every district of Bangkok with a qualified vet and support staff and emergency pick-up service.
• Dog and cat adoption facilities all over town promoting adoption of homeless animals with space for out-of-school animal welfare programmes.
• An animal welfare education programme that reaches every child in Thailand.
• A full-service veterinary hospital treating both owned and stray animals, with all profits going to support SCAD’s programme activities.
• A much-needed collaboration of government, businesses, veterinary practitioners, NGOs, hoteliers, tourist authorities, livestock departments, etc – in a Thailand-wide public awareness campaign to promote the benefits of neutering and responsible pet ownership.
• A network of private Thai veterinary hospitals, promoting neutering & animal healthcare and offering low-cost spay/neuter to both owned and stray animals.