Rescued From Puppy Mill Destined For Slaughterhouse
Hubei Province, China
Chinese Activists Rescue Puppy Mill Dogs Amid Chaotic Covid-19 Lockdown
Amid a major Covid-19 shut down and mandatory testing by the government, a WOA volunteer named Buyi got a call from a concerned woman. Four sick and old dogs in her village would be sold to a dog meat trader that day.
She had no means of caring for them even if she could rescue them from the breeder. She asked for our help. Our plan was to have the rescuer engage the puppy mill owner in conversation for as long as she could so that we could borrow some more time to quickly find local animal activists to rescue these dogs.
We were acutely aware that we may not be able to find people in time because the city is in a panic amid massive citywide Covid-19 testing and shut down. Roads are blocked around the city. But, we have faith that we will find some rescuers available because we know Chinese animal activists are the most die hard of all die hard people in the world.
Sure enough, two ladies, Hule and June, came forward. They both were literally waiting in the long line of Covid-19 testing, but without hesitation, they left the line and got into the car. Knowing full well that they may get stuck and not be able to return to their home for weeks possibly due to the lockdown.
Through many detours and winding country roads, they arrived at the scene. Hule and June, two BIG little women were determined to get the dogs away from the puppy mill owner whatever it took. Overheated arguments occur often in such a standoff situation and sometimes it can get physical too. But, Hule and June have no time to worry about themselves, only the determination that they must get the dogs to safety. By courage and sheer will, they got the dogs out of there. All four female dogs were in terrible condition and they rushed them to the hospital right away.
The Cruelty of a Puppy Mill Dogs’ Life: Sold to Dog Meat Trade Once They Could Not Produce
One of the dogs, 10 year old Bertie, had such a severe hernia that her spleen and intestines slipped into her left breast and her bladder into the right breast. Cookie, the Pug, had a uterine prolapse. Pinky, the two year old poodle was born handicapped in her rear legs. She weighed only 5 lbs. Gertie, the bulldog, had severe skin problems and huge cysts clustered around her knee joints due to a lifetime of being imprisoned in a cage.
Bertie, Cookie, Pinky and Gertie’s stories are hardly unique in the rampant backyard puppy mill operations in China. Due to the exponential growth of the pet market over the last two decades, puppy mills grow like mushrooms. Mostly prevalent in the rural villages, they provide purebred puppies to keep up with the demand and preferences of the Chinese consumer. The females are bred over and over again and when they can no longer produce puppies they are thrown away. The breeders work with dog meat traders by selling unwanted dogs to slaughterhouses to cut their losses. Due to government oversight, there is no policy or laws that regulate such an operation.
Chinese Animal Heroes Are Our Hopes To End The Cruelty
Thanks to all the brave and selfless rescuers in China, WOA was able to save these four cuties and give them the best care available. With our unique access to local resources, WOA is able to facilitate front line rescue work in spite of physical distance and time difference between the two countries. Time after time, by working with local animal heroes, we’ve saved many lives!
WOA is looking for foster families for all these dogs for their rehab. We are also making plans to fly them over to the US for adoption.They’ve suffered so much in the past, they deserve the best life in the future.
If you wish to help in making their fairytale life come true, please donate to: https://woafoundation.org/donate-now