Whether you’re a cat or dog fan, there’s plenty of four-legged friends around to enjoy.
Ko Lanta is best known for its idyllic beaches, a casual low-key atmosphere, and a place to get away from it all. The island also hosts a site that’s unique to Thailand — an animal shelter that doubles as a place to heal or neuter your pets. To say my darling wife likes cats is an understatement in the extreme (the main reason we haven’t welcomed one into our home is because we’re leaving Thailand some short months from now)… Let’s just say this will end up being your main stop if you’re a animal lover.
Tours begin on the hour, every hour, from 10am to 4pm. Expect to spend about 45 minutes learning about the facility and their need for donations, as the facility does not receive any government funding.
One of the first things explained during the tour was the transformation of the parking lot into a feline free-roaming area. Scooters / motorcycles can park off to the left, but the only larger vehicle around is the shelter’s pick-up truck.
Abbreviated as LAW (Lanta Animal Welfare), the center opened in 2005 with a mission to spay and neuter animals it came into contact with. They also began vaccinating animals against rabies as well — the result of which has been zero recorded cases of rabies since the center opened. As of our visit, the whiteboard showed 39 dogs and 74 cats in their care.
People with sensitive noses should probably hold their breath here. The litter boxes are the main culprits, but there’s another important element going on here:
New arrivals are quarantined and acclimated, which is why this little guy’s behind a cage.
You like keeping things sanitary in your house? So do these guys — not pictured here, but mentioned during our tour, was ‘the hardest-working washing machine in Thailand’ in the corner.
Cats and dogs can be adopted from anywhere in the world — one of the calls for volunteers were for people returning to countries where a pet has been adopted. Walk through some pens for dogs before making your way outside:
If you’ve ever wanted to leave something behind in Thailand, make it your name on an outdoor pavilion for the canines. A number of pens are there for the dogs, and they’re rotated around them to ensure the dogs don’t get bored… Not pictured is a fair bit of new construction — it wasn’t explained, but we can assume it’ll bring some more room to hold or care for some more animals…
The tour now complete, Laura and I made our way back towards the entrance and the roaming area for cats — as you might expect, the cats and dogs are well-separated from each other.
Lots of sleeping cats — but plenty of others that are active.
Supporting their mission can be done by purchasing a t-shirt, a beach bag, or by leaving a donation in the box. Spend as long as you like petting the cats, or ask to take a dog for a walk — heck, if you’ll be on the island for awhile, offer to volunteer!
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Name: Lanta Animal Welfare (also called the Ko Lanta Animal Welfare Center)
Address: 629 Moo 2, Koh Lanta, Krabi, Thailand, 81150 (GPS: 7.590867, 99.037650)
Directions: After reaching Ko Lanta via ferry, head south along the coastal road — pretty much the main road through town. Go about 8 kilometers, then begin looking left for the red-and-white sign. Turn left down the side street, go around the bend, and the animals will be on your right. The tuk-tuks on the island can also take you there, naturally.
Hours: 9am-5pm (tours begin on the hour every hour from 10am-4pm)
Admission: free (donations encouraged)
Phone: 084–3044–331
Website: www.lantaanimalwelfare.com
