For the Dogs
“DOG LOVERS ARE A
GOOD BREED THEMSELVES”
GLADYS TABER
LIEUTENANT COLONEL BOB LUCIUS
Kairos Coalition
www.kairoscoalition.org
831-655-1891
stenant Colonel Bob Lucius, trained specialist
in Asian foreign languages with the United States
Marines Corp, was stationed in Vietnam from
2005-2008, His job was to distribute humanitarian aid in
the form of excess medical equipment to medical facilities
throughout the country. He and his wife, Casey, had already
‘been in Vietnam a year when it happened.
‘Bob was riding in the passenger seat ofa land cruiser on
the way to deliver medical equipment toa rural city in the
northwestern comer of Vietnam, not far from the Lao and
Chinese borders. Looking out the window, he spotted four
terrified dogs erammed into a wicker basket on the back of
a motorbike. He made eye contact with one of the dogs. His
sind starting spinning, "I have to do something, What can
1 do? If we catch up to the bike, ] can buy the dogs. Then.
what? Let them loose so they can be captured again?”
“There are no animal shelters in Vietnam, No animal welfare
omganizations, Dog meat i pat of the culture. Restaurants
are lined with cages of dogs for customers to choose
one to eat. Bob’ mind was struggling to come up with a
solution for saving the dogs in the basket without seeming
insensitive to Vietnamese culture and offending his traveling
companions. His intemal monologue went on too Tong,
however; the opportunity had passed, and the motorbike
rumed off the road and was gone.
‘Bob and his companions traveled another hour to theit
destination, di the job they were there for and then went
to lunch, As he was leaving the restaurant, he walked past
the kitchen, and out of the comer of his eye, he caught
a glimpse of a dead dog, skinned and splayed out on the
concrete kitchen floor. just seconds away fom being
butchered. In that moment, Bob became a vegetarian and
would go on to become an avid animal activist.
Bob and Casey lived in Vietnam for another two
years, working and volunteering ther time with local
conservation and environmental organizations as well
as with a leprosy project: With every passing month
ated about the
ddog-meat industry and feeling like he needed to do
Bob was becoming more and more ag
something, One evening, while sitting with his rescued
catshe experienced divine inspiration. It is something
he doesrit repeat often, because once the words are
said aloud, they lose their sacredness—but Bob Lucius
heard the voice of God. He was told that he must do
something to help these animals.
“That moment was the birth of the Kairos project
“Kairos” is a Greek word meaning “the opportune
moment.” Bob believes that now is the moment in
history that humane education can make a significant
difference and alter the path Vietnam takes over the next
few decades as the country develops.Bob began working with nongovernment agencies in Vietnam that teach
young people how to be good citizens (dont drink, dont smoke, etc.) and
added a humane education component to their programs. One of the most
effective ways they get their message across is through “edu-tainment,
In November 2010, Bob trained
5 practitioners in Vietnam to lead
Humane Edu-Tainment seminars. The seminars involve a theater
produetion wi
th a scenario such as a dog who is suffering without water
while chained to a tree on a hot day. The participants act out solutions that
wil give that scenario a better outcome The Premier Magazine
a core level everyone involved. Tt opens the hear for. Don Loversoa 4
and mind to a new way of thinking about and connecting with animals, California's
their lives and their sufering. The Kairos Project now has 25 trained Central Coast & Beyond
practitioners, These young people will become the core, grasrots animal
advocates and activists for Vietnam who wil lead the way for the entire Subscribe Today!
country to develop a more humane way of treating animals.
‘This process chang
Bob was recently contacted by a group based in Ho Chi Minh City called
YeuDongVat (Animal Lovers). They are 150 members strong, and they
resene dogs and cats from the meat industry, take them home, get them
medical treatment, socialize them, and find them homes. The group rescued
and found new homes for 40 dogs and cats in 2009, and for another 40
in 2010, Some of the animals they rescue are strays found on the streets.
Others they buy from vendors who a
ing them to be eaten. Bob is
helping Animal Lovers raise funds to rent a house where they can keep the
animals while they are
being rehabilitated
before finding
Sanat isit us onlin
rece DUET]
er)
permanent homes.
These young
people and those
they touch will
bring about the
humane change
that the Kairos
Coalition envisions
will spread
worldwide in the
years to come
wo>'Gewouuereyseos"man