Boy, 8, found being raised by DOGS in squalid and can only communicate by barking

Police have discovered an eight-year-old boy living among apack of wild dogs in a filthy hut in a horrific case of child neglect in Thailand.

The youngster is unable to speak and can only bark to communicate after his drug-using family left the dogs to care for him in Northern Thailand.

The boy was discovered during a raid on the run-down property earlier this week, where they discovered he had been living with his mother and 23-year-old brother - both of whom tested positive for drugs.

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The school had raised concerns with child rights activist Paveena Hongsakul. The campaigner escalated the case to the local police.

Paveena explained that the boy "didn't speak, he just barked" "It was pitiful to see," she added.

While the boy had never really attended school in a proper sense - his mother had taken him in on one occasion to collect a government support grant that was meant to be spent on his education.

Speaking to Khaosod English, Paveena said: “His mother hasn’t allowed him to go to school since he received a subsidy for free education.

"After getting the money, she simply kept him at home."

Locals reported seeing the mother begging for change and food in the local area, with families nearby banning their children from interacting with the victim due to his mother's behaviour.

Without any humans to interact, he turned to the dogs for socialisation and ended up mimicking their behaviour.

Thailand's Education Ministry and Lap Lae police officers conducted the joint operation on June 30, which saw the adults charged with drug consumption after failing urine tests. The boy was taken into the care of a local children's home. However,

She said: “The boy will be given a chance at a good life. We’ll follow up with him to make sure he gets everything he needs."