Animal rights activists from China and other parts of the globe rejoiced when a great number of K9s were rescued from slaughter for the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival. However, it seems as if the “Yulin dogs” are up for another trial in their lives.
The dogs were purchased by well-meaning activists to save them from mass slaughter and consumption.
According to a report made by Chinese-language Reference News, the survival of the "Yulin dogs" in a Shanghai shelter is not guaranteed. One volunteer said that life is rough for the dogs, and quite a number have already died since their arrival.
For their part, the shelter speculates that the confined conditions the dogs endured during their 35-hour journey from Yulin to Shanghai may have allowed the easy spread of canine distemper, a leading cause of death for canines.
"A considerable number were killed by distemper . . . and some have managed to find homes," said one volunteer.
Another individual added that some dogs were already dead when they arrived in the shelter.
The shelter was flooded with donations in kind when the issue of the dog meat festival came to the attention of most Chinese people back in July. Many also turned up to volunteer, including veterinarians.
However, as the media frenzy surrounding the controversial festival has died down, the shelter is now manned by only three regular volunteers who struggle with limited resources, mostly from donations.
Of the 1,400 dogs rescued from the clutches of the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, only 400 dogs remain at the shelter.