Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

CEOCambodiaNews · Post by **CEOCambodiaNews** » Thu Mar 31, 2022 4:24 pm

March 31, 2022
Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in
Peter Olszewski / Khmer Times

She’s a sort of the lone ranger amongst Siem Reap’s busy animal and pet rescue community and she’s had enough, announcing she’s ready to quit amongst a swirl of death threat allegations and emotional claims that the dog meat trade has started up again, after Siem Reap historically became the first province to ban the dog meat trade in July 2020.

She’s Nicole Kramer and she says she’s looking after 50 rescued animals on her own and the going is tough. She told Khmer Times, “I have zero staff. I only employ a local to help me when I go away, or if I need stuff fixed like fencing or a water pump. I have no money to employ someone regularly and I never had staff so I am really busy with the animals from dusk till dawn. I have no moto, no car, just a mountain bike. And yes, I have been doing this for all those years.”

For about six years in fact. When Kramer, a former media worker in Germany and Australia, first arrived in Siem Reap she immediately noticed the poor condition many animals were in and later, after paying more attention to malnourished cats and dogs at the Wat Polanka, she swung into action.

Since then Nicole has rescued countless animals, arranged for the export of so many animals that she’s also lost count, worked on educational videos, and in July 2018 she organised Siem Reap’s first Companion Pet Expo bringing together many pet-related businesses and organisations.

But along the way she also made enemies, claiming that her life was threatened twice over animal related problems – in one instance she said she was attacked in a guesthouse toilet by an expat who also threatened to kill her.

Now she’s had enough and says that the years of animal welfare has come at a high price mentally, physically and emotionally, and she needs to leave Cambodia sometime this year.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501050418/ ... ack-it-in/

mannanman · Post by **mannanman** » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm

And what will happen to those 50 animals?

Jerry Atrick · Post by **Jerry Atrick** » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 pm

mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm And what will happen to those 50 animals?

One of the other animal rescuers in SR will take them, there are plenty despite the typical KT BS headline

hanno · Post by **hanno** » Fri Apr 01, 2022 8:19 am

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 pm
mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm And what will happen to those 50 animals?
One of the other animal rescuers in SR will take them, there are plenty despite the typical KT BS headline

Indeed, Jossette has been at it for much longer than that with her Pagoda Cats.

mannanman · Post by **mannanman** » Fri Apr 01, 2022 8:28 am

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 pm
mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm And what will happen to those 50 animals?
One of the other animal rescuers in SR will take them, there are plenty despite the typical KT BS headline

Great.
On a side note:
I wish westerners would stop buying pets then leaving after a few months/years without them. “Need forever home for my beloved baby. He’s one of the family” but similar to a ginger step child which is why we are leaving him behind.

hanno · Post by **hanno** » Fri Apr 01, 2022 11:25 am

mannanman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 8:28 am
Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 pm
mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm And what will happen to those 50 animals?
One of the other animal rescuers in SR will take them, there are plenty despite the typical KT BS headline
Great.
On a side note:
I wish westerners would stop buying pets then leaving after a few months/years without them. “Need forever home for my beloved baby. He’s one of the family” but similar to a ginger step child which is why we are leaving him behind.

Couldn't agree more. I love dogs and cats and wish I could have a few, but I never know where I will be in 6 months. People need to realize that dogs and cats have a lifespan of 10+ years.

Chad Sexington · Post by **Chad Sexington** » Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:01 pm

mannanman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 8:28 am
Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 pm
mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm And what will happen to those 50 animals?
One of the other animal rescuers in SR will take them, there are plenty despite the typical KT BS headline
Great.
On a side note:
I wish westerners would stop buying pets then leaving after a few months/years without them. “Need forever home for my beloved baby. He’s one of the family” but similar to a ginger step child which is why we are leaving him behind.

Are Westerners actually buying pets and creating a demand for their breeding? Are they not (in the main) taking on animals that would have still existed whether or not they were adopted by Westerners. I don’t know that there are any “puppy farms” here, that are breeding and churning out pets specifically for Westerners to adopt then possibly abandon, creating more unwanted animals than there would be anyway?
It’s a bit much to criticize Westerners, when they probably care, and do, more for animals and their welfare than anyone else here.
Most dogs, cats, puppies or kittens that are adopted by Westerners, are looked after way better than the average Khmer owned pet or stray/feral animal.
Yes it’s very unfortunate if the owner cannot look after the animal any longer (for whatever reasons) and I’m confident most of those owners would endeavor to re-home them as best they could, and you can bet those animals had a way better life, for however long they were in the care of a Westerner, than they would have otherwise.
If, in worst case scenario, they are abandoned to fend for themselves, are they any worse off than the vast majority of animals in Cambodia?
For the record, I’ve five dogs of my own (strays and unwanted pups) and their welfare comes before mine.

mannanman · Post by **mannanman** » Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:21 pm

Chad Sexington wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:01 pm
mannanman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 8:28 am
Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 pm
mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 pm And what will happen to those 50 animals?
One of the other animal rescuers in SR will take them, there are plenty despite the typical KT BS headline
Great.
On a side note:
I wish westerners would stop buying pets then leaving after a few months/years without them. “Need forever home for my beloved baby. He’s one of the family” but similar to a ginger step child which is why we are leaving him behind.
Are Westerners actually buying pets and creating a demand for their breeding? Are they not (in the main) taking on animals that would have still existed whether or not they were adopted by Westerners. I don’t know that there are any “puppy farms” here, that are breeding and churning out pets specifically for Westerners to adopt then possibly abandon, creating more unwanted animals than there would be anyway?
It’s a bit much to criticize Westerners, when they probably care, and do, more for animals and their welfare than anyone else here.
Most dogs, cats, puppies or kittens that are adopted by Westerners, are looked after way better than the average Khmer owned pet or stray/feral animal.
Yes it’s very unfortunate if the owner cannot look after the animal any longer (for whatever reasons) and I’m confident most of those owners would endeavor to re-home them as best they could, and you can bet those animals had a way better life, for however long they were in the care of a Westerner, than they would have otherwise.
If, in worst case scenario, they are abandoned to fend for themselves, are they any worse off than the vast majority of animals in Cambodia?
For the record, I’ve five dogs of my own (strays and unwanted pups) and their welfare comes before mine.

Never insinuated they were creating a market but now you mention it I have seen a lot, mostly backpackers in Kampot, with young puppies/dogs and wether they rescued them I don’t know but I also see people selling puppies to a western audience.
Sure, one would assume that any westerner would look after their dog(s) better than a local but what are you basing that assumption on, your own love for animals? Lots of westerners abuse or mistreat animals, out of ignorance or anger, and just because they’re here doesn’t make them instant perfect owners. I’ve seen countless western owned dogs running around loose and just because “the locals don’t care” that doesn’t make it right. “Help I’ve lost my dog etc”, you’d be fined for that back home.

So a dog has three or four western owners in its life which is better than the alternative of being a scabby abused dog being fed scraps for its pitiful short life?

Going back to original story. Why does she struggle financially and emotionally if westerners are really animal lovers?
Not besmirching any true loving owners but a dog is for life not just for your expat life.

canucklhead · Post by **canucklhead** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 12:39 pm

Im sure there are some restaurants that will take them in.

orichá · Post by **orichá** » Tue Apr 05, 2022 1:36 pm

I think ownership of pet dogs and cats, except for those who require them for their lively-hood like sheep herders, should be outlawed globally. Fish and birds are okay for house pets, maybe. Cats and dogs spoil people who own them, and they forget compassion for other people is more important... Think of the gargantuan waste of resources on dogs and cats! All the money spent to buy food and medical attention could be put to much better use feeding homeless human beings, of whom there are many in Cambodia, for example... There are few organizations or individuals devoted to the poverty-stricken homeless people here. So, I find all these bleeding heart animal lovers a little bit nauseating... I think it's all a big waste of life, time and money to look after strays. I'm very much in favor of animal euthanasia. I think euthanasia will happen more in the future as the Earth becomes resource-poor due to the present high level of material and energy waste and the deliberate ignorance and complacency exhibited by all of us towards the climate crises, water running out, the plastification and acidification of the world's oceans, tree-felling, etc, etc. Forests are much more important than house pets...

(Sorry, today I am not feeling too chipper.. I fell down yesterday at 2:00 p.m. while climbing back over a wooden balcony rail 1.25m up, landing hard on my left femur, and breaking it on a tile floor... Surgery last night to pin and screw it back together again took four hours... Spinal anesthesia is amazing, no pain. You don't have to wish me luck. It was my carelessness. Still, I don't understand why the guy hadn't put the switch for the water heater inside the bathroom instead of in an inaccessible place on the outside wall next to the terrace...)

Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

Re: Time to Go: Siem Reap’s lone animal rescuer ready to pack it in

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