Incredible tail of seven dogs escaping meat market to embark on mammoth journey home

Destined to be turned into meat, they managed to chew through their cage and escape the van, according to the South China Post.
At times, the dogs formed a tight block around a German Shepherd badly injured during the escape.

They never left him behind.

The Golden Retriever was also seen acting as a ‘sentry’ on the perimeter, scanning the surroundings and wagging its tail to reassure its companions.

Another passing road user captured footage of the dogs wandering through nearby fields in their two day journey.

The local Bitter Coffee Stray Dog Base reported that the dogs were all neighbours from the same village, usually seen roaming together and forming a strong bond.

One onlooker told Chinese outlet Dahe Daily: ‘They resemble a band of little brothers in distress, moving in unison – nothing like stray dogs.’
Their story went viral and has been viewed more than two million times on social media.

One follower said: ‘This is an epic story, the canine equivalent of Xenophon’s Anabasis, when 10,000 Greek hoplites made a perilous journey back to the Black Sea from Persia.

‘In the centuries to come, doggy bards will sing of their heroism.’
Their adventure has sparked calls for an animated movie but also concerns about the dog meat trade in China.

Younger generations are using stories like this to highlight the cruelty of the trade – which is declining.

But during long, icy winters, locals believe eating dog meat provides warmth and sustenance.

In big cities like Changchun, Harbin, and Dalian, numerous incidents of pet dogs being stolen have been reported.

Dogs are usually stolen or strays captured and killed because it’s cheaper for thieves than breeding them to be slaughtered.

Jilin province, the area where the dogs were stolen, still has more than 50 active slaughterhouses.

There’s no nationwide ban on eating dogs in China and it mainly happens in parts of southern China – but Shenzhen banned it in 2020.

The Yulin Dog Meat Festival is an annual event that involves the slaughter and consumption of dogs and sometimes cats, drawing widespread international condemnation from animal welfare groups.