After a dog attack in Thailand, here's a reminder of a few simple rules to know how to react to a pack of aggressive dogs.
In Thailand, there are often packs of dogs that remain calm during the day, but sometimes become aggressive at night, they are especially dangerous for children, but no one is safe from a bite, especially since there are cases of rabies in the country.
There are problems with stray dogs and adopted dogs, the former are often more fearful, the latter are often free to go where they want and gather in packs in the evening to protect their territories.
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A New Zealand teenager attacked by a pack of dogs
P.S.: New Zealanders are nicknamed 'Kiwis'.
The idyllic vacation of a Kiwi teenager in Thailand turned into a nightmare after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs while she was running alone on a popular beach.
Sarah Calley, 16, narrowly escaped an attack by 12 wild dogs and only managed to flee by diving into the sea, where she was forced to wade through the water until the animals lost interest in her.
The Christchurch teenager, who had hoped to become a veterinarian, said she was now living in fear of dogs.
During a vacation in January, she had started running early in the morning along the beautiful Nai Yang beach in Phuket, when she felt a jolt of pain and turned around to see a stocky brown dog that had bitten her calf.
The pack leader was quickly joined by 11 other dogs, who "came out of nowhere" to chase Calley, who ran along the beach crying for help.
“I heard them behind me and I was screaming, 'Help me!' but there was no one on the beach,” she said.
The dogs bit her twice before she dove into the sea.
One of the dogs bit her ankle as she was diving into the water.
Over there, Calley waited until another tourist brought her back to the hotel.
Yet, just five meters from the hotel park, the brown dog returned for a second attack, forcing Calley, who was limping, to slam the hotel door.
"I was hysterical and I screamed that I had been bitten, but almost no one spoke English," she said.
She then found her parents, but was in shock and had trouble making herself understood, as her mother Moira recounts:
« She was standing, she had her phone in her hand, she was really hysterical and blood was flowing down her legs. »
As the vacation had been organized as a surprise for Calley and her sister Michaela, the girls hadn't been vaccinated against rabies.
Moira then took her daughter to the shower to clean her wounds, while her husband rushed to the reception to call a taxi.
Taken to a nearby hospital, Calley received several injections, including rabies vaccines.
Her skin hadn't been torn, but she had deep puncture wounds in the back of her leg.
These were treated at medical clinics "of varying quality" every day for the rest of the two-week vacation, and her rabies treatment was completed in New Zealand.
The bites also made Calley uncomfortable a few days later, when her family flew to Cambodia.
She was also unable to swim for the rest of the two-week trip for fear of getting infected.
Calley stated that she had developed a fear of all dogs, but was trying to overcome it to achieve her dream of becoming a veterinarian.
Calley's drama occurred after the New Zealand Herald last month revealed the problems that can happen during a trip to Thailand.
Since 2009, 150 Kiwis traveling in Thailand have requested medical assistance abroad from the New Zealand government - the highest number of requests from any country.
But while Kiwis are more often warned of risks, such as alcohol consumption or injuries during adventure activities, rabies remains widespread in the country.
One week before Calley's attack in January, the dogs also bit five other tourists, according to an article in the Phuket News.
Southern Cross Insurance CEO, Chris White, stated that claims for animal bites, particularly from dogs and monkeys, were not uncommon.
“A number of popular destinations for New Zealanders, such as Thailand, Samoa and the Cook Islands, are home to animals that may seem domesticated,” he said.
See also: A family of tourists brutally attacked by monkeys in Thailand
The Worldwise Travelers Health and Vaccination Center website stated that tourists should consider rabies vaccination before traveling to Thailand with children who have a "particularly high exposure rate" due to their attraction to stray dogs.
Calley stated that Kiwi travelers should be extremely cautious of stray dogs abroad, as they can seem friendly but suddenly become aggressive.
“Especially in the morning, it's their hunting period.
And don't run, because they might see you as prey,” she said.
News from October 2018, source: odt.co.nz
Pack of aggressive dogs: how to react?
Generally, they don't cause any problems, they grumble a bit, but if you walk away without worrying about them, they will leave you alone.
Now, if they are really aggressive and block your way, there are several solutions that are not necessarily obvious to everyone to put into practice:
The peaceful reaction
- First, if you're on foot, don't run, because then, in their minds, you'll be the prey and they'll chase you.
- You shouldn't show your fear, because they can sense it and you need to remain calm, think about taking deep breaths and holding your breath for a long time, this already removes some of the stress, and even if they sense your fear, they will be impressed by your calm demeanor.
- You should (not obviously) avoid looking them in the eye, as they see this as a provocation, while keeping a close eye on those who approach too closely.
- You should not show them your teeth, with an American-style smile, for example, as they also see this as a provocation.
- You can bend down and pretend to pick up a stone, then keep the fake stone as if you were ready to throw it at them, sometimes this is enough to keep them at bay.
- If you have a backpack, umbrella or other similar object, you can use it as protection, put it in front of the dogs that come closest.
- Take shelter at height if you have the opportunity.
- Don't turn your back on aggressive dogs that prefer to attack from behind.
- Keep your arms along your body, with closed fists to avoid being bitten.
- If they approach you growling, spin a bag or other objects (not a steak 😉) around you to keep them away.
- If you have food, give them a little to distract them.
The aggressive method
You should always try peaceful methods first, but sometimes they are really too aggressive, and you will have no other choice but to defend yourself:
- Use a stick to scare them away by swirling it around you and if you have no choice, hit the body, but not the top of the head which is very hard.
- If you really have no choice, you can use your fists to strike, the nose is very sensitive and can even kill them.
- Use pepper, but it can make them more aggressive, or a pepper spray, but it will need to be purchased locally, as it will not pass through airport security.
Aggressive dogs: what to do in case of a bite?
Consult a doctor immediately, as early treatment is essential to reduce the risk of infection.
Wash the area with mild antibacterial soap and running water to reduce the risk of infection.
Apply an antibiotic ointment and cover with a clean bandage or sterile dressing.
Wash your hands thoroughly with water and soap before and after treating the wound.
To reduce swelling, apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel or a cold compress (cloth soaked in cold water) to the bruise for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you've been bitten, you should always assume that a bite from a stray dog poses a risk of rabies infection and therefore requires a rapid-acting vaccine (rabies immunoglobulin) that prevents the rabies virus from infecting you.
Rabies vaccines are injected into the arm.
You generally receive four injections over 14 days.
Pack of aggressive dogs: my experience
I like dogs and I don't have a problem in general, except when I'm cycling or motorcycling, you just have to pull your legs in and accelerate.
I once had a really difficult situation in Thailand, facing a whole group of aggressive dogs that blocked my way by barking.
I was joining a new rental house and it must have been 1 am, if I had forced the barrier, they would have chased me, so I looked at the one that seemed the most aggressive and who seemed to be the leader, and I charged at him and chased him for a while.
They were all scared and ran away terrified, because I wasn't the prey, but the hunter and subsequently, I stayed in the area for a year, they never bothered me again.
Every time I passed by, they would leave when they saw me coming from afar.
Otherwise, when I arrive in a new place and there are aggressive dogs on my way in the evening, I always try to take the time to make myself known by stopping and letting them feel my hand, a sort of presentation which sometimes ends with a session of caress.
And if they're really aggressive, then I play the dominant, I growl at them too, I chase them, it's really very rare that a dog doesn't run away from a human, but it happens, and after this little game, they leave me alone for the next few days.
Sources and if you want to go further: survival guide; wikihow.com; huahintoday.com;
See also:
Dangerous animals to know in Thailand
Phuket, a comprehensive guide to discover the Pearl of Andaman
What to do in Phuket? The 10 activities not to be missed in 2018
