Foreigner adopts stray dog running scared of firecrackers

Terrified pooch finds new home after being coaxed from hiding place in Chonburi convenience store by compassionate American

A terrified stray dog ran into a convenience store in Chonburi province on Tuesday, seeking shelter from exploding firecrackers during Chinese New Year celebrations.

A commotion broke out at the store near Dhammasiri Suksa School in Chonburi’s Sattahip district, when the male stray barged into the shop and hid behind a product shelf by an ATM machine.



The dog, aged around 5-6 years, was trembling in fear amid the barrage of firecrackers that locals of Chinese descent had lit to celebrate the Lunar New Year that morning.

Shop staff tried to coax the animal of the store to avoid disturbing customers, but the mutt would not budge. The standoff had been going on for about half an hour when an American customer walked into the store.

Witnessing the event, the man, who later identified himself as Joe, comforted the animal and then lured it out from the hiding spot with a sausage bun he bought at the counter.

Other customers report that as Joe was leaving the store on his motorcycle, the dog approached him in a friendly nature and tried to climb onto his bike.

Touched by the dog’s adorable manner, the man decided to adopt the stray and took him home to his house, located close to the convenience store.

A shop staffer told reporters that he had never seen this dog before and speculated that it could have been running in fear of firecrackers from elsewhere.

New Year festivals, both international and Chinese, can be a traumatic time for animals, especially dogs, whose hearing is four times more sensitive than that of humans.

Pet owners are advised to lock up their pets securely at home to prevent them from running off at the sound of fireworks and firecrackers and potentially getting lost or being run over.

(2025/01/29-00:00)