Phuket, Thailand 2026

Day 1

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first blog in the amazing EGL Thailand Group’s trip to the Soi-Dog foundation in Phuket, Thailand! Today was amazing. The day started early for some, and earlier for others. Breakfast began in the hostel at 7:00, but those of us jet-lagged to circadian oblivion were up before then. We had a selection of breakfast meats and other things you might expect, but also to-die-for made-to-order eggs, in scrambled or fried fashion.

At 8:30 ish, the Soi-Dog foundation Bus arrived. Contrary to the western expectation of the word bus, this was not a yellow 16-wheeler but a tuk-tuk style Isuzu with no sides, seats (and seatbelts), or a back, only a roof and benches. After a brisk and scenic 20 minute ride through rural Phuket, we arrived at the foundation and were immediately greeted by several friendly workers. The next hour was spent with essential introductions and instructions, laying out our duties for the week and how to go about dutying them. 

The goal is simple - walk as many dogs as possible. There are quite literally thousands of dogs in the sanctuary. Many of them do not get out for days or longer and can be cooped up inside. We want to do what we can to make them feel loved. Contrary to expectations, the foundation is not a shed full of canines in the middle of nowhere, to which locals drop off the dogs that annoy them by begging in front of their shops - it's genuinely a well oiled-machine. Not only was the sheer amount of infrastructure unexpectedly incredible - hospitals, kennels, runs, pools, lakes, etc., but the organization of the organization was beyond what we expected: Dogs divided by characteristic traits, behavioral classifications and notes accessible by QR code for each dog, specific timings and rules for “attractions”, daily rotating assignments in morning debriefs, centralized lunch ordering from a local restaurant, directing staff facilitating and managing what we need to do - there was a lot to learn before we could get going.

The next few hours were spent as intended - walking dogs. At the start, we were moving slower. Getting a sense of the layout or mastering poop-scooping techniques. But we started picking the pace up, getting a sense for what the animals themselves wanted. Sometimes a long walk, throwing the ball while off the lead, and a quick dip in the pool, other times a quick ten minutes around the kennels and back. Some were friendly and some were quite shy. Some had 3 legs, some had one eye, some were perfectly healthy. All of them had a past we knew not about. The goal was to make the dog feel more comfortable and relaxed and give it the love it deserved.

After our lunch of delicious noodles or fried rice and a relaxing hour spent in the cat enclosure lounging with the 400 odd cats, we got back to walking. By 3:00, everyone had finished their assignments and we were left with the Kennel dogs- the ones that couldn’t get along with other dogs and as such unfortunately were subject to a smaller lonesome room because of it. We spent more time with them, getting them the socialization they needed. At 4:00, our bus came again and brought us home. We did a great job today. After a nice sushi dinner at a local restaurant near the hostel, we retired for journaling and some cards as well as a dip in the pool. Tomorrow, here we come. 

-

Day 2

Our first day volunteering at Soi Dog Foundation began with a brief orientation before we went straight to work. We learned about the organization, the dogs we would be working with, and the proper way to safely handle and walk them. Something I noticed is the information staff had written about each individual dog. These weren’t generic instructions! Each dog had specific notes about its personality, behaviors, preferences, etc. (One dog liked to be scratched on his left side but do NOT scratch his right). Seeing how detailed and individualized they were showed just how well the staff knew these animals and how seriously they cared for each one. 

We then spent much of the day walking and caring for the dogs, which also gave us a chance to get to know the people we were working alongside. My dog-walking partner was an Aussie on a trip with her dad, who owns a business in Thailand. It was a fun reminder that volunteering abroad isn’t only about the work itself, you also get to meet people from completely different backgrounds who have found themselves in the same place because they care about the same thing. 

Lunch was amazing. While the food was digesting we got to lay down with kittens in the cat sanctuary area. I never considered myself a cat person but I imagine that label might change after this trip. After finishing up for the day, we had a great dinner. I ordered a sardine and fish egg appetizer! We ended with a wonderful night of journaling and reflection. After seeing firsthand the level of car that goes into working at Soi Dog, we were excited for the days to come. 

-

Day 3

Despite it being the rainy season in Thailand, we hadn’t experienced any rain, up until today. Soon after arriving to Soi Dog, the clouds rolled in and as Luke Combs said, “when it rains, it pours.” We all got soaked, but didn’t let that damper our enthusiasm for the day. Some of us had the opportunity to return to the runs we had on Monday. It was very rewarding to have taken the time to learn each dog’s personality on Monday and then apply that to walking the same dogs again today. On Monday, we didn't really know the dogs and the walks did not start out as smoothly. Through trial and error, we adapted to each dog's style and we could go into today knowing them better. The walks were much more enjoyable for us and the dogs.

Even for those who didn’t get to return to their Monday runs, there seemed to be a consensus among the group. By practicing patience with the dogs, we began to walk dogs based on the dog itself and not from our past walking experiences. For example, in our reflection today, someone mentioned that instead of viewing each dog as just a number, they took the time to know each of them on an individual level. It seems like such a small feat to remember every dog's name and what they look like, but it truly means so much more than that. It brings a whole other level of love and respect to these animals that they may have never felt this before. 

We feel like we have a duty to stick to the 30-minute walk that is recommended by staff, but we also have a duty to make the most out of the time with the dog we have at the moment. If a dog wants to go back early, we feel like we are inhibiting their wellbeing due to the limited amount of time they spend outside of the run. On the flip side, if a dog wants to stay out longer, we feel like we aren’t being fair to the other dogs. Instead of deciding what we think the dog needs, today we’ve learned to embrace that the dogs know their wants and needs better than we do. If a dog wants to spend 5 minutes waiting at a gate to enter a specific off-lead area, instead of spending those 5 minutes maximizing their walking time, we’ve learned that in the eyes of the dog, waiting at the gate can be just as enriching. Accepting and respecting what the dog wants makes our time at Soi Dog a more enjoyable experience, for everyone. 

-

Day 4 

Today started similarly to yesterday, a nice morning run along the beach to get warmed up for the day ahead. This naturally included the mandatory coffee stop at the local shop next to the hostel. After a quick breakfast, we departed the hotel and boarded the bus full of volunteers heading for Soi Dog. As far as volunteering goes, today was probably the best day so far. Everyone felt more comfortable now with their dogs than previously and everyone could adapt to each dog’s personality whether they were more stubborn or extremely energetic. To an extent the dog leads the walk, as they have a better sense of the property. Beyond that it's their only chance to leave the kennel all week so naturally they’d be more stubborn about the places they specifically want to explore. 

Per usual, lunch was really good, and everyone kept ordering different meals to explore the local cuisine as much as possible. Meals are always a highlight, and it's amazing to see the group becoming closer as each meal passes. Also another favorite of lunch time is the cat room. The conversations in there seem to enter a unique flowstate; maybe it's something about the cats. 

We had an overcast afternoon as we finished up the day volunteering. Everyone finished up their runs and walked their kennel dogs. These always have a range of walking times, some just go out to take care of their necessities and come back to their kennels within 15 minutes while others wander around and sit down for over an hour. Some really make you realize why they are kennel dogs as they get really aggressive with other dogs while others are very friendly with everyone. People also got really efficient at walking their dogs as most finished early today and had time left over to chill. 

Our adventure for the day was visiting a local street market near our hostel. Everyone dispersed and found some interesting food and drinks. Considering our stomachs aren't accustomed to the local cuisine, hopefully we don't get food poisoning :)

Top cap off the day, we played soccer at the beach in the rain, extremely refreshing. We managed to beat our record of keepie upies from the previous day so there was a reason to celebrate. Pictures capturing the victory were taken and a splash in the pool afterwards was well deserved.

Today could be the best day of the trip so far, everyone’s excited for what's to come on the final day of VA.

-

Day 5

Last day for Thailand VA 2026! We woke up extra early for our morning run. On each previous run, we had been getting closer and closer to a small island at the end of the beach, and today we decided to run a little extra and go for it! It was very beautiful and well worth the early wake-up!

We then had our usual breakfast at Luna before hopping on the bus and heading to Soi Dog. When we arrived, we got a photo with everyone who volunteered at Soi Dog throughout the week. Each day, we were all very spread out walking our dogs, so it was a cool experience being together and seeing how many people came out to support Soi Dog throughout the week!

After our photo, we headed out to start with our last run of dogs. Today, many of us were working with runs of dogs that we had walked earlier in the week, and it was really great to see their personalities shine through as we got to know them. All of the dogs have their own little habits and quirks - some love tennis balls, others are only comfortable walking with a specific dog friend, and some have a favorite area to stop and relax -getting to walk the dogs multiple times throughout the week allowed us to see these quirks!

We enjoyed our last lunch and said our final goodbye to the cats in the cat room- many of us are leaving feeling like we wish we could take one with us! We then headed back to our runs to finish walking the dogs. Some runs finished early, while others took a little longer today with a few stubborn dogs, but we were all able to come together and help each other get all of the dogs and kennel dogs finished by the end of the day- a great moment of EG Teamwork!

We said our goodbyes to the Soi Dog team- they truly were great hosts throughout the week, and we learned a lot about the dog meat trade and the history of Soi Dog from them. We also had fun getting to know them and their stories, and we will surely keep in touch! As we were leaving, one of the Soi Dog managers kept saying “spread the word.” Soi Dog runs on donations and volunteer groups like ours, so 11 people raising awareness will go a long way!

We headed back on the bus to our hostel, waving bye to our friends we passed on the streets for the last time. We had our final journal session and the group shared feelings of gratitude for the week, getting to learn about the dogs and Thailand, but also getting to know each other. It really has been a group of people who weren't that close at the start, but many new friendships have formed, and we all share the same excitement to bring the great energy of this group to EGL events this school year!

We then showered up and headed to downtown Phuket for the evening. We enjoyed a nice dinner, explored the streets, and listened to live music before heading home for the night!

All in all, Thailand VA 2026 was a major success, and we’re leaving with a new sense of community, gratitude, and some new furry friends!

-