To care so deeply is often to live with fear. Yet despite everything NoToDogMeat face, they continue to return because for them, looking away is never an option. In places filled with suffering and darkness, they always choose compassion, and that is where love prevails.
It was Chinese New Year 2018 when Mr Zhao, a brave Chinese activist and passionate dog lover, once again risked everything alongside the NoToDogMeat team to save innocent lives from a small but horrific slaughterhouse discovered in Hebei. Among the 30 dogs rescued was Sun Luin.
Inside, the scene was unimaginable. Many dogs had already had their fur removed, their carcasses scattered across the bloodied floor. Sun Luin herself had been left for dead, motionless amongst the devastation.
What many people outside of China do not realise is that behind every rescue are people risking far more than most could imagine. For Chinese activists speaking out against the dog meat trade, the danger is very real. Many face threats, intimidation, violence, and constant fear simply for trying to protect innocent animals from unimaginable cruelty.
Alongside them stand the NoToDogMeat team, who willingly place themselves in these same hostile and dangerous situations to rescue dogs and expose the suffering hidden behind closed doors. These rescues are not simply acts of compassion; they are acts of extraordinary courage. Every journey, every confrontation, and every life saved comes with emotional and physical risk.
Just as they were preparing to leave the slaughterhouse, Mr Zhao caught sight of Sun Luin’s beautiful eyes. In that moment, he knew she was still alive, and he gently scooped her up into his arms.
To the reader of this blog, rescue may feel like a fairytale moment. You may breathe a sigh of relief, comforted by the thought that someone came for them in the end. And whilst that is the outcome we all hope for, alongside the hope that one day this heinous trade will end entirely, rescue is often only the beginning.
Sun Luin had survived, but the road ahead of her was still uncertain. Left paralysed, she began a long and fragile rehabilitation journey. For three months, she remained under intensive veterinary care and hospitalisation before she showed even the smallest sign of movement. Then, by what only felt like a miracle, Sun Luin slowly began to walk again. Step by step, she fought her way back with a quiet resilience that touched everyone around her. She became deeply bonded to Mr Zhao after he saved her life. Sun Luin had suffered severe nerve damage caused by brutal beatings, leaving lasting injuries that would shape the rest of her life. Her body still carries the marks of what she had endured, enduring wounds of survival, a story written into her very frame. These I wish were never part of her story, but those I am grateful she survived to carry.
Mr Zhao wanted Sun Luin to find a loving home, and he began preparing her paperwork in anticipation of a better future. After everything she had endured, he hoped she would finally have the chance to experience safety, warmth, and a life defined by care rather than suffering.
I approached NoToDogMeat to offer foster placements. Whilst forever homes are the dream for every rescue dog, foster homes are just as important. For many rescue dogs, especially those who have suffered trauma, a foster home can be the difference between surviving and truly learning how to live again. It helps them build trust, gain confidence, and adjust to life outside of fear and suffering. Without foster homes, many rescues would not be possible. It was because of this that Sun Luin came into my life.
Sun Luin had originally been adopted; however, despite being made aware of everything she had endured, her adopter later decided not to continue with the placement, viewing her as “defective” because of her condition.
It takes someone truly special to rehome and rehabilitate a dog meat trade survivor. Trauma is not confined to humans alone; it exists in animals too, both physically and psychologically, shaping how they see and respond to the world around them.
When empathy extends beyond the boundaries of humanity and reaches into the suffering of animals, you begin to understand the depth of care these dogs require and the second chance they truly deserve. It moves beyond the idea of simply wanting to do good and becomes the responsibility of doing something good.
This is why I am a volunteer for NoToDogMeat and have attended several events and demonstrations to raise awareness of the charity and its work. I take great pride in contributing, in a practical way, to efforts that document, expose, and challenge the realities of the dog meat trade, and in supporting work that directly connects advocacy with rescue and rehabilitation.
I also have the great pleasure of meeting many of the rescues before their journey continues to their forever homes, as they travel from China via Paris on their way to new beginnings. I would keep them all if I could, but I take real comfort in knowing I have played a small part in their transition from suffering to safety. In the end, they are heading towards their forever homes, where they have the chance to be “forever furballs”, to families who will finally give them the life they have always deserved.
Sun Luin has been with me for almost four years now and has truly blossomed into a confident, happy, and sociable dog. Her journey began in unimaginable circumstances, lying on a cold, hard floor surrounded by death, after being left by those who inflicted callous violence upon her. From those early moments of suffering, she has transformed into a dog who now understands safety, stability, and affection. A chance is all she needed, and that’s something we all have the capacity to give.
Rescue, for me, means seeing a dog as I would a human being. It is a form of empathy so deep it feels almost physical, as though the suffering they endure is reflected through every part of you. It means not distancing yourself from their pain but acknowledging it fully and allowing it to matter. It means responding to that awareness with action, care, and responsibility, even when it is difficult to carry. I’m writing this to inspire, to encourage belief in change, real change, and how it can be achieved collectively. If Mr Zhao had not looked back that day, if he had not noticed what others might have walked past, Sun Luin’s story would have ended there. My story with Sun Luin would have never begun. I am a voice for the voiceless, and I will continue to speak with conviction, feel deeply, and love fiercely for as long as I can.
Marion x
Written by Julie with thanks. To share your story please contact campaign@notodogmeat.com
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Marion pictured with Sun Luin
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Hope for this golden boy that a lifetime of happiness awaits him.❤️