CHON BURI — A stray dog was praised by police and residents after chasing off two other soi dogs attacking an abandoned newborn and carrying her to safety.
The incident occurred in front of a house owned by Raenoon Trakoon, 65, in Pattana Villa housing estate, in tambon Samet of Muang district, on Sunday night, Thai Rath Online reported.
It quoted Noi Pongsakorn, 63, who found the infant and alerted police.
Mr Noi told police he was walking past Mrs Raenoon’s house to buy dinner when he spotted two dogs near a rubbish bin fighting over what he originally mistook to be a toy doll, and grabbing at it with their mouths.
Mr Noi said a stray bitch he regularly feeds and calls Nom Sod (meaning fresh milk in Thai) came from nowhere and snatched the bundle away with her mouth. She snarled loudly at the other two dogs before running off to a well-lighted area.
Nom Sod cools off in a water jar.
“At the time I didn’t think it was a baby and thought it was a doll, until I heard it crying and walked closer to Nom Sod,” Mr Noi said.
He said Nom Sod held the baby girl by the back of her clothes, with her body face down, and put her on the ground after he threatened the dog with a wooded stick.
Paramedics called to the scene found the baby had scratch and bite marks on her face and body, and appeared pale green and fatigued. They provided initial treatment and rushed her to Chon Buri Hospital.
On Monday, Pol Col Chuthares Yingyongdamrongsakul, chief of Samet police station, praised Nom Sod as being heroic in preventing the abandoned baby being hurt by other soi dogs or animals.
He bought her a collar and some gai yarng (grilled chicken) as a reward.
Witnesses reported seeing a motorcycle parked near the garbage bin about 30 minutes before the baby girl was found. Police said security camera footage showed a woman thought to be the child's mother near the area where Mr Noi spotted the infant. It was reported the abandoned infant weighed 2kg.