The World of Stray-dog Owners: Life Experience, Points of View and Meaning

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Nisa Sukprasert

Abstract

The absence of practical legal measures on animal protection, a large number of dogs are abandoned by their owners, causing the  problem of stray dogs on street. Nevertheless, the problem has been solved, at least in part, by those people who care for and give shelter to stray dogs at home. The purpose of this article is to study how an individual has become a stray-dog owner and how the stray-dog adoption affects his/her life. Data was collected from an in-depth interview of 7 stray-dog owners with emphasis on their experiences and points of view. Findings show that for some stray-dog owners the adoption     results from their encounter of injured or disabled stray dogs seemingly in helpless or fatal condition, for others it is a sense of ownership    developed from their attachment to a particular stray dog. The decision is supported by their families whose empathy, participation, and positive attitudes towards stray dogs are fundamental to their success. Once stray dogs have become part of their families, apart from creating space for their living, the owners have to adjust their daily routine, work schedule, leisure activities, income allocation and relationships within their families accordingly. That is to say ‘stray dogs are more than just a pet’.

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Interviewees:
A. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 6 December 2019 & 3 January 2020.
B. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 16 July 2019, 25 January 2020 & 22 February 2020.
C. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 31 August 2019, 30 September 2019 & 11 January 2020.
D. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 17 August 2019.
E. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 21 July 2019, 23 November 2019 & 23 February 2020.
F. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 18 September 2019
G. (Alias). Stray - dog carer. 8 June 2019