Conversation

It's a dog's life.....

City hall staff are rounding up stray dogs in the inner city ahead of the APEC summit in October. - Photo: Chanat Katanyu

Last week, city officials rounded up hundreds of dogs from city streets in the Rattanakosin island area just before the APEC summit next month. Jack and Jill talk about the sudden disappearance of stray dogs around the area.

Jack: Where have all the dog gone? I was out walking "Duke" and none of his friends were to be seen.
Jill: I noticed that too. According to the news, the city is cleaning up the streets of stray dogs in order to get ready for the APEC summit month.
Jack: Oh! The city officials are just sprinkling coriander (pak chi) to make everything look good when the leaders arrive.
Jill: Don't be so cynical.
Jack: It's true. Anyways, where have they taken them?
Jill: I heard that they were taking them to Sa Kaeo province.
Jack: Sa Kaeo province!! I heard bad things happen to dogs in that province.
Jill: Me too.
Jack: What can we do?
Jill: I think it's, "What can we all do to help lower the number of stray dogs."
Jack: I think we shouldn't leave dogs we no longer want to look after out on the streets. Thai dogs have it good. Where else in the world can you find stray dogs roaming around freely?

VOCABULARY

round up (v.phrase): to find and gather together people, animals or things
sprinkle (v): to throw small pieces of something or drops of a liquid on something
cynical (adj): believing that people only do things to help themselves rather than for good or honest reasons
roam (v): to walk or travel around an area without any definite aim or direction