Maa&Maew
Maa&Maew
Our Vision & Mission
Vision:
We envision a Thailand where compassion is not just a value but a way of life—where stray dogs and cats are no longer overlooked, but cared for, respected, and protected. In this future, animals are not seen as a burden but as living beings deserving of kindness, safety, and dignity.
We imagine cities and villages where communities come together to ensure that animals are not left to suffer on the streets—where schoolchildren grow up learning empathy, monks continue to share acts of compassion, and families, regardless of income, are empowered to care for their animal companions with confidence and pride.
Our vision is a society where every pawprint matters. Where small, everyday acts—like feeding, educating, or donating—collectively create a safer, cleaner, and more compassionate Thailand for all living beings.
Mission:
Our mission is to reduce the suffering of Thailand’s stray dogs and cats by addressing the root causes of overpopulation and neglect—through education, community engagement, and accessible veterinary care.
We work to empower local communities, especially young people, monks, and low-income pet owners, by giving them the tools and knowledge they need to take meaningful action. This includes spreading awareness about responsible pet care, organizing low-cost sterilization efforts, and using digital tools like QR-code donations to make support easy and transparent.
At Maa & Maew, we don’t just rescue animals—we help people become rescuers in their own communities. Whether through school talks, temple campaigns, or social media storytelling, our mission is to inspire a ripple effect of kindness across Thailand, one small act at a time.
The Problem We’re Tackling
Across Thailand, stray dogs and cats—often referred to as soi animals—live lives filled with uncertainty, hunger, and vulnerability. You’ll find them resting near temple steps, scavenging for food at local markets, or sleeping beside busy roads. While many are fed by kind-hearted people, very few receive the medical care they need to live healthy, dignified lives. Most have never been vaccinated, sterilized, or treated for infections. They survive, but they suffer.
Over the last two decades, Thailand’s stray animal population has grown at an alarming rate—from approximately 350,000 in 2007 to over 860,000 by 2017. Without urgent and scalable intervention, projections estimate that the number could rise to 2 million by 2027 and even 5 million by 2037.
But this isn’t just an animal welfare crisis—it’s a human issue too.
Unchecked overpopulation of strays contributes to serious public health concerns, including the spread of rabies, increased traffic accidents, sanitation issues, and noise disturbances. In 2020 alone, over 200 cases of rabid dogs were reported in Thailand, along with multiple human fatalities. Beyond the health risks, it also places emotional strain on communities that care, but feel helpless.
Many people in Thailand genuinely love animals. Monks feed temple dogs. Vendors give scraps to the cats who circle their stalls. Low-income families do their best to care for their pets. The problem is not a lack of compassion—it’s a lack of access to affordable care and knowledge. Sterilization, for example, can cost between 500 to 1,500 THB per animal—a significant barrier for households already struggling to make ends meet.
As a result, good intentions often go unsupported. Communities may feed animals but lack the tools to manage population growth or treat illnesses. Over time, they become overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the issue. Some may even begin to feel desensitized or resigned to the suffering around them.
At Maa & Maew, we recognize this situation not as apathy, but as a capacity crisis. The kindness is there. What’s missing is a system that helps people turn that kindness into effective, lasting action. That’s where we come in.
How We Support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
At Maa & Maew, our campaign is more than a local initiative—it is part of a global movement to build a healthier, fairer, and more compassionate world. Our work directly contributes to three key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, and we strive to make these goals feel tangible and personal for the communities we serve.
SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
We believe that the well-being of animals and humans is deeply interconnected. By helping to reduce stray animal overpopulation through sterilization and vaccinations, we also help prevent the spread of diseases such as rabies, which pose a risk to public health—especially in vulnerable rural and urban communities.
Improved animal health also leads to better emotional and psychological well-being for people, particularly those who care deeply about animals but lack the resources to help them. A healthy animal brings peace of mind and joy to its caretakers—whether it’s a child feeding a stray or a monk offering shelter in a temple.
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
Thailand’s growing stray population presents real challenges for community safety, sanitation, and social harmony. By supporting responsible pet ownership and offering communities tools for action, our work contributes to the development of safer and more sustainable cities and towns.
Clean streets, calm neighborhoods, and fewer road accidents caused by stray animals are all outcomes of proper animal management. Our campaign helps foster communities where people and animals coexist peacefully, where compassion is woven into urban development, and where civic responsibility extends to all beings.
SDG 4 – Quality Education
Education is at the heart of long-term change. Through our “Be a Pet Hero” school talks and community outreach programs, we help young people develop empathy, responsibility, and ethical awareness.
We see education not just as academic knowledge, but as the nurturing of compassionate values that shape future leaders and caretakers. When students learn to care for animals, they also learn about social responsibility, emotional intelligence, and how their small actions can create a real-world impact.
By connecting education to action—through donation drives, creative campaigns, and interactive talks—we plant seeds of kindness that will grow with every generation.