Calling all doggie lovers! There are 180 fur babies who need your help!

The Hui Lingyang 慧领养 animal shelter is being demolished by Jun 10 and all the dogs are in urgent need of temporary homes until a new shelter can be found. It should take around one to two months to find a new shelter for house them, so in the meantime, they’re looking for human friends to open both their doors and their hearts to them.

Add Terri on WeChat at terri0608 for more details and provide the following information:

• Your preferred dog
• Experience with animals
• Living conditions

Then, Hui Lingyang will set you up with a dog that’s the perfect match, as well as advice and support through your fostering.

Scan the QR code to meet your new furry best friend!

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Photo: Pexels

There are very few things in this world that have the capability of inducing a glee-laced squeal from me, all of which involve animals. In particular, puppies. I am an animal lover, and as such, it is sacrilege to publicly declare favor for one furry species over another, but I will admit there is something about the readily available adoration, kisses and fawning of a happy pup that just wins it for me. I am the weirdo that will peer into a car just to engage in a full-blown baby talk goo-goo ga-ga conversation with a dog that doesn’t know me from a sack of potatoes. But it is always worth it.

Such love however comes at a price. There is seldom as heartbreaking a sight as an abandoned puppy fending for itself on the cold streets. It is heart-wrenching to see such adorable little creatures knowing you might not have the resources to take them all home and give them the protection they all deserve. Luckily, there are organizations in Beijing that take that mandate to heart, giving otherwise abandoned and neglected pups a second chance, and a new lease on life. Lost Puppies is one such organization, constantly striving to provide these lost little angels homes, rehabilitate them, and facilitate adoptions for as many of their little puppies as they can.

This year, their fundraising and awareness campaign has taken a rather sexy turn, as Lost Puppies has enlisted the help of several Beijing based hunks to create a hunk and pup calendar. Let’s just say this spread puts ‘snack’ into puppy snacks.

To find out more about Lost Puppies of Beijing and the work they do, check out our interview with volunteer, and former beijingkids staffer, Auna Harris.

And to get a sneak peek of this year’s calendar, scroll below.

Photos: Courtesy of Lost Puppies of Beijing

Every summer, large amounts of dogs are locked up in little cages and then transported in trucks in the middle of the night. On the inside of the trucks, one can hear a faint whimper, quickly dying off. The vehicle stops abruptly, and the dogs slam into the cold bars of their pens. The metallic smell of blood rises, and one can almost grasp the hopelessness that lies in the air. Yes, The Yulin Dog Meat Festival has begun; that time of the year where dogs, cats, pigs, fox, and geese from all over China are brought to slaughterhouses, just like the one the truck is on its way to. The Festival began in 2009, in Yulin and is a revival of the Chinese tradition of eating dog meat in the hot summer, in order to cool off and receive health. Every year, thousands of dogs are beaten, kept in small cages, and eaten during the ten day festival.

Unexpectedly, the doors of the truck open and two policemen walk in. They take a short look at the dogs, then shrug, and get on with their business. The dogs stick their little noses out to breathe in the fresh night air. What happened? Well, since you need a special license to sell dog meat and the drivers of this truck didn’t have it, the cargo is classified illegal, and they are arrested. Then everything happens very quickly. The dogs are separated and brought to different places.

One of these places is the home of Harrow Beijing Teacher, Ciara Turner. Currently, she is taking care of a mixed breed puppy that resembles a Labrador. She smiles as she takes a good look at the dog. He is not sure what to do, what to think, as he sits there on the living room floor, his tail tucked between his legs. Turner gives him water and time to get used to the situation. “This behavior is not unusual at all,” she says, as she watches the beagle take a sip of water. “Sometimes they even growl at me. But that’s okay; I know that they are scared and often hurt. Look…” She points at the dog´s left shoulder. “Our little puppy here has gotten himself a little injury.” And for sure, there seems to be a flesh wound right at that spot.

But who exactly is Ciara Turner, and why does she take care of these injured animals?

Ciara is part of an organization called Slaughterhouse Survivors, which specializes in cases just like the one involving this dog. It was founded in 2016 by three expat women in Harbin, China. In the beginning, the three teachers, Aimee, Hayley, and Emily, only rescued a few animals from a local slaughterhouse and were horrified at the conditions they were in. So they did it over and over again, rescuing more animals every day and getting help from their friends at first and then from strangers. This little hobby of saving dogs in their free time quickly grew into something bigger, to the point where it is now over 100 volunteers strong, and 800 animals have been rescued. Turner is one of these volunteers here in Beijing. So far, she has taken care of eight animals in the last three years, and she doesn´t plan on stopping any time soon. But with the responsibility of taking care of a rescued animal comes the task of organizing the trip from China to whatever country the animal will be adopted in. That´s right, the unique thing about Slaughterhouse Survivors is that the animals will be adopted in different countries, even continents! Mostly the animals will be brought to the USA, the UK, or Canada, and sometimes even to Russia. Often, an adopter is found through social media, like Facebook, Instagram, or WeChat. Picking a suitable person for the dog can be quite tricky too since they never have the opportunity to meet face to face.  Now, a long journey for the little dog mix begins.

Meanwhile, Turner has named him Bear. First of all, he has to go to his appointment at the vet, where his wounds will be taken care of. With a new bandage on his shoulder and a smile on his face, Bear returns home. Since he is meant for the UK, a microchip will immediately be injected into him, due to a law, which was launched in 2016, forcing owners to microchip their dogs, or the owner will otherwise face a fine of five hundred British Pounds. Afterward, he is vaccinated against rabies, followed by a thirty-day wait, in which the vaccination takes effect. Now Bear is able to take the Antibody Titer Test, where the number of antibodies in Bear is detected, in order to find out the strength of his body´s immune response. This process costs about RMB 25,000, which Turner pays for herself. Often, rescuers charge 500 pounds to the adopters, but this only covers a part of the costs. Slaughterhouse Survivors heavily relies on donations and the rescuers’ own funds. Then, a blood sample is sent to a lab in Germany to ensure that the animal is resistant to rabies. Now, Bear must wait another ninety days, which is the equivalent to quarantine.

Sadly, the dog has failed the titer test, so the whole process has to start over again. The vaccination against rabies, the thirty days waiting time, the titer test, and the quarantine like days, all has to be redone, which means even more work and money to spend for Turner since she has to pay another RMB 25,000 for the whole process. On average, the procedure takes about four to six months, in which Turner spends one to two hours organizing paperwork and everything else that is necessary about four times a week after work. If she messes something up, it can mean starting over again. Finally, Bear passes the test, which means that Turner now has seven to ten days to take the dog to the official government vets, to get a final health check. If Bear is healthy enough to leave the country, he will receive an Animal Health Certificate. Once that is done, Ciara applies for the exit permit. Now the flight volunteer has seven days to leave China with Bear. If Ciara misses that period of time, she has to get another exit permit.

The teacher takes Bear with her on to the airplane, and they are on their way to England. “One time,” she remembers, “I was traveling with a dog called Henry. His injuries were still quite severe when I flew him to England, but he wasn’t in pain because of his paralysis. His lower half was in bandages and diapers which I changed every two to three hours in the airplane toilets, and cleaned and helped him to poop and so on.” Luckily, this is not the case for Bear; his wounds have healed up quite well now. When they arrive in England, Ciara and the dog go to a cheap hotel to stay the night. The next day, they meet the adopter, a nice young woman, with a big heart for animals, named Rachael.

Why would she adopt a dog from China instead of one from England? Wouldn’t that be easier for her? Rachael and her partner Ben have always wanted a dog, and now that they were in a good place in their lives, they felt that they were ready for it. At first, they weren´t sure whether to adopt or shop for a puppy. But then Turner, whom Rachael follows on Instagram, started posting about the charity work for Slaughterhouse Survivors and the mistreatment of stray dogs and other animals in China. “Ben and I are massive animal lovers, we are vegetarian, so our ethics are to protect and be kind to other living things. So it was quite distressing and shocking to see posts from Turner, about the treatment of animals in Beijing”, Racheal explains. All of this seemed even more absurd because the government funds and laws that protect pet animals like cats and dogs in the UK. So when Turner asked if anyone wanted to adopt Bear in Canada, the UK, or the USA, Ben and Racheal put their names on the list. “Dogs over here are still mistreated, and obviously we´d like to help them too, but I think the connection with Turner, the power of social media and the abuse of dogs in China feel a lot closer to home. And all in all, even though dogs over here are mistreated, it is against the law to do so, and there are many people to report this kind of behavior. We also have a lot more kennels for rescued dogs. At the time, Bear´s life seemed to depend on adoption much more than the dogs from shelters here. Not to mention he is a combo of our favorite dog breeds: Labrador and Bernese mountain dog – but that´s just a bonus,” Racheal adds.

Being a flight volunteer or rescuer takes a lot of work and is quite time-consuming. But all the people working for Slaughterhouse Survivors know it´s worth it. Saving the life of an animal and giving it a happy home is one of the best things you can do. So do you want to participate? You can either help by becoming a flight volunteer, fundraiser, or fosterer. Just write volunteer@harbinshs.com. For further information about the organization, you can check out their Instagram slaughterhouse _survivors or visit the official website harbinshs.com.

This article appeared in the beijingkids July-August 2019 Teen Takeover issue

Introduction: Hi everyone, we are Lucia and Leo!

Everyone loves going out and picking out a new pet, all those cute little balls of fur with fangs are simply irresistible to anyone with a heart. Bengal kitten are one of them. Bengal Kitten are cute little mini assassins just waiting to steal your heart away, and you can’t help but just love them the minute you meet them. They are loads of fun to watch bounce around the house, but there are a few things one should know before going out and buying one. This is a unique breed, with its own pros and cons, and you will want to make sure it is right for you before taking the purchasing step.But there are some things anyone looking for Bengal kittens need to know before they just go out and grab one to take home, otherwise your new pet may end up in a shelter or worse.

Background: Lucia was rescued when she was less than a month old. She was bottle-fed and grew up with other cats. Leo was rescued from the streets a year ago because his previous owners abandoned him. He does not like to be cuddled too much but is very attached to people. Both cats can do well with other animals.

Personality: Lucia has a very lively personality and is very cuddly. She may be shy at first due to a new environment, but soon will accept and show her sweetness to her new family. Leo has a very calm personality and is quite lazy. He does not play much. Most of the time he simply sleeps but is very sweet. He would be perfect for a family or individual who is looking for a relaxed and content cat!

Ideal home: Lucia and Leo would be happy with an individual, a couple, or a family with older children (e.g., 8 years and older).

Breed, Sex & Age: Lucia is a 6-months old, female, short-haired calico. Leo is a 3-year old, male, orange tabby.

Medical notes: Lucia is very healthy and has been fully vaccinated at a local hospital. She is ready for her spay surgery. Leo is also very healthy and has been fully vaccinated and neutered at a local hospital.

Post-adoption care: The International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) has enrolled us into their Rescued/Stray/Re-homed Pet Adoption Benefits Program. ICVS will provide our new family with significant discounts (up to 50%) on our health examinations, vaccinations and neuter/spay surgery during our first year with our new adoption family.

Annual Vaccination Packages: ICVS has wonderful wellness and annual vaccination packages to keep us healthy and free of worms, fleas and ticks. All the vaccinations and deworming we need every year are included and the packages are discounted by 50%! The adult pet vaccination packages now include UNLIMITED EXAMINATIONS throughout the year! Please contact ICVS for more information.

Official Vaccination Certificate: With our rabies vaccination, ICVS will issue our new family the official Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate (e.g., vaccination red book) at no charge! We need the official vaccination red book to prove we have been legally and properly rabies vaccinated and to move to other cities or to leave China with our family.

Pet Import/Export Counseling: ICVS will provide my family with unlimited relocation counseling and accurate information to take me with them when it is time to move to another city or to another country.

Door-to-Door Pet Transport Service: ICVS can help my new family arrange for door-to-door car transport for my appointments at the hospital! Please contact ICVS: www.ICVSASIA.com

ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs:

Please support and donate to the ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs:  Here

Donations may be made directly on the ICVS web site through Paypal:

www.ICVSASIA.com

Please also donate via ICVS WeChat:

Your donations support ICVS in helping pets like Kimi and the many stray/rescued/abandoned/rehomed and shelter animals in our community. The pets receive world-class medical care, treatments, good nutrition and socialization with love and compassion that allows them to become healthy adoptable pets!

Please contact the International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) for more information about Kimi and the many adoptable pets waiting for homes:

Tel: (010) 8456-1939/1940

Email: reception@ICVSASIA.com

Website: www.ICVSASIA.com

ICVS WeChat: ICVSCHINA

Photos: Mary Peng

One such family was the Chybas. Lydia Chyba, a Year 12 student at British School of Beijing, was attending the show with her mother and her mother’s girlfriend when the latter, a fervent dog lover, grew determined to help the Little Adoption Shop financially, since they couldn’t adopt in their current situation. So some time after the show, they went to the shop on an open day and started playing with the dogs. “Most of them were super hyper and happy that we were playing with them,” Lydia tells me, “glad that we were there to return their affection. But in the corner was one dog sitting silently, waiting for all the other dogs to calm down. When they stopped jumping around, he slowly walked towards me and laid his head on my lap. He would flinch when I touched him because he was so scared, and after a while he walked away as well.”

“He also had an eye cataract so he couldn’t see what was going on,” Chyba adds. “I asked Christopher his name and he told me that it was Jackie, and pointed out Jackie’s brother Jack, who only had three legs, wagging his tail at us from another pen. Christopher told me their story and it really made me cry.”

“Jackie was supposed to be slaughtered and made into animal food. After being rescued from the meat trade – where dogs are frequently beaten, starved, and have to sleep in their own excrement – he was delivered to the hospital unconscious twice with extremely low body temperature. I was really sad that I couldn’t take him home with me that day. A little while later, I left the shop for ten minutes. When I came back, my mother took me and told me that she had adopted him. I was really surprised, but happy, especially knowing that he had lived in the pen at the shelter for a year because no one wanted to adopt an older stray dog.”

Christopher Barden said of the Chyba family: “They are the sweetest. If we had more families like theirs we would be able to pay all the bills and empty the shop in a week.”

“When we took him home for the first time,” Chyba continues, “he was terrified, just sitting in the corner. Every time someone came over he started hiding, because he was scared that he would be taken away again. But that was only temporary. After a few weeks, the eye cataract disappeared and now he’s a completely healthy and happy dog, and he’s more thankful for being rescued than any purebred puppy that would already come from a good place. Even though he’s a bit older, he’s still playing with us like a puppy, and he’s a really smart dog. Adopting him was the best choice.”

I asked her what she thought about the mutt vs. purebred debate. “Well,” she begins, “in our family we have a lot of experience. My grandpa bred greyhounds while my uncle adopted two dogs straight from the street. After I had an accident, the stray dog from my uncle followed my ambulance for several kilometers to the hospital because he did not want to leave me alone – even though he only sees me once a year. A purebred from a good place may not be as faithful, thankful and protective as a stray dog from the streets or even worse places, since they only know the good places.”