But for Debbie Mole the thoughts have a much darker tinge - the image of starving dogs left to die on the streets.

The Narre Warren South animal-lover and her husband Lee spent their holidays volunteering with the Soi Dog Foundation.

The charity organisation rescues dogs and cats from the streets of Thailand, providing medical treatment, desexing, and attempting to rehome them.

"They help thousands of animals that would otherwise be dead," Debbie says.

"The experience really changed my life. I was glad I could wear sunglasses all the time, because I spend most of the two weeks in tears. I just couldn't believe the condition of some of the dogs coming in."

While most animals suffered from malnutrition, there were also those who were victims of absurd cruelty.

"Some came in that had been shot, others that had been attacked by machetes and sliced across the back of the neck, and some had just been dumped into rubbish bins and left to die."

Despite the actions of their abusers the dogs responded to human contact well, she says.

Debbie now sponsors two dogs that were brought into the shelter during her time there.

"I was advised that they might not make it. But a month later they were recovering and now they live in the shelter."

To raise money for the Foundation, people are invited to the premiere of Soi Dog a documentary on the every day workings of the shelter. It screens at 6pm, this Friday at The Classic Cinema, 9 Gordon Street, Elsternwick. Cost: $35, prebookings essential, email contact@paaw.org.au

Foundation founders John and Gill Dalley will attend the event.

For details, donations or to sponsor an animal, visit www.soidog.org

THE Soi Dog Foundation was set up in 2002 in Phuket, Thailand, by John and Gill Dalley.

The couple moved to Phuket for their retirement, hoping for a more simple life.

But after discovering the large numbers of stray dogs living in the area, they decided to do something about it.

The couple hoped to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats and to improve the lives and living conditions of the street and stray animals.

The Soi Dog Foundation now look after and feed about 600 stray dogs and house more than 200 dogs at its shelter in Mai Khao.

They are also responsible for the sterilisation of more than 23,000 dogs.