Thai Ridgeback Dog Names

It is rare to hear stories about the Thai Ridgeback and there are no known celebrities that have taken up their cause. Therefore, when a Thai Ridgeback turns up at an animal shelter, it becomes a big news story. This was the case when a 13 year old Thai Ridgeback named Misty Wu was brought to the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society or PAWS. When Misty Wu came into the care of PAWS, Vicki Morris, a PAWS worker contacted Laurie Hood. Hood is the founder of the Alaqua Animal Refuge located in Freeport, Florida. Misty Wu was surrendered originally to PAWS by her owners because they were no longer able to care for her as her needs as a senior dog increased. Her owners had purchased her as a puppy from a Thai Ridgeback breeder. However, it is unclear if the breeder was also located in Florida. After a thorough physical examination by Hood and then a certified veterinarian, it was determined there was no evidence of abuse or neglect. 

Misty Wu was suffering from depression after being abandoned at the PAWS shelter. All PAWS workers that came into contact with Misty Wu fell in love with her because she had such a loving and gentle nature. Workers also worried that she would be too cold if she remained in the shelter. After going through Misty Wu’s paperwork, they researched Thai Ridgebacks and realized that she was a rare breed. Vicki Morris made the call to Hood so Alaqua Animal Refuge would take Misty Wu out of the shelter environment. 

Hood continued researching the Thai Ridgeback breed because she found Misty Wu to be so unique. Hood found that the Thai Ridgeback has lineage that dates back to 1700s and that there are only a few bloodlines that are considered to be truly pure, dating back to the very beginning. The Thai Ridgeback has only been found in the United States since 1944. There are only about 1,000 purebred Thai Ridgebacks left in Thailand and only a hundred or so in the United States and Canada. Misty Wu’s uniqueness saved her from living out her final years in a shelter. Hood provided Misty Wu with her very own sweater and she has a heat lamp at Alaqua Animal Refuge until she is placed in her forever home. It is Hood’s hope that once Misty Wu is settled into her new home she will be able to snap out of her depression and bond with her new family.