Hundreds of Dogs Found in Guang'an

This particular rescue lasted weeks and took it's toil on all of us. Read on to find out exactly why:

Our founder Du Yufeng drove nearly 300km to Guang'an to help activists who had found hundreds of dogs in cages at a slaughterhouse.
They are still there now.
Dogs are crying, desperate to be helped. One dog was so scared as Du approached the gate that it screamed before barking at her.
There are purebreed dogs in these cages, large Labradors who can't turn around or get comfy. The cages are barely big enough for the chickens they are made for never mind big dogs! They must be hurting so much 
Du helped the volunteers back in September when they found dogs but on that occasion no lives were saved as the Department of Agriculture seized the dogs and killed them.
They want to do the same now!
We are praying that the dogs can be given to us and the activists.
​Your donations help us to help the activists and dogs. Thank you.

It's been 3 days since our founder Du Yufeng went to Guang'an to try and save hundreds of dogs from an illegal slaughterhouse.
Du called the police but the Guang'an Department of Agriculture wouldn't let Du or the volunteers have the dogs. Instead they've let the dog dealers keep the dogs who have now hung up signs to say it is a 'Stray Dog Shelter'!!
The dog dealer (in the blue jacket who tries to intimidate our volunteer) also tried to smash Du's car up. He's a nasty bully.
None of those dogs have had food or water since the 4th January. Du and our volunteer can only take videos from afar. Du and the volunteers will not stop trying to get custody of these dogs.
We'll update again soon. Thank you for your support

UPDATE:
After many calls to, and with visits from Du and the volunteers, the authorities told the dog dealers to release some of the cages of dogs. The dealers picked which cages could be released. There were 22 dogs who were fortunate enough to get out of that hell hole.
There are still lots of dogs left at the warehouse but the volunteers have been allowed in to give them water and start to take them out of the cages but they aren't safe there.
Du is contacting other organisations to see if anyone can help take the rest of the dogs. Some of them have already died.
Du and the volunteers are keeping the pressure on the authorities to release the rest of the dogs.
We will update again soon once we have the dogs settled because some need medical attention.
If you can help with a small donation towards this cost we would be very grateful.
Thank you

UPDATE:
Officers from the Public Security Bureau have been guarding the
Dog dealer's den but yesterday some new officers were on shift and they were interested in what Du and the volunteers do.
Du had a long talk with them and offered to show them how dogs are just scared and want to be loved and respected the same as humans. They watched her give water to the dogs and food before allowing her and the other volunteers to take some of the sickest dogs.
Du and the volunteers now have over 40 dogs in their care at a warehouse owned by one of the Guang'an volunteers.
Sadly, some lives were lost. 2 adult dogs had died overnight and a pregnant dog aborted her 2 puppies
We have received messages asking why are the local government not handing the dogs over to us when it is clearly illegal what the dog dealer is doing and why are we not demanding in person at the offices for the law to be implemented. Activists in Guang'an know what happens. Money talks. 9 times out 10 a local government will do what's right but there is the 1 who doesn't and this is that place. We found this out last September when we were here, and the local activists know it only too well.
Please know that Du and the volunteers along with other animal lovers are doing everything they can, even if the few minutes of footage we share doesn't show it.
In the meantime the rescued dogs need caring for.
If you can help with a small donation towards the veterinary and food costs we would be very grateful.
Thank you for your support

UPDATE:
Nothing much to report except that 2 pups were allowed to leave with Du and our own volunteer and they were taken to the local vet for check up because they had been in the place where the dead dogs were. Both are ok Look at how happy they are and eager for Du's interaction! Now they are safe.
The dogs at the dog dealers place are still there and Du and the volunteers took chicken and kibble to feed them. Dog food is too expensive to a dealer. They are usually thrown scraps if they are lucky but often they do resort to eating dead dogs in their kennels which is really sad for them. The dead dogs and puppies were buried by Du.
Thanks to everyone for your donations which are paying for the nourishing food and vet bills, vaccinations and medications. We couldn't help dogs without you

UPDATE:
Du and the volunteers had arrived to feed the dogs but the dog dealer had put a padlock on the kennels which prevented the bowls being filled up so they put the food through the gate before being made to leave.
Some of the healthy dogs who were rescued have been fostered by some of the volunteers and their friends. Others are in the pet hospital for minor injuries. One of the rescued dogs had lost an eye due to an old injury, one has cherry eye and another is extremely skinny with her spine able to be felt when Du stroked her.
Thank you to everyone who has donated towards food and vet bills so far. We really do appreciate it

UPDATE:
Over the past 48 hours Du has been driving the 3 and a half hours from Guang'an to Guangyuan and then back again with dogs in her car.
Unfortunately, Du and our volunteers couldn't stay in Guang'an forever. They needed to come back to our shelter and take care of our own dogs too.
The activists in Guang'an will keep the pressure on their local government to release the dogs at the dog dealers den but for the past few days they wouldn't let any of us in because the government departments supposed to enforce the law are supporting the dog dealers and allowing them to put up and keep up the 'Stray Dog Shelter' signs knowing full well what is happening.
For the dogs that have been lucky enough to be saved, they are now in isolation at our shelter.
We are so grateful for your constant support and donations.
Thank you so much

UPDATE:
The dogs that our founder Du Yufeng rescued from the slaughterhouse in Guang'an have been settling in to our shelter in Guangyuan for the past week.
Personalities are beginning to show. There are quite a few youngsters who have taken the ordeal in their stride and just want to play and be everyone's friend. There are others who don't want to be friends and want to pick fights.
It's going to take time to win the trust of those dogs but it's understandable. The trauma of being caught and put into chicken cages could very well have ended horrifically for them so we will give them the time they need.
The activists in Guang'an have asked Du to go to help them fight the dog dealer again. She will be travelling to the site where the rest of the dogs are still held soon.
Thank you for all your shares and donations to help these dogs. Please help again  if you can help.
Thank you so much.

UPDATE
As the new Year of the Tiger begins, our founder Du Yufeng has travelled again to Guang'an after the local activists asked her to join them.
Many more animal lovers turned up at the dog dealer's 'Stray Dog Shelter' which resulted in some of them being arrested for 'turning up to cause trouble'. Some phones were also confiscated.
The Department of Agriculture are now saying they will give the dogs to farmers but there are more sick dogs there. An Alaskan Malamute that was already weak when it was in the chicken cages without food or water for days is even more lifeless as other dogs cuddle up to it for warmth and reassurance.
Du is heartbroken. You can hear her cries and the shouts of the other activists as they beg for the dogs' lives.
The people supposed to be protecting the dogs are not. Du and the Guang'an activists are preparing to sue. We will keep you updated.

UPDATE
The following video is upsetting but we want to show you the disregard and lack of compassion for the dogs left behind in Guang'an and what Du and the volunteers have to witness first hand.
The Department of Agriculture has told Du and the local activists that they are giving the dogs to farmers. As guard dogs. The dogs will be kept outside on the farms with basic food and (often) no shelter.
In order for the officials to let the farmers have the dogs, they must be tested for rabies.
Have you ever seen a dog tested for rabies in such a cruel, painful way?? When we send dogs abroad we test for rabies; in a calm, stress free, PAINLESS way. NEVER like this!! It is despicable! The ground is wet with urine and some of the dogs defecated in fright too
All this is done while Du and the volunteers watch and record.
There is no way those dogs will be given to us or any other shelter by the officials. They are covering up their corruption by making it appear that they take the dogs' welfare seriously enough to give them 'homes'. In rural areas these dogs could STILL be killed and eaten by the farmers for celebrations like Chinese New Year or when important people visit.
We are considering asking the farmers if they will sell the dogs. It's not the way any of us want to do this but for those dogs to have some semblance of a peaceful, safe life it may be the only way, IF they accept it.
For now, we have to just watch and wait until the dogs are cleared of rabies. We are praying they will all be negative .
Thanks in the meantime for your support. It means such a lot to Du knowing that the world is supporting her and the local activists.

​UPDATE
More of the dogs have been tested for rabies in the same horrendous way. Some dogs don't struggle which means, for them, the testing is over soon. Others are feisty. They've already been caught by the dog dealer and placed in chicken cages so their memory is not short! Unfortunately this results in injuries as they struggle; as seen in the previous video.
Du was allowed in to one of the kennels, as the dogs were being tested, to say prayers for 2 dogs who had died. Some would say these dogs are lucky but it's still an unfortunate loss of life due to the fact that the law in Guang'an didn't protect them like it should have.
All the dogs that have been tested and are awaiting results have had white cable ties put around their necks. They've been placed in kennels until the results are back.
There are many still to test.
Thanks for all your messages of support and donations. It means a lot to Du and the local activists.

UPDATE
Since the Guang'an Department of Agriculture tested the dogs for rabies, they have been in quarantine waiting for the results.
After negotiating with the officials, the volunteers were allowed to go in to the kennels and feed the dogs.
They have bought beds and some second hand woollen clothing to keep the dogs off the concrete floor. They are buying and cooking food every day for the dogs. There are some very skinny ones so they need to gain weight with good food. Your donations are helping us to help them keep warm and have full bellies
There are quite a few young dogs who are always first in the queue to be stroked and said hi to. Some of the others are still too wary because of the treatment they've endured from capture until the horrific way they were tested.
For now they can relax a little.
Thank you for all your support

UPDATE:
The volunteers are still cleaning the kennels and feeding the remaining dogs. BUT.....
URGENT
From the18th of this month, farmers in Guang'an will be arriving to take the remaining dogs for guarding their farms. These dogs are STILL at risk of being killed and eaten. Farmers sometimes kill their dogs if they don't do the work they expect of them or if a celebration or visit from good friends requires a 'good' meal.
Although, in the meantime, Du and the volunteers have prepared to sue the authorities; the only way we are going to get the remaining dogs is if we buy them from the farmers. We never went to Guang'an to do this but the failure of their officials to do the right thing and hand the dogs over to us have failed the dogs.
So, those dogs now need YOUR help
If you can donate to help, please do. NO donation is too small.
We want to take these dogs to our shelter around 300km away so as well as money to buy them, they are also going to need medical attention and good food when we get them home.
PLEASE help if you can.
Thank you
​* Some of you asked about the Labrador and Alaskan Malamute who were in one of the first videos we posted. The Labrador is healthy and happy as most Labs are. The Malamute is very thin and unfortunately had to have it's fur shaved off because it was very matted and there were patches of skin disease and an allergy to flea infestation. A potential owner called us saying the Malamute was theirs so we'll see how that goes once it's health has returned.

UPDATE:
We told you that from the 18th February, the dogs in Guang'an would start to be 'adopted' by farmers.
In fact, the last week has been a complete mockery and we are so sorry that we don't have more to show you.
We've not been able to share much footage with you because the volunteers who turned up were arrested and had their phones taken by the police - AGAIN!
We have shared what footage we have from a brave volunteer who filmed what he could from a hill looking down in to the dog dealer's den before he too was found and arrested. Luckily he had forwarded this video to a volunteer who wasn't at the scene before they took his phone.
We're also sharing with you a few messages from other volunteers in our Wechat group who were watching things unfold. We hope you can see their anger and frustration. We've blacked out their accounts and photos.
So, the Guang'an Department of Agriculture and the police would rather take more blood from the dogs who are already traumatised from last time they did it.
They would rather arrest and punish animal activists than arrest and punish the dog dealer!!
Thank you so much for your donations. We are still hoping to intercept any farmers who 'adopt' these dogs so please keep sharing and giving what you can.
We will NOT give up on these dogs

UPDATE:
For days, farmers, along with some villagers, in Guang'an turned up to 'adopt' the dogs and our volunteers were there with them.
The 'adoptions' were to start at 3pm but as on previous days, no dogs were brought out.
The following day a handful of dogs were released and given to the farmers and villagers. When the volunteers offered to buy the dogs, arguments developed. Pleading with these people was hard and tiring but everyone was focused on saving the dogs and getting them away from a life spent guarding or worse. We followed the 'owners' as they walked home.
The dog at the end of the video is SO skinny you can see the spinal bones. ks it's fine with straw and a roof (but open to the elements at the front!).
We were able to buy 5 dogs and there are still MANY more to buy but the farmers and villagers have seen us coming. They are charging us an average cost of 300 - 500 Chinese Yuan per dog (approximately US$50 - $90/£35 - £60/€45 - €70) so we are once again asking for donations please
We have been waiting and waiting for this to end. The dog dealer, Department of Agriculture and the police have all made this the worst experience for those dogs. We haven't been allowed in to feed them since they blocked the road with police tape and placed police there to guard the road.
We NEED to save these dogs. They've been through so much already. Please donate what you can. You've been amazing so far
Thank you

​UPDATE:
Thank you to every single one of you for donating and sharing our previous post. We managed to rescue 45 dogs altogether.
Unfortunately the lies and corruption meant that those dogs were the only ones left...
We can only assume that while the road (which led to the dog dealer's place) was closed, the dog dealer, under the full knowledge of the police and Department of Agriculture, sold the rest of the dogs for slaughter. This is a massive blow to us all. We have gone through every emotion but most of all we are angry.
The volunteers were fantastic. Following the farmers and villagers who had bought the remaining dogs, they thankfully were able to get the dogs off them and that's thanks to your donations.
Your donations were also able to buy cages so that the dogs could be taken to our shelter nearly 300km away.
Some of these dogs are injured and will require veterinary care when they reach us. There are puppies too. We couldn't risk them staying in Guang'an any longer.
Please keep supporting us. Now they are saved, the next chapter of rescue has begun We'll update again soon. Thank you

UPDATE:

On 6th March, nearly 9 weeks since Du made her fist journey to Guang'an for this rescue, the dogs finally travelled (a few hours) to our shelter in Guangyuan.
Du had prepared some kennels in the new kennel block sponsored by SPCA International so that they could settle in for the night amid all the new smells and sounds from their new neighbours.
They will be checked over in the morning and vaccinations will be given.
As well as helping to rescue the dogs and buying the cages for them to travel in, you also helped to buy the fuel so that the Guang'an volunteers could drive the dogs nearly 300km to our shelter.
There are vet trips planned for some of them tomorrow so we hope you may be able to help with that too.
We know there are so many animal shelters around the world needing your help so thank you for choosing to help ours too.

UPDATE:
There have been trips to the vet for some dogs, with more to come.
One of the dogs had chewed it's own tail from stress; probably through the fear of what happened to them while being caught by the dog dealer and the uncertainty of what else would happen.
Another of the dogs had a very nasty wound on it's neck caused by rough handling by the Department of Agriculture officials who used iron tongues to grab the dogs by their necks when the brutal rabies testing took place at the dog dealer's place.
The dog needs surgery to suture the wound. The iron tongues sliced a clean cut in to the muscle.
Vaccinations are ongoing and the dogs are being tested for Canine Distemper and Canine Parvovirus.
We are so grateful for your donations so far. If you can spare a little more to help pay for the vet fees we would really appreciate it
Thank you so much

​UPDATE:
Vet visits continue for some of the dogs rescued from the dog trafficker in Guang'an.
Most are because of minor injuries sustained from being caught by the dog dealer at the beginning of their nightmare or from the rough handling by the officials when they took blood to be tested for rabies.
One of the dogs that had a horrible injury from being dragged and held down by the iron tongues (see previous videos) had his neck sliced all the way around and in to his neck muscles. He is doing really well. Du is keeping his wound clean and he has check ups to make sure it is not going to get infected.
Vet bills are an expected part of rescuing dogs, especially from the dog meat trade, but at the same time they are an unexpected burden on our finances so if you can help with a small donation, towards the bill we would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you for your never ending support

The dogs are all now vaccinated and wormed. There are some still a little sick but they aregetting well.
Our founder Du Yufeng sits in kennels with new Dog Meat Trade Survivors just talking to them and gaining their trust.
Some of the dogs are obviously wary given what they have been through and some are wordly wise as they tell the youngsters off for jumping around, eager to get to Du.
These dogs owe their lives to you.
Thank you so much for always helping when we need you.

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