Introducing Monty

Meet Monty, a 1.5 year old black and white male who possesses a friendly, confident demeanor, despite his position as a Bangkok stray dog. Some might expect a dog that finds himself at the bottom of the social ladder would withdraw into a shell, or become bitter and angry, but Monty's not that type of dog. He's an upbeat fellow with a spirit of social awareness and activism, the type of character whose energy is positively contagious.

Recently, city officials investigated Bangkok's Pata Zoo after reports that the animals were being kept in less than acceptable conditions. Although the zoo passed the inspection, Monty was upset over the possibility that his animal brethren could be suffering.

So, he rounded up a bunch of other Bangkok strays, organized an effort to collect scraps of mango and other fine fruits sold at the Klong Toey market, and brought them to the animals in the zoo after closing one night. That's just the kind of guy he is.

Monty is also a big fan of the London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals, which announced plans in September to set up its Asian headquarters in Bangkok.

Monty isn't the kind of activist who carries the world on his shoulders, however. He believes that meaningful change as it applies to improving the lives of his fellow Bangkok street dogs doesn't necessarily have to happen quickly to be effective. But he does think it should be steady.