The holiday season should be about more than getting everything on your wish list. It’s the perfect time to give back to the community and those in need. We spoke with Ola about the annual Santa Food Drive, a heartwarming initiative born from a simple desire to channel the community’s kindness into tangible support for the city’s stray dogs in need. What began as a small rescue effort among friends has blossomed into a crucial campaign, providing tons of food, warm shelters, and vital supplies to overcrowded and underfunded sanctuaries.

Read on to learn about the inspiring shelters they support, the profound impact of every donation and how you can help spread comfort and joy to hundreds of dogs in need this season.

Tell us about yourself, your annual Santa Food drive and how it started.

First, I am very thankful to jingkids for giving me this opportunity to introduce our Christmas animal charity.

My name is Ola, and over the years, partnering with two like-minded friends Polly and Mariana, we’ve cared for countless animals together as “Layers of Love” and met so many kind people who offered help in all kinds of ways.

As our rescue circle expanded, we sought to create more opportunities for others to join in. That’s how the annual Santa Food Drive began. Thanks to generous donations at Christmas and even on Valentine’s Day, we’ve been able to buy wooden houses, heaters, mattresses and several tons of food for local shelters. There are so many shelters out there – overcrowded, underfunded and often forgotten. Every bit of support truly makes a difference.

Is there a particular dog’s story or a shelter’s situation that personally inspired you to help?

Every day, every shelter struggles with the same challenge of how to feed all its permanent residents. We know that there is a way to help, to take action.

Which shelters is the money going toward helping?

I’m honored to introduce four shelters that will benefit this Christmas. Zhong Xiaosong’s shelter cares for over 340 dogs, including many that are old, sick or disabled. Miss Weili’s shelter houses nearly 500 animals, including dogs, ducks, cats, goats and chickens. Rose Garden has faced multiple relocations, carries huge debts and cares for 270 animals. Finally, Miss Fang’s shelter in Langfang continuously rescues dogs from meat trucks.

Where did all these dogs come from?

Honestly, it might be easier to say where they didn’t come from! The hardest part is that most of these dogs are incredibly friendly and loving toward people. They would make amazing pets despite some of their difficult pasts. Adopt, don’t shop!

What’s the fundraising goal, and how did you come up with this amount?

This year, we’re aiming to raise RMB 30,000, which will provide 3 tons of nutritious dog food directly from the factory. But if anyone feels inspired to donate any other food, old bedding, toys or other pet supplies, they’re more than welcome to join us by scanning the code to enter our group. Any help will be very appreciated.

What’s the plan to ensure transparency on how every donation is collected and distributed?

For the past three years, we’ve maintained a dedicated group where I provide daily updates on every transaction during our Christmas charity events, including purchase receipts, delivery details and other information to ensure full transparency.

Now, please tell us the steps on how we can help these pups in need.

Join our group or scan the code on the poster to share the festive spirit with those who need us the most.

Images: Ola

School’s out, summer’s here and there’s no better time to grow your family than by welcoming in a new furry addition. This Saturday (Jun 22) from 6pm to 8pm, PawsLove will be hosting a free pet adoption event at Beijing Riviera.

PawsLove was founded on Apr 30, 2024, by Yan after she joined a public welfare animal rescue organization called You Me It and adopted a rescued puppy. Since then, she and many volunteers have been involved in adoption, fundraising for shelters, and regularly organizing weekend adoption activities at Beijing Riviera.

Rescuing animals is not enough for Yan. She’s passionate not only about rescuing and relocating animals but also about raising awareness of proper animal training and ownership. PawsLove continues to work with adopters through training courses after the adoption process to ensure that the animals and their owners are in good hands.

The core value of PawsLove is to promote human-pet harmony; not only helping dogs find their forever homes but also supporting adopters through “The New Guide for Dogs to the Family,” “Good Dog Training Camp,” and new puppy supporting teams, so that pets and their human families can live happily ever after.

At the community level, PawsLove advocates that dog handlers, including owners, aunties, and drivers, have the responsibility to manage their pets’ behavior and comply with certain etiquette rules.

In addition to companionship with pet families, Yan also organizes “Read2Paws” activities. By enabling therapy dogs to interact with children or adults in need, these activities can alleviate psychological pressure and encourage children to participate in independent reading activities.

In order to reduce dog biting incidents, the “Dog Detective” course was introduced to the community. This is a highly interactive and free course for primary school students aimed at helping children understand dog body language and learn safe skills for interacting with dogs.

This privately funded organization organizes weekly pet adoption fairs at Beijing Riviera where they welcome animals rescued by shelters and individual volunteers to attend in an attempt to find them loving homes. Children and families are encouraged to volunteer at these events. It is not just the adoption that saves the lives of the animals, but the action of volunteering that also makes an impact on people around us and the community.

PawsLove’s adoption events are a great place for prospective pet owners to meet their future furry best friend. The adoption process is straightforward. After you’ve found the dog or cat the you feel a connection with, you’ll then fill in your digital adoption agreement. The rescuers will then bring the cat or dog to your home to conduct a first home visit, making sure that the animal will be in good hands. After the adoption agreement is signed, you’ll officially become the owner of your new fur baby.

This week’s adoption event is their last one before the summer holiday. Make your way out to Beijing Riviera to meet some adorable animals in need of homes, browse through beautiful artworks at the charity sale, and hopefully meet someone who’ll make your family in Beijing a little bigger.

For those who aren’t ready to make the permanent commitment to owning a pet, PawsLove is also looking for foster families to provide temporary loving homes to these pets until they’re able to find their forever one.

Find it:
Beijing Riviera Clubhouse 香江花园俱乐部
1 Xiangjiang Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区香江北路1号

If you’re a fellow pet parent traveling this summer for an extended period, you might be looking for a pet sitter or trusted pet boarding facilities in Beijing to leave your pet with.

Here are a few recommendations we rounded up.

CuddlesPet International Pet Resort

Professional pet boarding and training facility running over 10 years. English-speaking services available. It’s a safe and enclosed yard for your dog to run free without a leash during the boarding time. AC and heater available in all different sizes kennels, so the indoor temperature is keeping the same as it is for people are living in. The dog trainers and keepers are well trained on taking good care of dogs, and doing basic medical treatment. Dogs are happy being with them here!

Rate per day: Starting from RMB 120 for dogs under 10kg, RMB 140 for dogs 10kg-35kg
Get in touch: QR code below

Danny’s Dog Boarding

Danny’s Dog Boarding & Training is a safe, loving place for you to leave your beloved dog while you are away. Their premises are in the peaceful countryside of Beijing, allowing the dogs to have plenty of space. They are especially known for their personalized dog training. In fact, Danny’s own dog, M, has held the Guinness World Record for “Most Times to Catch a Frisbee in 3 Minutes” since 2011.

Rate per day: RMB 80 for small dogs, RMB 100 for medium dogs, RMB 120 for large dogs
*Free grooming if your dog stays over 10 days
Get in touch: WeChat ID M616053303

Diddy’s Hood

Diddy’s Hood is a home-feel boarding and training facility located in Shunyi near the old capital airport with a capacity of 30 furry guests. With access to a 35000m² natural grass lawn that’s just 15km away from their boarding center, as well as a spacious outdoor pool, Diddy’s Hood is often booked up way in advance so make sure to plan ahead.

Rate: RMB 300 / dog / night, special prices starting from RMB 200 / dog / night for long-term boarding and multiple dogs
*All dogs get a bath at the end of their stay
Get in touch: WeChat ID adriendiddyshood

Do note that all these boarding facilities require proof of vaccination for pets to be admitted.

Pet Sitters

Spare Leash 

Spare Leash is a pet-sitting platform that connects pet owners to verified pet sitters. With safety as our number one priority, all pet sitters have gone through a face-to-face interview before becoming an active members of the sitter team. All services are in a home, 100% cage-free. Pet owners have direct access to a database of pet sitters and can chat with pet sitters before each service.

Services include everything from dog walking, training, and dog boarding to cat sitting and even helping out with trips to the vet. Prices vary from RMB 70-200.

Website: www.spareleash.com.cn
Get in touch: WeChat ID Spareleash

We also asked the local community for those who are staying this summer and happy to help with your fur babies and here are two in the community who signed up. *We recommend having a nice long chat and possibly meeting the sitter before leaving your pets with them for an extended period of time.

Zhang Senhoo, 28, Aviation Engineer
Available all summer
Types of animals welcome: Dogs, reptiles
Own pets: Dog, hamster, and spiders
Rates: RMB 100 / day (Negotiable), RMB2,000 deposit needed
Get in touch: 13611394498

Shanalee, 17, French student
Available all summer
Able to pet sit at a person’s house or own house
Experience with dogs, cats, and hamsters
Rates: Flexible.
Get in touch: 15010442921

Enjoy your summer with your pets in good hands!

Images: Courtesy of the vendors

KEEP READING: Beijing’s Best Doggy Playgrounds

Summer vacation is coming up and families will be traveling freely all over the world for the first time since Covid! But their pets are staying put right here in Beijing. If you’re a pet sitter (or would like to be a pet sitter this summer) let us know so we can help spread the info to the community.

Leave your info in the comment section below or email it to minayan@beijing-kids.com.

Please include the following:

Your name:
Your age and occupation:
How to get in touch with you (WeChat ID, Phone number, Email, etc.):
Your availability this summer:
What types of animals you can take (dogs, cats, rodents, reptiles, fish, birds):
Any previous experience:
How much you’ll be charging:

Images: Pexels

If you go to any shopping mall like Sanlitun and Solana, you’ll always be able to see some pet shops where tiny puppies are locked in a small glass cages and crying and howling as if they feel suffocated.

Did you know that most of those puppies and kittens are from a breeding factory, a place where parent dogs repeat pregnancy and birth until the end of their lives? After 40 days they give birth to their babies, people take their babies to the pet shop and that’s how the puppies are displayed at a pet shop.

Rather than visiting a pet shop, there is a more animal-friendly way to get a dog, which is an animal shelter, where lots of abandoned dogs live. I met Priscilla Shi, who asks for donations for dogs instead of presents for her birthday and helps one of the animal shelters in Beijing, to talk about the animal shelter and some ways to help abandoned dogs.

How long have you been asking for donations for dogs instead of presents for your birthday?

I’ve been doing the birthday fundraising for this dog shelter since 2018. Every year 3 to 4 days before my birthday, I start asking people for money on WeChat instead of buying me presents, I want them in cash. So, people would actually send me the money or hongbao. The majority of it I donate to this dog shelter that I volunteered at. It’s actually run by my friend. So, I donate partially the money to the shelter and the rest I buy dog foods or send it to the temple where they rescue a lot of homeless dogs.

How much did you raise this past birthday?

Some people give me RMB 50, RMB 100, or RMB 1,000. So, when I started in 2018, I think the total raised money was RMB 4,000. And then this year, two weeks ago I raised over RMB 10,000.

Why did you decide to do that?

It was just all of a sudden, just a weird thought because before. My friends and family members would give me a birthday present that I had no need for; it could be like perfumes, lipsticks, and a weird toy that’s just sitting there and collecting dust. So, that year I actually wanted to raise money for something I really care about. At that moment, when I was in the states, I had adopted a dog. It was just a local animal shelter in Chicago actually a kill shelter, so dogs that don’t get adopted will get euthanasia.

How does the animal shelter work in china? Is there support from the government?

The shelter I have contacted is called Ran Ran’s Courtyard and it’s not supported by the government or any organizations. Ran Ran and her family just started it. Instead of buying dog food, they have to cook for the dogs because the food would be way expensive for 1,000 plus dogs. She just keeps accepting the new dogs; some people drop the dogs by their gate, some people see and bring them in for treatment, and Ran Ran herself sees a lost dog that has no owner.

How many dogs are there currently in the shelter?

They started with 400 dogs and now it’s over 1,500.

Is there a dog adopting system in place at the shelter?

People who usually hear about the adoption mouth to mouth; people spread them among themselves. When they come to the courtyard there are a lot of gates and separate rooms for puppies, senior dogs, and paralyzed dogs. They’re all for free when you decide to adopt, but she checks your background, living environment, and income and follows up after every month in the beginning and after that changes to half a year and once a year.

How much money does it take to run the shelter annually?

For only food, it costs about RMB 2,980,800 annually. With everything altogether including workers, rents, and medical expenses, it’s roughly RMB 4,500,000 a year

How do you help the dogs in the animal shelter?

I visited the shelter in the 2018 summer after I donated. I cleaned the shelter a bit and fed the dogs there.

What’s your ultimate goal for the abandoned dog or the animal shelter?

I want to raise awareness of adoption. Raising a dog is a lot of work, and time-consuming, it’s at least about 15 years of commitment so people shouldn’t just do it because they think it’s the right thing to do. I want people to know that instead of buying a dog, an adoption is also an option. Even if you can’t adopt a dog at this moment, you can contribute to and support abandoned dogs. If there is one person that I can convince to adopt, that would make a huge difference.

Is there a way for people to help support the shelter or get involved in helping?

I transferred all the hongbao to Ran Ran’s account. All the donations can go towards her like food, toys, blankets, and medical bills. Here is the QR code of Ran Ran:

Images: Priscilla Shi

We pulled up to gates that looked like they were straight out of a scene from Jurassic Park. The tall fences kept the wild beasts in as we drove through the Badaling Wildlife Park. My friends and I had wanted to take our little girls on a road trip and show them some beautiful animals, so why not a 50-ish-minute drive to this notorious wildlife park?

Badaling Wildlife Park is perhaps more infamously known in Beijing as the place where multiple locals have been injured. Back in 2016, a staff member was trampled to death by an elephant in heat. Later that year, a visitor was mauled to death by a tiger when she exited the car she was in. And most recently, in 2018 a visitor was injured when he fell off a camel.

But, unfortunate injuries aside, the Badaling Wildlife Park makes for super fun day trips.

To get there, you’ll need to drive or book a Didi or private car. Click here to find tried and tested drivers.

Pro tip: Since recent Covid transmissions, Badaling Wildlife Park now requires everyone who enters to bring their IDs. Regardless whether you’re Chinese or a foreigner, a physical ID will be required at the ticket office. Photocopies or pictures of your ID will not suffice.

Badaling Wildlife Park recommends that you purchase tickets in advance, but if you don’t know how to use their mini program to do it, you can still purchase tickets at the entrance. Ticket prices are RMB 150 for adults and RMB 90 for children and students. If you’re planning on driving your own car into the park, you’ll need to pay an additional RMB 200 for a car with fewer than six seats.

Pro tip: There are bathrooms within the park but the most convenient one is the one right at the entrance.

After signing a (not so detailed) waiver about how if you get injured the park won’t be held liable, you’re off to explore!

Driving into Badaling Wildlife Park you’ll first come to a parking lot surrounded by bears, wolves, tigers, and (for whatever reason) dogs behind cages. Don’t worry. This isn’t all you’ll get to see.

The driving route is designed so that you can have semi-up close and personal encounters with animals. After the unfortunate incidents that have taken place at the park, all the carnivores are now behind fences to prevent another person from potentially wanting to hop out and pet a tiger.

After each dangerous animal enclosure, you’ll come across a parking lot where you’ll be able to get out of your car, wander around, and see even more animals.

For those visiting the Badaling Wildlife Park with young kids, a stop at the petting zoo is a must! The petting zoo section charges an additional RMB 30 per person, and doesn’t seem to have any time limit on how long you can stay there for. There’s nothing exotic here, but the small pigs, bunnies, and lambs are more than enough to enthrall your kids.

In the same parking lot as the petting zoo is the monkey sanctuary, where you can observe the monkeys from above, and a little bit up the hill is one lone elephant. For an additional RMB 20, the staff will let you feed it snacks.

For those with really young kids, by the time you leave the petting zoo they’ll probably be super exhausted already. But the highlight of the park is yet to come.

Right before you drive out of Badaling Wildlife Park you’ll come across a section where you can either park and get out of your car, or feed horses and deer right from your window. These animals are super used to people and getting fed. As soon as your car window opens, something curious and hungry is going to wander up looking for snacks. And they’re not shy! If you’ve got veggies they like, these horses and deer are not going to hesitate to stick their heads in for more.

Pro tip: Be sure to bring some veggies from home for the animals.

Is it the most amazing wildlife park I’ve ever been to in the world? No. It’s not even the best one in China. But the Badaling Wildlife Park provides the opportunity for a fun day trip with family and friends for a bit of fresh country air and fluffy animals, without leaving Beijing’s city limits.

Find it:
Badaling Wild Park 八达岭野生动物园
South across the highway from Badaling Great Wall Center, Yanqing County
延庆县八达岭长城南
Tel: 6912 1842
Open daily from 8am-5pm between March-October
Open daily from 8.30am-4.30pm between October-March

Images: Mina Yan

It’s been quite a week for animal news in the city! On one hand, it gives us hope for the environment, while on the other, we’re simply enjoying gawking at cute videos and wondering what the heck these little guys are doing here. In both cases, we’re just grateful for these furry fellers’ safety and wellbeing. Let’s take a look：

Leopards return to Beijing’s mountains

Are big cats reading our Beicology column? A mere few days after we reported on a study that found Beijing is one of China’s best spots for protecting biodiversity, North China leopards were spotted in the mountains just north of the city limits.

The leopards were originally native to Beijing, however, were forced from mountains as the city developed over time. Recently though, protections for the local environment seem to be drawing them back home as the plant-eating mammals that the cats prey on once again begin to flourish.

Mysterious monkey spotted on campus

On Tuesday, Dec 1, a macaque was caught on video meandering about Beijing University of Technology on the east side of Chaoyang district. The well-behaved primate used a cross-walk to cross the campus road and was also seen atop the walls of the campus.

Campus authorities were unable to capture the macaque, but not for lack of trying. It was still at large, somewhere between Chaoyang and Tongzhou at the time of the initial reporting, and there have been no updates as to its whereabouts since.

Like the leopards, Macaques are native to the mountains of northern China. The Beijing Zoo told Beijing News that it is not missing any Macaques.

Arctic fox near Fragrant Hills

Needless to say, Beijing is not the natural habitat of arctic foxes. So, when one of these white-furred friends was spotted near Fragrant Hills Park on Wednesday, Dec 2, we were surprised to learn that this isn’t the first time this has happened – in 2015, another arctic fox was seen lounging in urban Beijing. China Daily reported then that the creature had likely escaped from “a local animal farm.”

According to Beijing Youth Daily, the recently spotted fox was in poor shape, and thus, unlike the macaque, was unable to out-fox its captors. It’s now being cared for by wildlife specialists.

KEEP READING: How Smart Does a Kids’ Watch Need To Be?: Let’s Look at the Tech on Their Wrist

Images: Fandom, CGTN, Global Times, Beijing Youth Daily

This article first appeared on our sister site the Beijinger.

Owning a dog can be a fulfilling experience. But it comes laden with responsibility. Here in Beijing, part of that responsibility is ensuring that your dog is annually registered. This year, due to COVID-19 which saw many foreign Beijing residents stuck abroad and unable to return, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau extended the registration period to December 31, 2020. This date is important as once it passes, dog owners will not be allowed to register their dogs or renew dog registrations until May 1, 2021. Inspections of licenses by the police shall start at the end of November with police requiring a valid dog license.

What You Will Need For Your Dog’s Registration

• Your dog – If you live within the 5th ring road, then you may have to present your dog during registration. This is different depending on your local Public Security Bureau or Pai Chu Suo. Confirm in advance whether you need to bring your dog along for the registration process.
• Photos – You will also need two one-inch front-facing headshots i.e passport size photos that show your dog’s image from the neck up. It must also have a white background.
• Your original identification documents – These include your passport, your foreign household registration document obtained at the PSB and used to extend your visa in China.
• Since dogs are registered to a household address and not to the owner’s passport, you will also need to bring along your lease agreement for a rented property or a property deed if you own your own home.
• You will also need to present permission from your neighborhood watch committee or Ju Wei Hui, or the management agent. This depends on the requirements of the community supervisory committee within your district.
• Money (Cash) – If you are doing an initial registration then you will need a fee of RMB 1,000 and a fee of RMB 500 for your annual registration renewals. This is the fee in the eight major districts within the city and might be lower in the areas outside these districts like Shunyi, Pinggu, Changping, Tongzhou, Huairoumu, and Miyun.

There is also a special discount to be had for dog registrations if you can provide proof that your dog has been spayed or neutered. The discount can be as much as 50% for the initial registration should the proof provided be from a legally registered and licensed animal hospital in Beijing. You are also eligible for a 40% annual discount on your annual renewal fee under the same circumstances. But please note that this discount is only given once. Take advantage of this grace period to have your dog registered before the end of the year and save yourself from stress and worry. 

Information courtesy of ICVS Beijing 

KEEP READING: Long Distance Holidays: Making Memories Over Zoom

Photos: Unsplash