Jill's Blog - = New Year dog rescue =96 Part II

New Year dog rescue =96 Part II

Tuesday, January 6, 2009, 05:23 = PM

On=20 the morning of New Year's Day, we arrived back at the rescue = centre=20 ready to start health checking, vaccinating and de-worming = the dogs.=20 We knew that many of them wouldn't let us even get near, but = if we=20 could just reach a few and try to reduce the risk of disease = it=20 would at least be a start.

A briefing to the team = saw the=20 emphasis on what to do in the case of dog bites, rabies = protocols,=20 etc, and we were ready to begin.

Howard, Rocky, = Jacky, Mao=20 Mao, Leanne, Emily, Eric and I initially, and very = cautiously, made=20 friends with the dogs, noting temperaments and those that = might be=20 ok to approach, before feeding them sausage, gently stroking = their=20 chins and chests, and assessing whether to move on to the = next=20 stage.

Once dogs were assessed to be okay, we began = securing=20 ID tape around their necks, offering sausage containing = de-wormer=20 and finally vaccinating them against disease.

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That day saw over 40 = (more than=20 a quarter) of the dogs completed, which, while cause for = some smiles=20 of relief from the team, had us acknowledging too that the = next few=20 days would be harder as we dealt with the shyer and more = aggressive=20 dogs.

Indeed the following day, with the addition of = YuJun,=20 Wang Li, Helena and translator Wen Yan to the team, only = four dogs=20 were happy enough to be approached and helped. This wasn't=20 surprising considering their fear of humans, so now it's a = case of=20 letting them become more comfortable with their surroundings = and=20 with the staff feeding and cleaning them, and then returning = again=20 in a few days to continue with the work.

In the = meantime, as=20 it's so cold and wet, our Maintenance Manager Jackie and his = team=20 are busy weather-proofing the entire shelter and concreting = more=20 areas to ensure better disease-control and a cleaner area = for the=20 dogs to run and play in outside.

As with the bears, = the old=20 joke about us not having favourites really doesn't ring true = =96 and=20 most of us have been heard admitting that yes, one (or more) = of the=20 dogs have already stolen our hearts.

There's the = most=20 gorgeous grey/black puppy, who seems to have no = understanding that=20 she was just days from slaughter as she joyfully hurtles = around the=20 place wanting to make friends with dogs and people alike.=20

Our driver, Li He, made no secret of his favourite = =96 this=20 lovely chocolate lab, who he has offered to take home and = make a=20 permanent part of his family:

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Then there's a sweet = little grey=20 cross-sheltie, who clearly does realise how narrowly she = escaped=20 death =96 and just sits quietly next to you with melting = brown eyes=20 gazing up at yours for minutes at a time before burying her = head=20 into your lap.

And finally there's an Eddie = look-alike=20 (Eddie was the original rescue dog from a Guangzhou meat = market in=20 2001), skinny as they come, but slowly realising that life = today=20 isn't too bad. Nervous, but with no bite, she'll creep up = behind you=20 shyly asking for a pat before changing her mind and backing = off=20 slightly again.

Each time the distance between us = narrows,=20 the briefest of pats become seconds longer, and so the = process goes=20 on. I have a good feeling about this girl and am already = wondering=20 if rescued earthquake dog, Tremor, will consider sharing his = bed at=20 our bear sanctuary in Chengdu.

It's still incredible = =96 and a=20 rather nice feeling =96 that every single dog would be dead = by now if=20 fate hadn't played a hand. And sadness between the smiles of = course,=20 reflecting on all of those other trucks, those millions and = millions=20 of dogs and cats, that weren't so lucky on New Year's=20 Eve.

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New Year dog rescue =96 Part I

Sunday, January 4, 2009, 10:44 = PM

The=20 last thing we expected to be doing on New Year's Eve was = following a=20 truck full of caged dogs destined for the notoriously cruel = meat=20 markets of southern China. Little did I realise when writing = about=20 Rainbow and the team's dog demonstrations in Chengdu over = Christmas=20 that we would later be involved in the rescue of the very = same=20 species destined for the food tables of Guangzhou.

A = call at=20 lunchtime from the Chengdu Qi Ming dog and cat rescue centre = we help=20 to fund told of a raid on a slaughterhouse just down the = road, and=20 the rescue of 149 dogs found there illegally - and, even = more=20 astonishingly, that the authorities were happy to confiscate = them=20 all.

With Rainbow and Jacky from the Education = Department=20 heading up the rescue, Eric our translator, vet Leanne and = nurse=20 Emily, volunteer Katie and I headed out of the bear = sanctuary in=20 trepidation of what we would find.

Motoring along = the main=20 road, suddenly there was the truck right ahead. Every one of = us felt=20 sick to our stomachs as Rainbow filmed the injured and = terrified=20 dogs crying in their cages. Young, old, mixed-breed and = pure-breed,=20 with several wearing collars - were they sold by uncaring = owners, or=20 stolen? Many were trying to crawl away from dogs next to = them who=20 were biting out indiscriminately each time the truck braked = and=20 caused them to move.

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The cages were piled = three and=20 four high and many dogs below were lying there with urine = and faeces=20 covering their bodies as it cascaded down from the terrified = animals=20 in the cages above. Several of the dogs were frantically = clawing and=20 biting at the cage bars and mesh, and I don't think any of = us will=20 forget the sense of confusion and betrayal in their eyes.=20

Immediately we saw that two of the dogs were very = sick=20 indeed =96 one was possibly dead - and we knew that we had a = long=20 afternoon on our hands.

Pulling up at the Qi Ming = rescue=20 centre alongside the truck, the smell of death and decay =96 = the very=20 smell of the hell hole markets =96 hit us as soon as we got = out of the=20 car. Still the dogs were crying, howling, growling and = biting,=20 locked in their misery and pain, and not realising that = their=20 nightmare was finally over and they were safely = "home".

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As Rainbow, Jacky = and the Qi=20 Ming team began the hard job of hauling and offloading the = cages=20 from the top of the truck the rest of us began to prioritise = the=20 obviously sick dogs in order to move them away from the rest = of the=20 group.

Luckily the Qi Ming rescue centre now had = space as=20 many of the earthquake dogs previously rescued last May had = finally=20 gone back to their owners' rebuilt homes or to relatives. = Fate was=20 obviously playing a hand as otherwise these poor dogs would=20 literally have had nowhere to go.

As with newly = rescued=20 bears, the feeling of cutting open those rusting cages and = letting=20 the animals free was beyond words. Both satisfying and sad = as some=20 dogs were so traumatised that they had to be gently coaxed = out of=20 the cages, as they feared something worse was yet to come. = When I=20 recall where they would have ended up, they were right to be = afraid.=20

Those markets see the traders bludgeoning, = throttling and=20 boiling them alive and it's as much as you can do not to = fall onto=20 your knees in shame while taking pictures and telling the = dogs how=20 sorry you are that their lives have cruelly ended at the = hands of a=20 species that seem light years away from their = own.

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As we cut open the = cage holding=20 one of the very sick dogs, our eyes opened wide in surprise = as this=20 poor creature apparently at death's door lay there for a few = minutes, before shaking himself, trotting out of the cage = and=20 wagging his tail. It was a surreal moment for us all, = realising that=20 the poor lad had been so traumatised that his best defence = was to=20 play dead and hope that his torture would soon go away.=20

Sadly, the other dog we were worried about wasn't so = lucky.=20 He was suffering from distemper, which had gone too far. We = watched=20 with tears pouring down our faces as Leanne gently = euthanised this=20 quivering victim, who never knew kindness and love - and = prayed that=20 the rest would survive.

Late that evening, the dogs = were=20 housed as best as we could manage =96 not ideal by any = means, but at=20 least all were lying on cardboard or in lined cages, with = food,=20 water and shade and a night ahead where they could sleep = peacefully=20 at last.

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Chengdu Anti-dog-eating Campaign

Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 07:10 = AM

Here's a lovely story to end the year from our own = Rainbow=20 Zhu, who organised a fantastic event in Chengdu to promote = dogs as=20 our friends, not food. Happy New Year to you = all!

Even=20 though the temperature dropped dramatically, over 20 = volunteers from=20 local communities and pet clubs joined our campaign on 21 = Dec =96 the=20 Winter Solstice in the Chinese lunar calendar. Some people = believe=20 that winter, especially the Winter Solstice, is the best = time to eat=20 dogs to keep warm. We chose this day to battle against this=20 belief.

This year, we had = three venues=20 in downtown Chengdu to spread our message that dogs are our = best=20 friends, and it's not safe to eat dogs, as the trade is not=20 regulated by the government.

We prepared lots of = =93Friends=85.or=20 Food? leaflets and posters declaring =93We care about your = pain=94. We=20 played Dr Eddie=92s film showing the brutality of live = animal markets=20 plus the interview of professionals explaining why they = don't eat=20 dogs. This attracted much attention from people passing by.=20

Three Dr Dogs joined = as well to=20 show people how gentle and lovely and helpful they can be. = The=20 feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive with people = saying=20 they hated the dog-meat trade. This time, we placed more = emphasis on=20 dog meat's potential negative impact on human = health.

The third and last = venue we went=20 to is the famous mutton-meat-restaurant street. Half of the = city=92s=20 population go there to eat mutton during this period. It=92s = always=20 most crowded on the day of the Winter Solstice.

Animals Asia's Suki = reported=20 there were one or two mutton restaurants that were secretly = selling=20 dog meat. We cried out even more loudly our slogan =93Love = animals,=20 don't eat cats and dogs=94 when passing by these two=20 restaurants.

The event also = attracted the=20 attention of the media =96 three newspapers and two TV=20 stations!

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Panto perfection!

Saturday, December 27, 2008, 02:26=20 AM

Everybody loves a panto at Christmas and we were no=20 different as nearly 300 of us sat in the audience at the = Bloomsbury=20 Theatre in London cheering and jeering when the goodies and = baddies=20 did their best and worst.

There was gorgeous big = Baloo Bear=20 and Kaa the snake with Mowgli, all battling to overcome the = evil=20 tiger, Shere Khan. Right always wins =96 especially at the = panto =96 and=20 we all had a fabulous time.

The actors were amazing = and=20 really celebrated the emotions of the animals =96 showing = that yes=20 indeed we are not the only species to experience joy, = sadness and a=20 mischievous nature.

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This has always been = one of my=20 frustrations =96 hearing scientists saying that we should = =93prove=94 that=20 our animals can have any sort of feeling. Just recently, = Austrian=20 scientists =93discovered=94 that dogs can feel jealousy. = Well goodness=20 me. Anyone who has dogs will know instantly that of = course=20 dogs get jealous.

Of course our bears = experience joy=20 and of course they can be sad. Bears like Mafi are=20 mischievous too =96 especially when they playfully nip the = bottom of a=20 friend whose back is turned and then gleefully run away. =

It=20 may not be the same joy, sadness or mischievousness, but it = is=20 their version of these emotions and that is why we = love=20 working with them every second of every day to bring out = those=20 joyful senses so long suppressed on the farms.

But = back to=20 the panto! The cast was amazing and thanks to the Birmingham = Stage=20 Company and its wonderful Director, Neil Foster who dreamed = the=20 whole evening up for Animals Asia, it raised some much = needed funds=20 for the bears too.

We were joined by some wonderful=20 celebrities, including our UK patron (and my dear friend and = mentor)=20 Virginia McKenna OBE actress and Founder of the Born Free=20 Foundation:

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We were also = thrilled to have=20 with us Terry Waite CBE (humanitarian, author and former = hostage),=20 Naomie Harris (who starred in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and = 3), and=20 our long-term supporter Martin Roberts from BBC=92s =93Homes = under the=20 Hammer=94.

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Martin took full = advantage of=20 the feel-good factor and raised a further =A32,000 (over the = funds for=20 the tickets) from the very generous audience fighting over = six=20 kindly donated auction items.

Grateful thanks to the = management of the UCL Bloomsbury Theatre and, as ever, to = our=20 tireless UK team headed up on this fundraiser by our Nicky, = who ran=20 around right up until everyone went home keeping things in = line.=20

It was one of the best pantos I=92ve ever seen (oh = no it=20 wasn=92t .....OH YES IT WAS!) =96 and it was topped off the = next morning=20 when my 10-year-old niece, Nicole, said that she=92d kissed = Jasper the=20 cat and told him she loved him =96 because she knew that he = loved her=20 too.

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Snoopy's Christmas Kiss

Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 01:01 = AM

This masterplan began by researching Snoopy=92s = favourite=20 treats =96 acknowledging that attempts last December to woo = her with=20 peanut butter amounted to failure of a spectacular kind.=20

This year, the research and debate raged for days = before=20 Bear Manager Pernille confidently assured me that the = flavour of the=20 month was strawberry jam.

And so our cunning plan = was=20 hatched.

The idea was to see beautiful, blind Snoopy = walking=20 out of her den, into the garden for special-care bears, over = to the=20 reinforced window that separates my room from her enclosure, = before=20 standing up and licking the jam-smeared glass, which had = =93Seasons=20 Greetings=94 emblazoned on it.

As Pernille and our = "Secret=20 Garden" bear team carefully laid a trail of Snoopy=92s = favourite=20 biscuits, I got busy decorating the inside of the window and = smearing the outside with tablespoons of jam.

A few = minutes=20 later, several staff crowded around in my room, as Rainbow = set up=20 his video camera. A Christmas CD was popped into the player = =96 and we=20 were ready to begin.

The den doors opened and we = hardly=20 dared to breathe as Snoopy sniffed the air and took in the = smells=20 around her as she always does. Horror of horrors =96 = ignoring (and=20 carefully stepping over) the trail of bear biscuits, she = headed=20 purposefully to the edge of her swimming pool and a = breakfast=20 starter of coconut milk and carrots. Our faces dropped. So = this is=20 why film directors tell you never to work with animals and=20 children.

For the next 30 minutes, Snoopy delighted = in every=20 little morsel of her garden breakfast buffet =96 except for = the=20 strawberry jam. Every now and then she would walk temptingly = close=20 to the window, only to veer away at the last second as her = nose told=20 her that a morsel even more tasty than jam was in another = direction.=20

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As everyone was = busy, we decided=20 to come back later in the hope that Snoopy would finally = find her=20 Christmas treat. Almost an hour went by before we heard the = excited=20 sounds of our bear team =96 Tiger (Zhang Xiao Hu), Zhang = Chengjin and=20 Wang Li on the walkie-talkies telling us all to run back to = my room,=20 as Snoopy had now found her prize and had almost licked the = window=20 clean.

This was the sight that greeted us =96 a = truly magical=20 moment showing how one blind bear survived farm torture and = beat all=20 the odds.

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It made us all smile = to the=20 moon. It is sent to you, with grateful thanks and big bear = hugs, to=20 friends, staff and volunteers across the world, who have = given=20 Snoopy and all of our bears a life of meaning and joy. =

Click=20 here to see Snoopy's Christmas clip. =

And=20 finally, some more good news to share. In March, = ophthalmologist=20 Claudia Hartley will be returning to Chengdu to work with = Senior Vet=20 Heather and team in helping some of our sightless bears to = see. She=20 has already said that Snoopy=92s chances are good =96 and we = are keeping=20 everything crossed that next Christmas Snoopy will find her = jammy=20 prize on the window =96 not by smell, but by = sight.

It's hard=20 to believe this is the same bear that arrived at our = sanctuary in=20 2003, anxious and trapped in a tiny farm cage.

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Tonight, as a = beautiful yellow=20 crescent moon shines over the sanctuaries in China and = Vietnam, we=20 send you all heartfelt, grateful thanks for the lives the = bears have=20 today, and wish you seasons greetings and a happy, healthy = and very=20 peaceful 2009.

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