China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Dogs are our best friends
Canines give a real sense of companionship to people as TV documentary highlights their importance and loyalty to humans, Wang Ru reports.
We know the phrase that describes a man’s best friend. But dogs really can offer companionship. Pets in general can help banish loneliness but a dog can have a special connection with its owner.
Luo Ling has had a difficult life. She drifted in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, for 19 years since she fled from her family as a teenager to escape, she claims, domestic violence. She is not in the best of health and her meager income has come from selling homemade pet snacks on the street. She was often homeless due to the lack of money. But she has had companions: Bengbeng and Emma, two dogs she picked on the street. They have always been by her side giving her support and happiness.
“People may frown upon me, but my dogs never do,” she says in the eight-episode documentary Chong Wu Yi Qian Ling Yi Ye (Tales from the Thousand and One Nights About Pets), which is airing on Tencent Video. The public response confirms that it has touched many people on the internet.
The production tells 24 stories about people, especially young people, in cities and their pets, and tries to view society from the angle of the animals. It has scored 8.9 points out of 10 on China’s popular review site Douban.
“Pets accompany people. At the same time, they become mirrors to reflect many things about people,’’ says Wang Jiayi, a director of the documentary. “We want to observe Chinese families and the current society from the angle of pets, and thus show the lifestyle and emotional states of people who raise pets.’’
She adds, “Many people may find it too heavy to watch some documentaries about society, but through the lens of pets, which are adorable and amusing, they can find it easier to approach social reality.”
The second episode tells the story of a beagle that was adopted, by the owner of a nursing home, after being used in laboratory experiments. The dog, initially shy, gradually got used to human company and brought vigor and happiness to the residents of the home.
“Beagles are used in many experiments, like checking adverse drug reactions and genetic technology,’’ says Jia Huimin, director of the episode. “We had shot one story about a pet beagle before we decided to shoot this story. Although they were of the same breed, their lives were quite
Pets accompany people. At the same time, they become mirrors to reflect many things about people.”
Wang Jiayi, director of the documentary, Tales From the Thousand and One Nights About Pets
different. Many people have never heard of the existence of such experimental dogs, so we want to show their story.
In the documentary, the dog was at first frightened by people and timid among humans. But after some time, when it felt the goodwill from people around it, it became relaxed and gradually got used to a new life.
“I found that elderly people with cognitive disorders are also initially scared of other humans,’’ says Jia. “They find the world very strange, they are less aware of the people around them, but they can still feel and accept goodwill.”
Wang says the connection between people and their pets can touch the audience the most. “For example, Luo had many miserable experiences and lived a homeless and unstable life. She was often driven away by her landlords for the smell of her dogs, but she never considered abandoning them. At the same time, her dogs rely on her and support her. Such tenderness between people and pets is really touching.”
She says in modern society, many young people are quite busy, with little time for social interactions. As a result, pets stay with them and satisfy their need for connections.
Besides companionship, some pets can also reflect the desire and value of their owners, according to Wang. The third episode relates the story of a dog, which was raised by a family devoted to their son’s education. Besides encouraging the son to achieve good grades at school, the parents also sent the dog for education and took it to participate in competitions.
“Based on their respective values and experience, people have different ways of raising pets.
From this family’s point of view, a boy needs to participate in competitions to show his capacity, so does the dog. In some way, they cast their education value on the dog, but in some other’s eyes, it may seem too demanding for a dog. We are not judging their choices, but just showing them,” she adds.