ANIMAL LOVER:
Michael J Baines is on a mission to save strays – and you can help too… hey say a dog
T isa man’s best friend, which means Michael J Baines is one popular guy! For the past 12 years, the 55-year-old has rescued more than 3,000 dogs, homing them in the non-profit shelter he runs in Thailand which specialises in caring for disabled and paralysed pups.
BAD SHAPE
Lovingly named the “wheelchair mafia” by Michael, they have unknowingly become stars of social media, melting the hearts of thousands and proving that adopting these pups can be a rewarding and joyful experience.
Michael’s mission to start rescuing dogs began in 2011. A chef by trade, he had left his home country, Sweden, for Thailand, where he worked in a restaurant. While working one day, a stray dog appeared at the back of his building. She was miserably thin, covered in wounds and had recently given birth. Michael explains, “My heart broke – she was in really bad shape. As I looked into her eyes, it was as if she was saying to me, ‘Help me, I’m hungry’.”
Michael named her Mango and fed her every day until he’d gained her trust, then took her to the vet’s. He says, “It all began with Mango, then I started caring for one more dog, then another, then another. I just couldn’t stand seeing these dogs in distress.”
Every day on his way to work, Michael fed and cared for up to 100 street dogs and sought to find them an owner, which he did for Mango. Whenever a dog needed medical treatment, Michael paid for it out of his own pocket. Eventually, he started to raise funds and, in 2013, he set up his non-profit organisation – aptly called The Man That Rescues Dogs.
VIRAL
Then, in 2016, an emotional clip on Facebook showing him caring for the dogswent viral and in just seven days, it got millions of views. He recalls, “I received hundreds of messages from people from all over the world wanting to help and donate. It was crazy, but was obviously great news for me and the dogs.”
With an increase of donations, Michael – who is divorced and doesn’t have any children – was able to close his restaurant and began caring for the street dogs 24/7. He employed staff, rented out a bigger premises and took on more stray and injured pups in dire need of help. The foundation also opened a clinic and expanded their spay and neuter programme.
Now, the 7,000 square metre shelter in the Chonburi Province is home to 730 dogs, and a further 400 street dogs are fed and monitored daily by the organisation, which employs a total of 44 staff, including three vets.
Within the shelter is a special care unit – home to over 100 s
