Nurse saves several dogs from China’s meat market

AN animal rescue organisation is searching for new homes in Northern Ireland for dogs saved from horrific conditions on China’s meat market.

Pictures of the rescue show the distressed animals on the back of a truck, stacked in piles of cages too small to stand up in.

Many of the canines appear emaciated and covered in sores after their ordeal in the squalid conditions.

Rescue organisation Doggy 911 is aiming to raise £5,000 to transport six of the rescued animals nearly 8,000 miles to Northern Ireland in February, and is looking for permanent, loving homes for three of them.

Four of the dogs which were saved were among an illegal lorry load of 1,200 animals intercepted while being transported for slaughter at the infamous Yulin Meat Festival, a 10-day event where more than 10,000 dogs are slaughtered and eaten.

The animals were rescued from the lorry by Chinese police assisted by rescue organisation Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors (SHS).

They are currently being nursed back to health in a Chinese veterinary clinic before they will be ready to make the long journey here in February.

They are being brought to Northern Ireland thanks to the dedication of Belfast animal lover Gabby Gardiner (27), a nurse who recently founded new rescue organisation Doggy 911.

Despite their ordeal, Gabby says that the dogs which were rescued from the truck and are now bound for Northern Ireland are recovering well.

“There’s DouDou, a small twoyear-old Jack Russell type female.

“When she was rescued she was very ill with canine distemper but they couldn’t start treatment as she was heavily pregnant,” Gabby explained.

“There’s also Kasey, a twoyear-old female German shepherd mix who was very ill with canine distemper but now has no ill effects from it. She is playful, fun and energetic and would suit a young family or couple.

“Freddie, a corgi mix of around three years old, was critically ill with canine distemper and terrified of people, but thanks to the work of the girls at Harbin SHS he has regained his trust in people and has been adopted into a home in Castlewellan.”

On February 1, the animals will arrive in Paris after a seven-hour flight from Beijing, and will be met by Gabby and other volunteers.

To donate to help bring the rescued dogs to Northern Ireland, visit www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/doggy911 or to offer a dog a home, contact Gabby by email at c2irescue@hotmail. com.