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Friday, August 29, 2025
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Dog Poisoning Crisis in Laos: One Man’s Fight for Justice

This Week

Dog poisoning has long been an issue in Laos, with cases of pets being poisoned and kidnapped continuing to put owners on edge. 

On 12 August, one such case was made public when a Facebook user reported that their dog had been poisoned and killed after two men drove past their house multiple times, apparently attempting to kidnap the animal after poisoning it.

Whether those offenders faced legal consequences remains unclear.

But not every case goes unnoticed. 

Among those who refused to stay silent was the 33-year-old Anousith “Noum” Phompida, an IT engineer from Phontong village, Xaythany district, Vientiane Capital. His fight for justice began after his Labrador, Robin, was poisoned and killed in mid-2023.

Losing Robin

Robin was more than a pet to Noum, he was family. A dog he had raised since birth, Robin lived with him for a year and a half before falling victim to poisoning. 

“When Robin first passed away, I was really disoriented. Because I raised him ever since he was born, as if he was my own son,” Noum recalled.

His grief soon turned into determination. Noum began working with police and law experts, combing through Lao legislation to find a way forward. 

With no animal-protection law to rely on, he discovered that existing statutes could still be applied. 

Authorities charged the perpetrators under laws covering theft of property, destruction of valuable property, and disturbing public peace.

The legal process was slow and stretched over nearly two years. 

Finally, in July 2025, the court ruled the offenders guilty, sentencing them to a five-year jail time. 

Noum shared the outcome publicly on Facebook, describing it as a hard-won victory, not only for Robin but for all dog owners facing similar heartbreak.

Joining the Movement

While dealing with his own case, Noum became part of a wider anti-dog-poisoning movement in Laos. Noum explained that residents had been quietly reporting incidents for years, though many stayed anonymous out of fear of retaliation. 

However, Noum chose a different path. “I’m comfortable to reveal my identity because I wanted to make a statement, to raise awareness, to tell people that we can take action,” he said. 

But action in Laos has never been easy.

According to Noum, many dog owners hesitate to report cases, assuming nothing will come of it without a specific pet-protection law. Others give up midway, discouraged by follow-ups at police stations or summons to appear in court. 

Noum, however, repeatedly urged people not to stay idle. He emphasized that even without a dedicated animal-protection law, offenders can still be prosecuted under existing regulations. 

“In my case, the authorities prosecuted the offenders for stealing property, destroying property with value, and using violence to disturb the peace in society,” he explained. 

He added that these laws, along with others buried in the legal code, can be used to hold dog poisoners accountable if owners are determined enough to pursue their cases.

Inside the Dog-Poisoning Gangs

The crimes Noum and others are fighting are not random acts of cruelty. The groups behind dog poisoning operate with structure and planning. 

“These guys operate in a big group, as if they are running an actual company,” Noum said.

He described organized roles, people who poison and capture dogs, others who advertise and sell the meat, and even members who handle fuel money for transportation. 

According to confessions from arrested offenders, just in 2023, around 250 dogs were poisoned and kidnapped across Vientiane. 

Many of the criminals were teenagers, often from stable families rather than ones driven by poverty. 

“They did this sort of crime out of recklessness and youthful bravado,” Noum said, adding that some showed little remorse even after arrest.

Another issue, he pointed out, is the persistent stereotype that dog meat consumption is largely linked to Vietnamese people. 

“Actually, Vietnamese people have stopped consuming dogs a long time ago,” Noum noted

“I am also of Vietnamese origin, but I’ve never eaten dogs before. Ever since my mother’s generation, we no longer eat them. Only my grandparents’ era did, and not that much.”

He added that in Vietnam today, dog meat eating is rare, and the topic is highly sensitive. 

Advocacy against dog theft and poisoning has also grown there, leading to far fewer cases compared to Laos. “Only in Laos, I’ve seen people still eating dogs openly,” he said.

A Message to Other Dog Owners

After losing Robin, Noum eventually adopted another Labrador, also naming him Robin as a tribute to the first. But he has not stopped pushing for change. He encouraged fellow dog owners to “not stay silent.”

“Even when you have no evidence at hand, you can still report your case. Because your case would reinforce cases with evidence,” he said. 

For those who worry about subpoenas or court appearances, he stressed that the process is safe and necessary for justice.

He also urges owners to take precautions. 

“Most dogs that got kidnapped, as far as I have seen, were left outside of the fence. Even the fenced ones got kidnapped since some offenders go extra miles to climb over the fence.”

For Noum, the fight is not only about dogs but about wider community safety. 

“Some criminals don’t just poison your pets, they would even attempt to steal your properties if they can. One day, if there aren’t many dogs for the offenders to poison, there’s a chance that they could take the violence to humans.”

Two years after Robin’s death, Noum finally saw justice served. But he knows the struggle is far from over. 

Robin’s Case Sparks Guide on How Owners Can Seek Justice

Soon after Robin’s case went public, it caused a ripple effect. A Facebook page called “Stop Stealing and Killing Dogs” shared a post explaining how pet owners can report poisoning and kidnapping cases to the authorities. 

The post explained that owners should begin by filing a complaint with their village office or the local police. 

Evidence is important, such as photos of the pet, CCTV footage, or even poisoned food left behind. 

The complaint should be as detailed as possible, including when the dog was stolen or poisoned, when it died, and even the costs of caring for the animal, since those details can influence the case. 

After filing at the village level, owners should keep a copy of the complaint, as it will be needed later when giving testimony at the district level.

From there, the case proceeds through the legal process until the court issues a summons and makes a decision.

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