Fire at Shiao He's Shelter
Hubei Province, China
They held her back as she pushed forward, screaming with tears streaming from her ashen face as she tried to enter the inferno to save more of her precious animals. Shiao He was on the verge of losing her mind from sheer grief and exhaustion.
An electrical problem started a fire in her shelter.
It caught quickly and ravaged into the night. 19 dogs and 3 cats lost their lives that night and many more were injured. The survivors were left with no food and little shelter in the middle of a record cold winter in China. The fire also destroyed 3,000kg of kibble, blankets, and beds.
The firemen put out the fire before it destroyed the entire shelter.
But, the fire had a far reaching destruction and many homes in the area lost power and complained to the authorities. Shiao He may face prosecution and fines for the local blackout because she did not have fire prevention installed in the shelter.
What’s more, Shiao He believes dog meat trade trucks are circling the shelter like a predator stalks injured prey.
We’ve seen the footage of strange vans and trucks approaching the shelter, looking around, and then leaving. One van stopped and asked to see some dogs they might want to adopt. Shiao He sternly sent them away.
Adoption seekers are rare in China as most people want to get pure-bred puppies. Rescuers are wary of strangers who say they want to adopt. Adoptions happen, but usually because they know and support the shelter operator.
Winter time sees a rise in dog meat consumption for economical and cultural reasons.
Many of our partner shelters have closed circuit cameras for security specifically against the dog meat traders. Dog meat traders have been known to poison dogs and steal the bodies from unsecure shelters and even people’s backyards.
There is no doubt that Shiao He is in the most vulnerable position of her life as things stand.
She cried out that night that she would never be able to return to this place. The trauma was too much. She had suffered a divorce and health problems resulting from her rescue work. This disaster was the last straw.
But two days later, she changed her mind because the dedication to the animals who had survived weighed on her conscience greatly. Her only hope was to reach out to her fellow rescuers in China for help and support.
Quick response was critical.
WOA heard the news and took the action right away to help. WOA and ZCBY have sponsored a donation and we've wired the money to Shiao He to pay for the installation of a fire prevention system.
But we need more money to help Shiao He rebuild. The situation is dire.
We hope you will consider joining our friends in China helping to support Shiao He during this tragic time.
Please donate at https://woafoundation.org/donate-now and help restore Shiao He’s shelter.
We can’t afford to lose one shelter in China!