Massacre of Yulin: NoToDogMeat reports that festival is bigger and crueler than ever

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**WARNING UPSETTING CONTENT** The Yulin Dog Meat Festival is set to be bigger than ever, after footage was obtained by brave NoToDogMeat activists showing dogs being prepared for live slaughter. The Chinese authorities claim that live slaughter at the festival… Read More ›

Fabulous Felicity! Our queen of the Cannes Red Carpet using her star power to help dogs in need

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At NoToDogMeat the steady drip of news is often grim, and frequently distressing. But for our supporters and new potential supporters we know that we have to work creatively to spread the word, without bombarding people with the gruesome reality… Read More ›

Debbie and Delphi, the first survivors to travel to Europe since the pandemic, and the true story of what it takes from NoToDogMeat heroes to get them here

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Isabelle’s Volunteer Journey

What is like to be a volunteer at the NoToDogMeat Shelter in China?

Isabelle’s story

Inspiration comes in all forms: some whimsical and heart-wrenching, others formal and astute. Sometimes it whispers rather than shouts, revealing itself only in hindsight. Looking back, I realise it wasn’t one defining moment that inspired me, but a lifelong love of rescue that quietly led me to where I was always meant to be.

I grew up surrounded by a pack of dogs. I often joke that they were my “posh rescues”, little ragamuffins from across the UK who found their way into our home and taught me from a young age that rescue was about far more than giving an animal somewhere to live. It was about giving them a second chance.

That understanding stayed with me throughout my life. Today, I work as a dog groomer; the only way I found to continue working alongside the animals I love while managing my declining health. I have two Samoyed posh rescues of my own, and now our family includes JD and Judy, survivors of the dog meat trade whose stories are a reminder that rescue is not just about saving a life but about giving that life back.

But loving rescue from a distance and standing face-to-face with the realities behind it are two very different things.

Before my trip to China to volunteer at the NoToDogMeat base , I was asked a question I’m sure many of you have wondered yourselves:

“How do you prepare yourself to step into a country where the dog meat trade is still active, knowing the reality you may have to face?”

It is a question that carries a lot of weight. We offer our support from afar, send our gratitude to those working determinedly on the ground, and admire their courage. Yet for many of us, there is a natural fear of stepping beyond the safety of distance and into a reality we have only ever witnessed through a screen.

I had been preparing myself mentally, emotionally for a long time, and physically.

Emotionally?

“I had a really  good cry.”

Not because I doubted why I was going, but because I knew that once I stepped off that plane, the stories I’d spent years reading and the images I’d seen from afar would no longer belong to someone else’s experience. They would become part of mine.

To visit a country where the dog meat trade still exists, you must place enormous faith in those who have walked that path before you. I trusted Julia , the founder of NoToDogMeat, wholeheartedly. She was someone who had taken that same leap of faith decades before me; someone who met fear with courage, held onto compassion when it would have been easier to lose it, and maintained her spirit even in the darkest moments.

Because ultimately, standing witness is not just about seeing suffering. It is about understanding, supporting those working diligently on the ground, and recognising the progress being made towards change.

I had always wanted to visit the base, not only to support the work being done there, but to bring another perspective home with me. One that I could share with you. Perhaps one that doesn’t leave you feeling obligated to act, or questioning whether your love for animals is enough, but instead offers a genuine insight into a reality that many of us struggle to comprehend from afar.

I can’t speak a word of Chinese, but I do have a heart overflowing with love and kindness; a universal language we can all share.

I know that for many people, there are reasons they feel unable to help. Life is complicated, commitments are real, and not everyone can step onto a plane or stand where I stood. This isn’t about measuring compassion by distance travelled or actions taken. It is about recognising that, sometimes, all it takes is the willingness to look closer.

And looking closer doesn’t mean it is easy.

When faced with suffering on such a scale, something that feels impossible to change, it can be difficult to truly understand the weight carried by those working untiringly on the ground.

Until you see it firsthand.

What I quickly learned was that rescue is not always found in grand gestures. More often, it exists in the small, practical moments of care that happen every single day.

On my first visit, the team kindly put me in a hotel. I remember this vividly because we made great use of the breakfast buffet before our ride to the base.

Copious amounts of boiled eggs filled my bag, overflowing even. Not for us, for the dogs.

Scooby snacks.

Remember, whilst these dogs have been saved from a horrific fate, they are still dogs. Dogs who may not know what a cuddle means, though I will certainly try to show them the love behind it. Dogs who can learn that not every touch means pain, and that human hands can also bring comfort.

These are dogs still capable of trusting, learning, and discovering what love can feel like.

Scooby snacks may seem like a small gesture of kindness, but sometimes the smallest gestures are where a new beginning starts.

The conditions at the base may be basic, but love has never been measured by luxury. Reaching it is not always straightforward. The road is frequently flooded, snowed in, or blocked altogether, making it incredibly difficult to deliver essential supplies. The seasons bring their own challenges too, from intense summer heat to freezing winter temperatures.

With so few people caring for so many animals, every day brings its own challenges. At times, the workload can feel overwhelming, but you would never know it from the team. They don’t let the obstacles define them or deter them. They simply keep going because the animals depend on them, and that’s all the motivation they need.

The hospitality and culture of looking after one another shone through from the moment I arrived. It reminded me that no country or culture should ever be defined solely by its hardships or the cruelties that exist within it.

I was humbled by acts of kindness that, to me, felt above and beyond, yet to those around me were simply a normal part of everyday life. Julia, Mr Zhao and the small team did all the could to  make sure I was taken care of and given lots of their time, explaining gently how things worked, helping me to understand the challenges, putting aside their own feelings of grief after Yulin to comfort me when inevitably I did break down. I saw first-hand how they continuously put the needs of volunteers, supporters and above all the dogs and cats above their own needs, especially when it came to getting a pup ready for adoption.

 

Julia de Cadenet and the China Team

Emotionally, it is unlike anything I have ever experienced.

It feels as though everyone is drowning, the dog meat trade exists beyond their walls, yet somehow, they are still holding each other afloat. The NoToDogMeat team carries an unimaginable weight, but they do it together. And the dogs? They are learning to live a new normal. A life they never should have had to fight for, yet one they embrace with remarkable resilience.

I wondered what kept them going. Daily life with little resources continues because they have no choice. They hold the lives of the dogs and cats rescued in their hands. If only they had more support I can see how they could do so much more.

But why do they forge on against the odds? Perhaps it is taking the small wins, seeing the faces of the ones who made it out, the joy of finding homes for the oldies. It’s hard to say. You would need to ask Julia or Mr Zhao or Anna.

What struck me is how they know the names and back stories of the hundreds of animals. Every soul is important to them. It’s unlike any other charity I have encountered. The dogs are not ‘ just rescues’ they are part of the NoToDogMeat family. Even when the dogs bicker or destroy the workers rooms leaving only broken stools or bareboads to perch on after a hard day, Mr Zhao the judge and all the team just smile. Their patience and understanding is unwavering.

I left the first visit knowing I would return and I would not come back empty handed. I was determined not just to be a flight volunteer and bring back dogs for their new owners but to adopt for the second time a pup in need. I had previously adopted Jd ( a little black Chinese rural dog with one eye) and I was determined to give her kennel mate the elderly Judy a home.

When I returned to the base for my second visit, something felt different. The first time, I arrived carrying questions and uncertainty. This time, I returned with memories, familiar faces, and a deeper understanding of the work being done. I also understood the limitations due to lack of financial help and found I could make do happy to be back in my outdoor groom room which was basically an old rickety table and a hose.

I must have groomed over 40 dogs in the few days I was there. For some of them it was their first real contact and hug after being rescued. The temperatures were brutal but I told myself if the dogs can take it so can I.

Matted coats and tangled fur came away in handfuls. Hair was flying everywhere, but beneath it all were dogs finally getting the chance to feel comfortable in their own skin again. I couldn’t have been happier in that moment.

Volunteering is extremely hard. The harsh weather, the basic conditions, the making do but it is something that helps you grow as a person to leave your own needs behind and be at one with nature and the animals.

It was great to be able to bring over a big bag of supplies and treats that supporters had donated and some funds I had raised from my grooming in UK. You need to be able to pay your own airfare and expenses and if you can bring things over and then escort dogs and cats back home even better.

Bringing dogs back

Being on the ground whilst final preparations were made to get dogs and cats ready for their new homes I saw first hand the incredible resilience of the team. Multiple long trips to Beijing were required with hours waiting for paperwork. It wasn’t just bureaucracy and cost it was also securing a spot on the aircraft and taking extra time to make the flying pups clean and feel special. These may seem like simple tasks but with the weather conditions, the multiple controls not just for pets but for humans travelling back and forth it was a feat. The first time I came back Julia and the team personally accompanied me to the airport driving in torrential rain, only back at the base early hours of the morning to repeat that trip the next day.

On my second trip I wanted to be independent so I agreed to travel back with Judy – two other pups and a kitty from Shanghai. Little did I know that  the road trip alone to the airport would take over 13 hours. This gave me a real sense of just what is involved. Bringing a dog to the UK took nearly 3 days with the ride to Shanghai, the flight and then onward road trip to London.  It was so moving how the team would not let the dogs be alone for a single minute even including a wellness check from Eloiza in Paris.

Like I said, volunteering is hard work but oh so worth it. I felt good that I could give back and the gratitude in Judy’s eyes as she too finally found a comfortable bed made it all worth it.

To find out how you can help please contact us ( below)

And to purchase from our amazon wish list here is the link

 

JD and Judy reunited

Isabelle and Eloiza at the airport

 

To get in touch or share your story with our Staff Write Julie

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Yulin is a city that guards its secrets well.

 

 

 

It feels like a fortress, where surveillance is constant, and suspicion lingers in the air. CCTV is everywhere, unfamiliar faces are quickly noticed, and every journey through the city carries a quiet tension. It is an environment designed to make outsiders feel they do not belong, especially those who have come to challenge what happens in the city

Many people believed that the COVID-19 pandemic would mark a turning point for China’s dog meat trade. As global attention focused on the risks associated with wildlife markets, China’s Ministry of Agriculture took the significant step of recognising dogs as companion animals rather than including them in its official catalogue of livestock. To many, it appeared to signal the beginning of the end.

The move followed years of growing opposition and mounting international pressure. Graphic images and investigations from events such as the Yulin Dog Meat ‘Festival’ had exposed the reality of the trade to millions around the world. Public outrage intensified as footage showed terrified dogs crammed into cages, transported across provinces and slaughtered in full view of onlookers.

Yet the optimism proved premature, with the reality very different.

The trade has not disappeared. It continues, hidden in plain sight. Under the watchful eyes of the city, dog meat traders and restaurants continue to operate openly, serving an industry that has drawn international condemnation for decades. What many would expect to be hidden is instead woven into everyday life, a stark reminder of just how deeply embedded the trade remains.

Despite mounting evidence gathered through investigations and rescue operations, the existence and scale of commercial dog meat farms remain disputed by some officials.  Yet through years of frontline rescue missions, including those carried out this year, NoToDogMeat has documented a network of breeding facilities, holding sites, transport routes and slaughterhouses, many of which operate with little transparency.

Dog meat farms continue to operate throughout the Yulin region, but locating them is far from straightforward. The work is fast-paced, unpredictable and carries significant risk. Rescue teams often have only a narrow window of opportunity before security is heightened and access becomes far more difficult.

Finding a farm once does not mean you will find it again. Increased security should never be mistaken for closure. Routes change, access points are blocked, surveillance intensifies, and those involved become increasingly cautious. The farm may still be operating exactly as before, but it has simply become harder to reach and even harder to document.

Just a few miles outside Yulin City, beyond the gaze of most of the world, a dog meat farm continues to operate.

Reaching it was a battle. Torrential rain had turned the ground into thick mud, forcing us to scramble through dense bushes and slippery undergrowth, every step becoming more treacherous than the last. It felt as though the landscape itself was trying to keep the horrors hidden.

Then, the farm came into view.

Nothing prepares you for what waits on the other side.

The first thing that overwhelms you is the smell. It clings to your clothes and fills your lungs, a suffocating mixture of waste, decay, damp concrete, and fear. Then comes the noise. Dogs crying, barking, whimpering, and falling silent as exhaustion takes over. Wire cages stretch before you, many rusted and overcrowded. Thick, heavy chains around the necks of the dogs. Eyes follow your every movement. Some plead. Some have already given up. Mothers lie protectively over the puppies they have left, while others carry unborn litters that will never know anything beyond this place. It is not only a place where lives end. It is a place where hope has been systematically stripped away long before death arrives.

Every instinct tells you to turn away, to shield yourself from the suffering unfolding before your eyes. Yet their stories deserve to be witnessed.

You fight to contain the anger rising within you, yet you know that anger alone will not save the souls before you.

You tell yourself not to meet their eyes, but you cannot look away. Every one of them deserves to be seen. Every life deserves compassion, dignity, and love, even if all you can offer in that moment is a glance that says, “I see you. You matter.”

You are here now. You cannot undo what they have endured, but you can bear witness. You can tell their stories. You can fight for those who have no voice.

Two desperate mothers.

One lies beside the few puppies she has left. Five of her litter have already been slaughtered. She stays close to those who remain, powerless to protect them, her fear evident in every movement.

Nearby, another mother is heavily pregnant. She has been condemned to an endless cycle of breeding, surviving on little more than rotting rice, existing only to produce litter after litter. Here, motherhood is not cherished. It is exploited. These mothers are not commodities. They are not breeding machines. They are not disposable.

They are sentient beings who know fear, who know love, who know the instinct to protect their babies.

And they deserve the chance to know something else too:

Freedom.

Her puppies have not yet taken their first breath, yet their fate has already been decided. They will be born into a world that has no place for them, destined either to be slaughtered or discarded among the other dogs if they are too weak to survive.

The male dogs are rounded up and sent for slaughter at dawn, not only at the markets, but also all year round across the region.

The farm owner knows exactly who we are and why we have come. Rescue organisations are not welcome here. Negotiations are tense, unpredictable and heavily weighted against the dogs. To the owner, they are commodities with a monetary value. To us, they are lives worth fighting for.  Removing a live dog from Yulin is exceptionally difficult and prohibited. For rescue organisations, bringing a surviving dog, particularly one indigenous to the Yulin region, to safety is about far more than saving a life. Each dog becomes living evidence that these facilities continue to operate, challenging claims that the commercial dog meat trade has disappeared.

The farmer refuses Julia access to the property, leaving the team with few options. Mr Zhao returned alone, appealing to the farmer’s compassion and pleading for mercy for the dogs. He asked for nothing more than the chance to save a few lives.

The answer was no.

With direct negotiations at a standstill, the team had to change its approach. Every conversation, every phone call and every decision had to be carefully considered. Using different points of contact and people posing as prospective buyers, they slowly reopened a line of communication. Against the odds, NoToDogMeat secured the release of several male dogs and, most importantly, the two mothers. One who lay beside her surviving puppies. The other, who was heavily pregnant, was carrying lives that had not yet begun.

Returning to the farm was no longer an option. Instead, the handover was arranged at another location, nearly two hours away, hidden down a narrow back alley in an area known for the buying and selling of dogs.

It was a place where the trade unfolded in plain sight. Trucks arrived and departed throughout the day, packed with dogs destined for different buyers. Dogs were loaded, unloaded and traded as though they were no different from sacks of grain or crates of produce. For those involved, it was business. For the dogs, every transaction brought them one step closer to slaughter.

This was the place where hope and horror collided.

Within hours of her rescue, in the early hours of 21 June, the heavily pregnant mother went into labour and gave birth.

The timing could not have been more significant.

Had she given birth while still in the hands of the dog meat trader, it is highly unlikely she would ever have been released. Instead, she welcomed her puppies into safety rather than captivity. For the first time, both mother and pups were given something that had seemed impossible just hours earlier: a future.

The road to recovery is long. Rescue is merely the beginning.

For the dogs, healing from unimaginable trauma would take months, perhaps years. But even after the rescues were complete, the danger facing the team was far from over.

Some time later, while documenting dog meat restaurants in downtown Yulin, the team realised they were being followed. The restaurants were noticeably busier than they had been the previous year, a sobering reminder that the trade was far from over. Hours later, they returned to their vehicle to discover that two of the tyres had been deliberately slashed.

The intimidation did not end there.

For their own safety, the team was forced to split up. When Julia returned to her accommodation, she was told she had to leave immediately. The intention was to detain her for questioning. With little time to think, Julia gathered her belongings and made a swift exit.

For the next few days, there was no hotel room, no opportunity to rest and no sense of security. Instead, the team slept in their vehicle as they began the long and perilous journey back to base, carrying not only the weight of what they had witnessed but the constant awareness that the danger had not yet passed. It was a stark reminder that exposing the trade carries risks far beyond the rescue itself. For organisations like NoToDogMeat, the danger does not end when the dogs are brought to safety. In many ways, it follows them long after they leave the farm behind.

The journey back to base is long and exhausting, but every mile places more distance between the dogs and the lives they have left behind. With the new rescues safely in tow, the team stops at a secure location to let them stretch their legs, drink fresh water, eat a proper meal and, perhaps for the first time in a very long while, experience a moment without fear.

These mamas now have a chance, but recovery does not happen overnight. It will take time, patience and unwavering compassion for them to discover what it truly means to live as a dog should. To wake each morning knowing their babies are safe. To nurture them without fear. To rest without wondering if each day will be their last.

The road ahead will be filled with veterinary care, health checks, nutritious food and rehabilitation. Just as importantly, it will be filled with kindness, gentle hands and the opportunity to learn that not every human brings harm. Day by day, they will begin to replace fear with trust, survival with living, and uncertainty with hope.

For the first time, their future is no longer defined by the dog meat trade, but by the chance to simply be a mother and raise their puppies in safety.

Let me end this blog by saying this. Frontline rescue is often very different from how many people imagine it. Behind every photograph of a dog carried to safety are days of surveillance, dangerous negotiations, long journeys, sleepless nights and significant personal risk. It is work that rarely makes headlines but demands an extraordinary commitment from the small rescue organisations carrying it out.

NoToDogMeat believes meaningful collaboration is essential if more lives are to be saved. Rescue is not a competition. Every opportunity, every contact and every available resource has the potential to save another dog. When organisations work in isolation or are reluctant to share information and resources, those opportunities can be lost. In the end, it is the dogs that pay the price.

For the teams working on the ground in Yulin, success is not measured by publicity or social media reach. It is measured by the number of dogs that leave alive.

 

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For the ones without names

With an estimated 10 million dogs killed for the meat trade in China every year, it’s impossible not to feel overwhelmed with deep sadness by the scale of suffering.  No rescue, no matter how dedicated, could ever save them all.

The images and videos I’ve seen will stay with me forever. Do I consider myself fortunate that I have never witnessed the full extent of the suffering in person? I’m not sure.

Nothing could compare to standing in front of them, looking into their eyes, and knowing that, for so many, no help will come. Their lives will not be spared.

Admiration doesn’t come close to describing what I feel for the team at NoToDogMeat. Day after day, they stand on the front lines, bearing witness to unimaginable suffering while continuing to fight for every life they can save. It takes extraordinary courage to keep returning, knowing you cannot save them all, yet refusing to stop trying.

The team behind the scenes, writing and sharing the stories, crafting the pleas in social media posts, trying to convey the suffering with compassion and honesty. They ask for help when it sometimes feels like a perilous journey towards failure, knowing that even their greatest efforts will never be enough to save them all.

The success stories bring moments of joy, but they also carry the weight of everything that could not be changed. They feel what you feel: the exhaustion, the deep despair, and those moments when it feels as though love itself has been lost.

I’m already fighting back tears as I write the opening paragraph of this blog. I look at my own dogs and cannot begin to imagine them enduring such unimaginable suffering. It is impossible to comprehend how anyone could inflict such cruelty or become so devoid of compassion.

Yet, despite the heartbreak, I feel compelled to write.

These dogs die without ever having a name. No one celebrates their birthdays; yes, some of us proudly spoil our dogs every year, celebrating each milestone. No one ever discovers their favourite toy or watches them sprint after a tennis ball with uncontainable joy. No one laughs at their silly habits or tells them they’re a good girl or a good boy.

Instead, they are reduced to a number. Another life that passes through the trade without ever knowing what it feels like to belong to someone who loves them.

Every single one of them deserved so much more.

I remember seeing a post once where someone asked why they shared photos of the dogs who had already been lost to the trade. Their message was simple:

“They lived. They suffered. They mattered. They deserve to be remembered.”

They were right.

Some of those dogs have stayed with me ever since, their faces etched into my memory. I remember their eyes, their fear, and the lives they never had the chance to live. Remembering them is the least we can do. Forgetting them would mean they suffered in silence.

I think of the dogs who were once family pets, surrendered or sold into the dog meat trade, and how unimaginable that betrayal must be. Discarded like rubbish, as though the love they once knew was nothing more than a word without meaning.

Then I think of the strays who were captured. Dogs who had already known hunger, fear, and hardship, only to be met with an even crueller fate. Different journeys, the same tragic ending.

I think of the dogs stolen from their families. The dogs are treated as commodities in commercial breeding and breeding for shows, discarded when they are no longer considered profitable. The unsold puppies and unwanted litters. The retired breeding dogs. Those born into the meat trade, never knowing a life beyond the cage. My heart shatters.  I wish I had the power to stop this, and I know you do too.

If they had a voice.

Confined to a cage, crammed in so tight,

The pain, the thirst, no energy to fight.

That frightening feeling, that overwhelming fear.

I thought my owner loved me, and now I’ve ended up here.

A stray, a lost soul, taken from the street,

Kicked, shoved, torn down and beat.

I can’t move; I’m here with so many more.

I feel so panicked; I’ve never been this scared before.

I’ve heard the stories; few survive.

I know of the torture, endless till we are no longer alive.

You looked away and made this choice.

I deserved love, and you were supposed to be my voice…

A dog does not understand the politics, the arguments surrounding culture, the economics, or the wider trade. They only understand fear, pain, love, and betrayal.

These are the realities of the trade that NoToDogMeat fights against every day: the suffering of the dogs and cats caught within it, the lives behind the statistics, and the voices that cannot speak for themselves

We cannot forget the ones without names.

So be brave enough to look at their pictures. Remember them. Honour them.

Do not be angry at the rescuers who could not save them all. They are carrying the weight of knowing that every life matters, while facing the impossible reality that there will always be more who need help.

Instead, let that anger become something meaningful. Turn it into action. Foster. Donate. Attend peaceful protests. Share their stories. Stand beside those fighting for them.

Think of what those with no names have inspired. They’ve inspired you. To be part of change, to make a difference. Their legacy has to live on.

Because the ones we could not save still deserve to be remembered, and the ones still waiting deserve us to keep fighting.

 

 

Julie Gledhill

Staff Writer

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A Rescue Story That Went Both Ways

For years, I had supported NoToDogMeat, watching in admiration as Julia, Mr Zhao and their small team risked everything to save dogs and cats from one of the cruellest trades imaginable. Julia has sacrificed more than most people could ever comprehend to build this remarkable charity, even selling her family home to keep its mission alive. Alongside Mr Zhao and the rescue team, she regularly puts her own safety at risk, confronting the criminals who steal beloved pets, breed animals for profit, imprison them in horrific conditions and condemn them to unimaginable cruelty, all for financial gain. Their courage has given thousands of innocent animals a second chance at life.

In 2016, we inherited my mum’s beautiful rescue Labrador, Millie, after my mum became seriously ill and sadly passed away. Millie quickly became far more than a family pet. Like so many dogs do, she had an extraordinary way of bringing comfort simply by being there. Her unwavering companionship, gentle nature and unconditional love were a quiet reminder of the remarkable ability dogs have to heal hearts without ever saying a word. We were blessed to share eight wonderful years with her, and every day was a gift.

When Millie passed away at the age of fifteen, the house felt impossibly quiet. We waited a year before considering another dog. We wanted to honour everything she had given us by offering another dog the same chance that Millie herself had once been given.

When we began to consider adopting again, NoToDogMeat was the first place we looked. We had followed their work for years and understood the reality behind the dogs in their care. We also knew that if we were going to bring another dog into our home, it would be one whose story began with survival.

We were especially drawn to adopting a larger dog rescued from the dog meat trade in China, where the fate of stolen or bred dogs and cats is often beyond anything most people could imagine. For these animals, life is rarely kind from the start, and for larger breeds, the situation is even more difficult, with restrictions or bans in some major cities such as Beijing making rehoming within China incredibly challenging and often unsafe.

Labradors have always held a deep place in my heart. I have been surrounded by them since I was three years old, and they have been a constant thread through different chapters of my life. There is something about their gentleness, their loyalty, and their quiet way of staying close that has never left me.

I filled in the adoption form and submitted my interest, and I was genuinely overjoyed to pass the necessary checks and be accepted by NoToDogMeat. Not long after, I received photos and videos of their small “pack” of rescued Labradors.

Seeing them for the first time was overwhelming. Each one carried their own story in their eyes, and it was impossible not to feel drawn to all of them. If circumstances had allowed, I would have brought every single one home.

But that wasn’t possible. We could only choose one.

Among them was a pale Labrador who quietly stood out. There was something about her that stayed with us long after the videos ended. We named her Daisy because her coat was so light she looked almost white, soft and delicate against everything she had already endured.

She had been rescued by Julia and the team from a large truck packed with dogs, intercepted on its way to a slaughterhouse. A moment away from a brutal end, her story was instead given a different path entirely.

We are a family of four, and in September our youngest son left for university, marking the beginning of our time as “empty nesters” during term time. With my business based at home, our children had become increasingly concerned that I would be spending too much time alone, and they gently encouraged us to consider bringing another dog into our lives.

We never wanted to buy a puppy. With so many abused, abandoned and unwanted dogs already in the world, and overbreeding still so widespread, it never felt like the right path for us. Rescue felt like the only choice that made sense.

We finally met gorgeous Daisy at the end of November 2025, and it truly felt like a match made in heaven.

Like many rescue dogs, Daisy arrived carrying both visible and invisible scars. She was suffering from severe yeast dermatitis and recurring ear infections, conditions often worsened by prolonged stress and trauma. Almost immediately, we began skin washes, ear drops, and a carefully managed low-allergen diet.

Fortunately, she responded quickly to treatment. Within a few weeks, her skin began to heal, and her fur slowly started to grow back.

Today, Daisy has the most beautiful, thick, soft, pale coat. We often think she may have some Golden Retriever in her as well, given the texture and colour of her fur. With her large, expressive brown eyes, she has a gentle presence that often reminds us of a baby harp seal, soft and almost impossibly endearing.

Daisy was understandably nervous at first around unfamiliar men and other animals of a similar size or larger. But over time, her confidence began to grow. With the patience of kind local dog owners who allowed her to approach them and their dogs at her own pace, on her own terms, she slowly learned that the world could be safe. Today, she is sociable and affectionate, happily greeting new people and even growing comfortable around the large-horned cattle that wander our local ranges, although she is still building confidence around horses.

Many people in our community now know Daisy’s story, as well as the work of NoToDogMeat, and she has become something of a gentle ambassador for rescue dogs everywhere. Her naturally friendly, inquisitive and playful nature has a way of charming everyone she meets.

It also became clear very quickly that Daisy had once been a much-loved companion. The day after she arrived, still confused and unsettled, she spotted a tennis ball and something in her completely changed. Her whole body lit up with joy, and it was obvious she understood the game instinctively. She is an expert ball catcher, and it feels as though that part of her never left.

She also has the most endearing quirks. When we speak to her while cuddling her, she often responds with soft squeaks and sounds, as though she is joining the conversation. She carefully selects toys from her toy box depending on her mood, and sometimes even puts them back away herself, as if tidying up after play.

Daisy has recently been diagnosed with elbow dysplasia and is currently receiving treatment, including steroid injections, alongside a programme of very short lead-only walks and weekly physiotherapy and hydrotherapy treadmill sessions to rebuild her strength gradually. Our aim is to help her return to a level of activity she can enjoy comfortably, without causing pain or lameness.

We suspect her previous life may have included excessive ball chasing from too young an age, which can sometimes contribute to joint issues such as elbow dysplasia. Fortunately, she still enjoys gentler games, especially searching for hidden toys and treats, which she approaches with just as much enthusiasm and intelligence.

We are so lucky and privileged to have Daisy, and although we rescued her, she has also rescued me in ways I could never have anticipated.

The past few years have been incredibly difficult. I have lost all the members of my childhood family, including both of my brothers in traumatic circumstances, my twin brother just two years ago. There are no real words for that kind of loss. It changes everything.

Grief takes almost everything from us. It can feel as though time has stopped completely, while the rest of the world continues to move forward without you. It is something I found far harder to navigate than I ever imagined, and something that no amount of counselling could fully reach.

Then Daisy arrived.

Quietly, without knowing anything about the weight I was carrying, she brought something back into my life that I thought had gone for good. A reason to get up, to move forward, and to feel present again in small, ordinary moments.

In many ways, she did more for me than years of counselling ever could.

Her gentle, sociable nature, joy of life, love of everyone she meets and her ability to ‘live in the moment’ are something we can all learn from. If only all humans could be like that too.

 

 

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Yulin – Let’s talk about it ..

 

I was watching NoToDogMeat live from Yulin when something struck a chord. It brought back something I have been trying to put into words about empathy and the way we sometimes emotionally detach as a form of self-preservation.

It made me reflect on something I’ve been seeing across their social media platforms: why comments that come from a place of compassion can so easily be misdirected as anger, such as “Why didn’t you save them all?” Why does the focus so often fall on the number of lives not saved, rather than the reality of what it took to save any at all?

What I have come to realise is that these reactions do not come from a lack of empathy, but from an incomplete picture of it.

Empathy is a curious thing. It is not always shaped by the severity of suffering, but by how far removed we are from it. When we are watching something like Yulin unfold through a screen, we are only ever seeing fragments of a much larger and more complex reality. That distance can make it easier to consume what we see as a complete picture, when it is only a small part of what is happening on the ground.

In that gap, misunderstandings form. It becomes easier to assume what could have been done, or what should have been possible, without fully seeing the conditions, scale, or limitations that those on the ground are working. Even empathy, when shaped only by fragments, can turn into judgement.

Distance removes identity because the further we are from something, the easier it becomes to lose sight of the individual lives within it. What remains is the idea of what is happening, rather than the reality of who it is happening to.

And from that distance, it becomes easy to focus on quantity alone. On how many were saved, or how many were not. Of course, saving as many dogs as possible will always be the priority. But what is often missed is what that involves.

The travel. The sleepless nights. The emotional weight of witnessing what cannot be unseen and continuing anyway.

Most people support charities because, for them, that is the most realistic way to help. Sometimes, more than a donation feels out of reach, even when the desire to do more is there. And for others, it is not just practicality, but emotional capacity. The thought of seeing a dog chained or crammed into cages so tightly that they cannot move is something they might not feel able to carry.

That does not come from indifference. It comes from limits.

It is important to recognise that there are people out there going beyond their own limits in the name of something many of us believe in. It can help to hold onto the bigger picture before reacting in the moment. Sometimes, in spaces like this, frustration can be directed in ways that miss the reality of what is happening on the ground, often towards the very people who are still trying, still showing up, and standing on the frontline, defending a cause they care so deeply about, even when the weight of it is not always seen or understood from the outside. If you have watched Julia live from Yulin, you will have seen how much a simple positive comment acknowledging her presence and the work she and her team are doing meant in that moment, rather than reducing it to numbers or statistics.

And this is where it all comes back to distance.

Because when we are not there, we are not experiencing the full reality, only fragments of it. And fragments can never carry the full weight of what is unfolding on the ground. In those fragments, it becomes easier to misunderstand, easier to reduce, and easier to judge without meaning to.

But understanding that gap changes everything.

Because empathy is not only about what we feel. It is also about what we are willing to recognise as incomplete and still choose to hold with care.

And perhaps that is what matters most. Not how close we are to the suffering, but whether we allow ourselves to stay aware of what we are not fully seeing and still choose compassion despite that distance.

Julie Gledhill

Staff Writer

1 reply

  1. Angela Fry
    4 Jul 2026 • 11:16 am

    I have nothing but praise and admiration for you brave souls.I could not do what you do,I’d have to arm myself to kill the evil brutes perpetuating this cruelty.So instead I give a monthly donation with a little extra when asked, to help you in your Godly mission.
    I love you all and appreciate so much what you are doing.May God Bless You!❤️

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Distance makes the heart grow fonder

Distance makes the heart grow fonder

We’re both in our seventies, and Samoyeds have been a constant in our lives for as long as we can remember. The “fluff trail” is very real, but it’s always been part of the deal. Apart from our very first dog, who came from a breeder, every Samoyed since has been a rescue.

Over the years, we’ve adopted two from Many Tears and another two through the Samoyed Rescue Association. Rupert and Daisy, who came to us through the rescue association, had both experienced significant upheaval before finding their way to us. Rupert had already been through three homes, while Daisy had been through five and had been passed around on the internet before the rescue stepped in.

It’s always difficult to think about what some dogs have been through before they reach safety. Seeing them slowly settle, gain confidence, and realise they no longer must keep moving from place to place is one of the things that makes rescue so special to us.

Our first NoToDogMeat girl was Christy, whom we renamed Qiwi.

 

In late 2023, Qiwi travelled from China alongside another Samoyed, Maeve, who was heading to her own adoptive home with fellow NoToDogMeat supporter, Christine.

Qiwi had also been due to be adopted, but sadly, her adopters withdrew while she was already in transit. With nowhere else to go, Christine kindly offered to take Qiwi in.

Christine already had three small dogs and was concerned they weren’t settling well with their much larger new housemate, meaning she often had to keep them separated. Qiwi was finally safe and far from the horrors she had left behind in China, but not every rescue story ends the moment a dog reaches safety, as we know.

For Qiwi, the next chapter of her journey was only just beginning.

NoToDogMeat reached out to the Samoyed Rescue Association to see if they could help find Qiwi the perfect home, one that would appreciate every inch of her fluffy personality.

The rescue association got in touch with us, and we decided to go down for a meet-and-greet. First impressions count on both sides, after all. We were eager to meet Qiwi, and no doubt she was sizing us up, too.

Before Qiwi could find her happily ever after, there was one very important family member she still needed to meet.

Daisy, our other Samoyed.

Daisy can be reactive around other dogs, so naturally, we were a little apprehensive. We also didn’t know what to expect from a dog who had spent years in a shelter.  But from the moment they met, they were simply great together. It was as if they had already decided what we were still figuring out.

There was only one thing left to do.

Homeward bound.

 

 

“We can honestly say, she amazed us from day one!”

Qiwi is the sweetest, calmest and most loving dog we have ever come across. From the moment she came into our lives, she stole our hearts. We honestly couldn’t believe just how amazing she truly is.  There was no house training required and very little for us to do at all. Aside from settling into her new routine and a couple of minor things that were easily managed, Qiwi simply fitted into our lives as though she had always been there.

We live in a very rural area, surrounded by fields and open countryside. Within a week, Qiwi was confidently walking off lead along the footpaths and enjoying the feeling of sand between her toes at the beach.

When you consider everything she had been through, her confidence amazed us. Rather than being fearful of the world around her, she embraced every new experience with curiosity, trust and a real zest for life.

“One of our walking friends describes her as ‘A gift from Heaven”.

During Qiwi’s first year with us, we saw NoToDogMeat posts about Halle, a small Golden Retriever who had been Qiwi’s best friend at the shelter. Like Qiwi before her, Halle was still searching for a place to call home.

Their friendship, combined with Halle’s need for a family of her own, really pulled at our heartstrings. But if we’re being completely honest, we weren’t entirely sure that adding a fourth dog to the household was something we could handle. I quote cautiously as I write this, but “we’re old codgers”.

In September 2024, we lost our boy Rupert. This was devastating; we all wished for forever with them. Forever in our hearts, our boy.

Although we hadn’t long lost Rupert, we came across Halle’s adoption plea again. We didn’t need much convincing; a friendship had been left behind when Qiwi came to the UK, and we wanted nothing more than to see the two reunited. Shortly before Christmas, Halle, now known as Pippin, came home.

 

Pippin was very shut down. The poor pup didn’t even want to get out of the car when we arrived home.

Until, drum roll please, she spotted Qiwi.

For anyone who believes dogs don’t form deep emotional bonds, think again. The moment they saw each other, it was clear that their friendship had never been forgotten. Despite the distance, despite the time apart, they recognised one another instantly.

Dogs feel. They love. And sometimes, the connections they make are strong enough to survive even an ocean between them.

Pippin took some time to settle in, though with the help of Qiwi, she soon became a real snuggle buddy. Belly rubs are an essential in Pippin’s world.

 

 

Pippin’s tail never stops wagging, and she loves everybody she meets. She does have a slight weakness for treats and is always first in line when snacks are involved, but then again, what dog isn’t?

She has such a sweet personality. Full of mischief and charm in equal measure, Pippin quickly made herself at home. One thing, however, is never to leave your shoes lying around, unless you’re happy for them to come back a little worse for wear.

Our older girl, Daisy, has also taken a shine to Pippin and lets her lie beside her, which she doesn’t usually allow with other dogs.

All in all, it’s been a lovely experience to give them a home. Watching them running around the garden or enjoying the beach together really does make your heart sing.

Thank you, NoToDogMeat, truly, for everything.

 

 

Two best friends in China now reunited

 

We currently have 8 samoyeds in our China base amongst our 700 dogs and cats seeking loving homes. Please consider adopting or sponsoring one of them.

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Yulin 2026 – Who would you save?

Caged Dogs

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

It’s hard to know where to start when describing what it is like to witness first-hand the horrors of the ongoing dog meat trade in China. It’s hard to drown out the fake news of supposed historic victories in closing down the slaughterhouses forever, or to shelve as spam the many fundraising organisations that claim to be gurus on the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, but have never even been to Guangxi. Then there is social media: viewers who watch our real lives like a film, or an interactive computer game, shouting out our next move and growing disappointed that we couldn’t save more. In a few weeks, they will turn their attention to something else.
Perhaps that’s why animal lovers subscribe to big orgs: even if they don’t actually act, they somehow feel shielded from the consequences of knowing the slaughter continues. Perhaps our accounts and grainy photos feel too real in an age of AI and filters. I can only describe my truth, which, surprisingly, is the actual truth. It’s all I have: bearing witness and holding space to lives lost in fear and pain.
It’s not my first time in Yulin. I have been coming for many years, pretty much since the ‘ Festival’ started in 2010. I have seen the huge media descent on the place as well as the empty, eerie streets after stalls close, which smell of death and despair. I have been physically attacked, chased and followed, gasping for breath due to the intense humidity and afraid. There is not one person who can go to Yulin and its surrounding villages with the ‘ Mom and Pop’ slaughterhouses and not feel fear. And, if they say they haven’t, they are either a psychopath or have only glimpsed a sanitised version of events. And, to respond here to vegans who, on reading this, will likely say what about the other animals. I can attest that the severed heads of cows with painful expressions on their faces lie side by side on the dog stalls, with flies and other insects buzzing around.

 

 

 

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

In short, Guangxi, the province that houses Yulin, is a place of lawless terror. Perhaps many of you don’t know where Guangxi is or much about it other than the dog meat festival, so here are a few facts. Guangxi is a province spanning 237,600 square kilometres, with 125 cities, and is home to about 50 million people, many of whom are of the Huang ethnicity. It is one of China’s autonomous regions, such as Tibet or Inner Mongolia. Geographically, it is close to Vietnam. As such, it is far from the eyes of Beijing and allowed, even though still an important part of China, to ‘do its own thing’. That said, over the last few years, with the new Chairman Wei Tao, an ethnic Huang himself, in place, big steps have been taken to grow the economy and promote the area’s cultural richness. Several X accounts have sprung up to promote tourism, the food and the amazing way of life. Tourists landing in Nanning are recorded expressing their joy to visiting the region. I wish I could have felt the same.
If anyone does fly into Nanning, they have to spend 30 minutes of their descent in darkness as all window blinds are shuttered. You arrive and leave this dystopian nightmare shrouded from even the mountains above. And the secrecy and blackouts don’t end at the airport. Foreigners are actually viewed with deep suspicion, and that includes people from the North of China, and all this before you even get into Yulin.

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

After the media frenzy and large American groups descending on Yulin in 2015 and 2016, never to be seen again, the City started its own lockdown, and this involves carefully monitoring all visitors, where they are going and what they are doing. If a camera is pulled out at the wrong moment, footage is quickly deleted, and when walking, even with your head down towards the markets and restaurants, you are quickly surrounded by men who start to film you. From my own experience, I can tell you that even on your own, they can become physically aggressive and then will offer to call the police to take you in to ‘help you’. Your car is followed, and they, too, scan social media. They are the abusers, the vigilantes and city guardians ready to pounce at any moment, people who will do anything to protect the trade. So you may ask yourself, what chance do the poor dogs have?

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

Emotions aside, a few more facts. Since the pandemic, you rarely see live slaughter in the main Yulin dog meat markets or the restaurants that serve crispy dog and rice for as little as £2.50 in some places. The only thing you see are the lacquered carcasses of the dogs, mouths open and their last expression before slaughter. All the butchering is done on the many dog farms high in the neighbouring mountains or in the slaughterhouses in the villages around the city. There are actually slaughterhouses everywhere in Guangxi. In some large facilities, dogs can even be processed alongside other animals, and, as in Hebei, their meat can be mixed with beef to reduce costs. Pretty much every town has its share of dog meat restaurants open 365 days of the year.
Even in the provincial capital Nanning, with its large Ikea and high-rise office buildings, you can easily find downtown a good 9 dog meat restaurants in a square mile. All selling unregulated dog meat dishes for the scan of a QR code. In April 2020, when the Beijing Ministry of Agriculture published its list of livestock animals, it did not include dogs.
At the time, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture said, “As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilisation and the public love and concern for animal protection, dogs have been ‘specialised’ to become companion animals and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China”.
Some large cities, such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, closed their restaurants, but not Guangxi.

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

 

The Yulin dog meat festival seems particularly heinous as it conjures up a vision of demonic rituals, whilst locals and tourists whoop it up for 10 days, drinking Lichee wine and eating dogs. And, it is true with the music shows and other side events, the revelry is macabre. Over the last two years, footfall has declined significantly, but this is due to economic rather than ethical factors. And, the weather. Last year and thankfully this year, the weather has been terrible. There have been heavy thunderstorms and torrential rain wreaking havoc on many of the province’s cities and causing delays on trains and difficulties to driving

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

This leaves the traders’ route to the mountains, where most of the dog farms are muddy and treacherous. Collecting live dogs for fresh slaughter becomes problematic, and the route for the large trucks to enter the city, as you have seen many times on rescues, is impeded.

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

So the final question remains: who would you save?
Villages around Yulin are full of small-scale slaughterhouses operating right next to beauty salons and regular shops. The cages of the dogs with pleading eyes are still there. And on top of that, each Sunday morning (so that means the opening day of Yulin), there is a large open market close to the City where pets and bred dogs are sold. Last week, we were lucky enough to save the lives of a wonderful Malamute and Golden Retriever. The two of them are now safe at our base. This weekend, we are making preparations, despite our limited resources, to save whoever we can. As an organisation with just a handful of brave activists on the ground, limited resources, and not even a decent van, we find ourselves thousands of miles from our shelter of 700 dogs, facing impossible decisions. The point is that every rescue forces impossible choices.

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

It is not our policy, nor can it be, to pay high prices to the butchers to look like heroes. We have no interest in that. The misery I have chosen not to document here, the screams, the things we have witnessed, the guilt, the shame, the sorrow of not being able to do more, weighs heavily, and it is hard to sleep. Most dogs are killed around dawn, and if we can rescue, that’s when we go, knowing the choice is impossible, for even if one dog caught your eye at night, he may no longer be alive when you go back for him.
When Yulin ends, we will lovingly bring back to our base any souls we have saved and care for them until they can find loving homes. We will continue to hold space for the lives lost and campaign for change until the cruelty ends.  One supporter to our campaign thanked us for repeatedly returning to Yulin, even though we could do so little. I was moved reading that comment; she did not ask us who we can save, but silently stood with us in compassion, knowing we are doing the best we can.
Julia de Cadenet

Photo: Julia de Cadenet

all photos and videos are our original dated work, mostly shot by me personally

1 reply

  1. Cindy Janzen
    19 Jun 2026 • 10:29 pm

    I hope there is a special place in Hell for all people involved in this horrible practice !

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Rescue is just the beginning. How our adoption works

The true meaning of rescuing a dog is not simply giving an animal a home; it is choosing to stand in the fragile space between suffering and hope. All our dogs are based in China, rescued from the dog meat trade, and many arrive carrying experiences no living being should ever endure, marked by fear, uncertainty, and a deep mistrust of the world around them.

NoToDogMeat was founded over twelve years ago by Julia, who made the extraordinary decision to sell her family home to fund the shelter’s beginnings. What started as an act of conviction has grown into a sanctuary for hundreds of dogs rescued directly from situations of profound suffering. Many of these rescues take place in extremely challenging and often dangerous conditions, with our team risking their own safety to bring each animal into care.

Because all our dogs are based in China, adoption means giving one of these survivors a journey across distance and circumstance, from survival into safety, stability, and love.

Many will not be adopted. Some will spend the rest of their lives with us, and they will always have a safe, loving home at NoToDogMeat. Here, they are not simply kept; they are healed, protected, and given the dignity they were once denied. For them, the shelter is not a temporary stop, but a lifetime of safety and care.

Those in our care become deeply known to our team over time. Through patience, daily care, and unwavering dedication, we come to understand each dog as an individual, what comforts them, what unsettles them, and how they have learned to trust again. This means that when you enquire about adoption or fostering, we’re able to make thoughtful, informed matches that truly consider both you and the dog.

We also take great pride in how every dog and cat is transported to safety. We do not use cargo services, external boarding, or third-party agents. Each animal is carefully prepared and personally accompanied by our team all the way to Beijing Airport. On arrival in Paris or Holland, we are there at the crack of dawn to receive them and ensure they are safe, supported, and ready for the final stage of their journey into a new life. While others may work differently, and we respect all efforts to help animals, we believe this continuous, hands-on care is a unique strength we offer as a registered charity.

Adoption or fostering is not just about saving a life. It is about becoming part of a journey that turns fear into trust and survival into belonging.

“Our little flowerpot,” Camille, now a very old boy, was the first known meat trade rescue to fly with a foreign charity out of China, as recognised and shared by Air France.

 

Costs involved are often the next question, and we believe it is important to be completely open and transparent from the outset. These are not fees for profit, but the real and necessary costs we incur in rescuing, preparing, and transporting each dog or cat safely from China into a new life.

The total cost can vary depending on destination and individual travel requirements. Brexit and the pandemic have made the process more complex and expensive, but despite this, we continue to do everything possible to bring each animal to safety. It is also important to note that the UK does not permit animals to travel in-cabin with passengers, meaning all dogs must first arrive in Europe before onward travel can be arranged.

If needed, we can also support adopters with fundraising, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent a suitable home from giving a rescue animal a second chance.

On average, the cost to fly a dog or cat to Paris is £1,300. From there, onward travel can be arranged depending on your location. You are always welcome to collect your pet in person, which many adopters choose to do.

Adoption Travel and Veterinary Costs reflect the essential preparation required to ensure each animal is healthy, compliant, and travel-ready:

Estimated Costs

Service Estimated Cost
Vaccinations (US and Europe) £30
Rabies test £250
Spay/neuter £120
Flight costs with volunteer escort £600
Veterinary and airport transport £200
Beijing mandatory health check and blood tests £180
Onward travel (e.g. France to UK) From £300

 

Onward travel will vary depending on the destination. Wherever possible, we recommend meeting your pet in Paris, where most arrivals land. For UK travel, collection is usually arranged in London or the Southeast. For adopters across Europe, tailored arrangements can be provided.

These costs reflect the genuine, essential work involved in relocating rescued animals safely from China. Nothing is added beyond what is required to complete that journey and ensure each animal reaches safety, is health checked and ready for their new life.

We are also able to arrange travel to the USA and Canada.

We not only care deeply for our dogs and cats, but also for our adopters. We take genuine pride in staying in close contact throughout the transport process and onward journey, and we remain available as you and your new companion begin to bond, grow together, and settle into your new life side by side.

“I received phone calls, videos and photos throughout my rescue’s entire journey, and it was so reassuring to be part of every step. From the moment they left with Julia and Mr Zhao right through to collection, it was lovely to see their journey unfold and know they were being cared for the whole way.”

To adopt or foster is to change the entire direction of a life. It is the point where survival becomes safety, and where a rescued animal finally learns what it means to belong. For many of our dogs, that one decision is everything. Please follow our social media to see dogs and cats currently available for adoption to contact us visit www.notodogmeat.com/adopt

 

NoToDogMeat Staff Writer Julie Gledhill

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Ten Cent finally hit the jackpot

You could say I’m completely animal-obsessed, with a rather unconventional extended family to prove it. Alongside the sheep, cows, and American Miniature Horses, there’s Evie, an eleven-year-old fox who still behaves like an excitable puppy, plus Cody, a dog meat trade rescue from Vietnam, Nasr, my Egyptian rescue who spent years strapped to a table enduring endless tests and hundreds of injections before being discarded like rubbish, and Ten Cent, now known as Alfie, my very own Yulin survivor rescued through NoToDogMeat.

 

The Yulin Dog Meat Festival is an annual event held in Yulin, China, where dogs are sold and slaughtered for meat, often during the summer solstice.

NoToDogMeat has spent years campaigning against the trade, rescuing dogs, supporting local activists, promoting stronger animal welfare laws and changing attitudes toward companion animals in China.

It’s also important to note that the festival does not represent all people in China, and many Chinese activists and citizens actively oppose the dog meat trade and work tirelessly to end it. The small team who run the base where Ten Cent used to live are testament to that. Sadly, it’s hard for locals to speak out against an oppressive government. ( Our 2026 Yulin Appeal link)

Ten Cent was born on a dog meat truck in southern China just moments before it reached its destination, a place filled with fear, suffering and horror, yet he never knew it. The moment he was placed into Julia’s hands, she named him Ten Cent because of his tiny size. He was one of the lucky ones, rescued before ever experiencing the cruelty he had been destined for.

I had often thought about helping dogs in other countries, but I was always hesitant. Sadly, animals can sometimes be used in scams, which made me understandably cautious, to say the least.

I followed my heart.

I originally enquired about another dog that NoToDogMeat had rescued, but the lucky pup had already found a home. Then I came across Julia’s video of her travelling to Paris, hoping to bring rescue dogs with her if adopters were willing to offer them a happy home. With hundreds of dogs at the rescue base in China, sponsorships and adoptions are incredibly important. Many people support ending the monstrous trade, but sadly, rescued dogs often spend years waiting for a place to finally call home.

Ten Cent had been at the shelter since he was a puppy, waiting many years for someone to choose him. Julia took a chance and brought him with her in the hope that somebody would finally offer this beautiful boy the home he deserved.

Travelling is a long and exhausting process, with the team doing as much as possible themselves to keep costs down. Adoption fees cover essentials such as blood tests, health checks, paperwork, flights, and onward transport to the UK or beyond. It’s a lengthy and expensive journey, but one that is always worth it.

With five dogs already, I wasn’t entirely sure whether I was taking on too much. But no matter how much I tried to reason with myself, I kept coming back to the same thought: we had enough room, enough love, and if nobody else was willing to give this gorgeous boy the home he deserved, then I would open my heart, trust my instincts, and make sure Ten Cent finally knew what it felt like to belong.

After arriving in the UK, Ten Cent stayed with Marion, a fellow rescuer and supporter of NoToDogMeat. It was there that I went to collect him, ready to finally bring him home.

What amazed me most was how long he had been overlooked. This gentle, beautiful boy with his soulful eyes and kind nature had spent years waiting for somebody to choose him, while so many others passed him by. I felt like he had chosen me. Like some twist of fate, as though time had quietly stood still until the moment our paths finally crossed.

We bonded almost instantly. Wherever I went, Ten Cent was never far behind, always quietly by my side. I truly believe you can have more than one soul dog in a lifetime, and Ten Cent had become one of mine, along with the others in our pack.

I slowly introduced Ten Cent to the rest of the gang, taking care to let him settle at his own pace. Before long, they had all bonded beautifully, but it was our two pugs he became especially close to. The three of them are now inseparable, and watching him finally feel safe enough to play, relax, and simply enjoy life has been incredibly special.

 

“My only regret is that I didn’t find him sooner. It breaks my heart knowing he spent so many years waiting for someone to choose him. He’s so sweet and friendly and such an easy dog to have around.”

What I am most impressed with at NoToDogMeat is the tireless campaigning that Julia and the whole team carry out to help these dogs. The social media reels show the harsh reality of rescue work and how difficult it is to care for such large numbers of dogs and cats, yet they continue to work incredibly hard every day.

I also sponsored Rolf, as he looks so similar to Ten Cent, now Alfie. I think NoToDogMeat is an amazing charity with wonderful people involved, and you can really see the love Julia and Mr Zhao have for these animals.

I think I’m the one who hit the jackpot with Ten Cent, my Alfie. He has brought so much into my life, and it feels like he was always meant to be here.

Alison x

 

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Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Sun Luin learned how to soar from the darkness.

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.

“In the Hebei floods, she was too scared to even flee from her kennel when we were forced to open the cages. This tiny space had been her home.”

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

Marion and Sun Luin

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Alfie aka Ten Cent’s Story in Memory of His Sponsor Kathy

In what seems like a lifetime ago, we found ourselves in a chilling rescue operation. As we pried open the door of a truck bound for slaughter, the scent of fear hung heavy in the air.

Nervous whimpers and the sound of metal bars rattling against the desperate struggles inside painted a haunting picture of urgency. Amidst this scene, a tiny pup was born. His official name from his sponsor is Alfie, and for us, his nickname is Ten Cent. We named him because he felt like the size of an old penny fitting into the palm of our hands.

How he survived when so many that day died from distemper, we do not know, but he has always held a special place in my heart. And, even though he lost his Mum. he snuggled close to the other dogs, especially our old boy Camille. He has also held his eternal youth. Fast forward seven years, and Ten Cent’s story is perhaps also typical of rescue: once saved, no one wants him. Each day he goes unchosen feels like a quiet heartbreak, a reminder of how a rescue can turn into a waiting game. And so he has lived with us in our base for a good 7 years.

He used to have a lovely sponsor, Kathy from Canada, who named him Alfie, which is why we quietly cared for him, giving him extra treats and even the odd groom. It was just that every time we promoted pups for adoption, despite his lovely demeanour, no one ever chose him.

In 2024, two of his kennel friends were adopted by Isabel and Malita, and this is now the second Christmas JD Long Long and Stormy will get cuddles. But not for Ten Cent.

A few months ago, his sponsor sadly passed away, and our hope for him faded even more. But then her lovely husband stepped up and pledged to keep on helping Kathy’s boy in her memory.

I am the ever-optimistic and despite so many days and sleepless nights of despair in the summer after Yulin, I have prepared him to fly. In fact, I prepared four dogs and one cat (all ready and waiting).

And now in just four days, on 18th December, I will be flying back to Europe. Thanks to Kathy’s legacy, I want to bring our boy to a real home. This means that for any adopter, the usual costly fees would be halved, as it is only onward travel from Paris that needs to be paid. I know many of you have wanted to adopt before, and cost has always been a factor, so as our loyal supporters, I wanted to tell you about this as soon as I could. I have even found two lovely fosters who could help out any new adopter for a few weeks.

This little bundle of joy weighs only 15 kilos (about 32 pounds). He is neutered, and even his teeth are good.

It’s so cold here right now, minus 7-10 at night, and we are struggling financially to buy fuel for the pellet ovens, as we are worried the older dogs will freeze to death.

If you can open your heart to Ten Cent Alfie, or would like more info on the other three ready to go, please get in touch with us at adopt@notodogmeat.com

Let’s finish 2025 with a pawsome ending. He started as a penny, let’s give him the jackpot.

Thank you, everyone.

Julia and all the team @notodogmeat in China

Press board photos and video on request

Press@notodogmeat.com

0300 302 0326

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Personal Message from Julia

Hi everyone

I wanted to share a personal message with you. I have been back at the base in China this month, and it’s full of mixed emotions. Deep sadness knowing some of our rescues have passed away without knowing loving homes and great joy to meet some old friends, including some of my Yulin rescues, I thought would not make it.

I wanted to update you on Mary, our pitbull. Not only is she alive and safe, but she is also. She is thriving.

To remind you of her story:

When I was in Yulin with Mr Zhao and the Judge, we went to some horrific dog farms hidden in the hills behind the city—lawless places with dirt-track roads and no signage. On one of them, we met Mary, chained by her neck in a rusty cage and forced to give birth over and over. Her newborn was beside her in the cage, and the farmer who fed them on rotting rice told us in a few months he would be slaughtered and sold as dried meat ‘ bacon’ strips.

It was the eve of the festival, and he was reluctant to let us take even a few of the males. He told us to come back in two days, and he would let us take the unsold dogs. But, he said, he would never release Mary, his only breeder.

These words pained my heart, which was already broken by the suffering I had seen at Yulin. It was sweltering heat, and there was not even a bowl of water in sight.

We discussed Mary between us, and Mr Zhao told me that as a pitbull, we faced imprisonment if they caught us transporting her across county lines. I didn’t want to make life more complicated, but I couldn’t leave without her.

So I did something I believe we all should do: I prayed. I prayed for mercy from our eternal mother Mary.

As we went back that dawn, the farmer had prepared four males, and he agreed to let us take her pup. We were miserable. This didn’t feel like a victory. But then, as we were loading the dogs in our blacked-out van, he shouted down to us. We couldn’t hear him at first, so Mr Zhao climbed back up the muddy path. “ I hope she has a better life”, he was shouting, and before we knew it, he handed her over.

It all went so fast, but for a split second, I felt change and redemption were possible.

Painfully thin and full of parasites, she squashed into the cage with the others, and we drove the long 22-hour journey back to Hebei, where they and our other rescues were hospitalised. I visited her every morning and night to clean her wounds and feed her. The hospital staff were terrified of her.

It was at that moment that I decided to name her Mary. She is our mother miracle.

Slowly, she began to recover, and after I left, she was put into our base in the brand-new kennels we had built for this year’s rescues.

I couldn’t believe it as I came back into the sub-zero temperature to find she was the first face I saw. Her tail was running at a hundred miles an hour. I opened her kennel and let her run free. She is joyful, playful, fat and gorgeous. My heart felt overrun with gratitude, and I am convinced that, whatever your faith and beliefs, the power of prayer works.

And as for her pup, little Maurice. Well, you can see from the photos below how big this ‘ little fella’ has become.

I will update you more in our own special Pawmas newsletters over the next few days, and please follow us on social media to see our videos.

I would like to ask if you can buy one of our Christmas calendars to help fund our work and donate to our heating appeal if you can afford to. We only have 5 days’ worth of fuel left.

Thank you, everyone.

 

Julia and all the team @notodogmeat in China

 

Press board photos and video on request

Press@notodogmeat.com

0300 302 0326

  

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