Cats and dogs are a common sight in Thai temples. Strays and abandoned pets often find their way into a temple compound where they are cared for by monks. Sadly in Thailand, a large number of dogs are abandoned when they become too big for the home or too expensive to keep. Although there have been previous campaigns to control the stray dog population (notably in Bangkok in the 1990s), these caused a public backlash because it is against Buddhist principles to kill any animal unnecessarily. The belief in reincarnation also means that some Thai people view stray dogs as people who have done wrong in a previous life and this is their karma.
