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 of the fight against the dog and cat meat trade.
Our rescue dogs are all superstars and it is important to us that they live their best life, when they have finally escaped from the horrors they endured.
Depending on the dog, this can be anything from discovering they love music, to Felicity’s story below, but it is always so wonderful to be able to share just how much these pups blossom once they get their chance.
The story below set the internet on fire, and was used on sites and publications including CNN, Vanity Fair and the Daily Mail.
Congratulations Felicity, what a gorgeous star you are, and what important work you to to help the countless meat trade dogs behind you get the chance that you got.
A chance to be a beloved pet in a loving home…..
A beautiful samoyed who was rescued from the horrors of the Chinese dog meat trade wore a gown fit for a movie star princess on the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival.
Felicity, who was saved by the NoToDogMeat charity strutted her stuff behind A-List stars at the exclusive screening of Project Silence last night.
The poor pup was rescued after being strung up by her tail by cruel Chinese butchers, but has now found a happy hope in London where she is treated like showbiz royalty.
And the dog, who loves to show off, is an ambasa-dog for the NoToDogMeat charity, and was specially invited to Cannes Film Festival, which is a long-time supporter of the cause.
To make sure that Felicity looks her best for her red carpet moment, Michelle Parker, who is a senior volunteer for the NoToDogMeat, created an epic gown for Felicity, which took more than 30 hours to complete.
To create the dazzling dress, Michelle, from Rawdon, West Yorkshire deconstructed a second hand prom dress, thinning out the metres of tulle and satin before adding hundreds of hand stitched tiny sequins.
She then created intricate satin roses to decorate the frock.
“I loved making the dress and Felicity looked so fabulous in it, she is a very outgoing dog and loves to pose, but the most important thing is that she is comfortable so I spent a lot of time making the dress as light as possible, so that she can wear it happily.
“The hardest part of making the dress was taking out the boning and repurposing the cups on the front to make the bodice, plus sewing on all the bling which was well worth it.” Said Michelle, who put a foam suit on her own dog Luka to make sure that the dress would fit larger Felicity, who lives in London
She added: “My samoyed Luka absolutely loved being Felicity’s body double, albeit with a bit of foam padding, it was like he knew it was all for a good cause.I loved the thought of Felicity relaxing and getting her beauty sleep while Luka was doing her dress fittings!”
When Felicity, who lives in London, arrived at the festival she received her own pass, which gives her access to a range of exclusive parties, screenings and events.
Together with her owner Julia de Cadenet, who founded the charity and was on the rescue that saved the lucky pup, Felicity will receive star treatment, and Julia hopes that telling her story will help to educate and inspire people to act in the fight against the dog meat trade.
She said: “When we found Felicity she was in a terrible state, but over time and with a lot of love and care her outgoing personality has blossomed.
“She really is a miracle, and loves to show off and meet people, so this really is a perfect moment for her. She deserves it so much and we hope that by telling Felicity’s story, and when people meet her they will be inspired to join our movement.
“The dress itself is like a work of art, and a huge thank you to Michelle who has worked so hard to create the gown for this special occasion. NoToDogMeat really is a family, so everyone chips in to help with their specialist skills.”
The NoToDogMeat charity was founded in 2009 when Julia saw for herself the horrors of the meat trade. The charity was the first to bring the annual June Yulin Dog Meat Festival to the world’s attention, and now holds United Nations Special Consultative status.
NoToDogMeat currently cares for more than 750 dogs at shelters in China, and also operates projects in Cambodia and the Philippines. The charity works with local people who want to make a difference.
Michelle added: “Anyone who loves dogs is rightly appalled by the cruelty of the dog meat trade, and ever since I found out about it I have been determined to try and help.
“Of course it is not all about dogs wearing gowns on the Cannes Red Carpet, but at the charity we always say no action too small. I hope that Felicity’s red carpet moment raises awareness and funds for the charity.”
To donate to help NoToDogMeat save and rehome more dogs like Felicity click HERE
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You are doing such a good job!
What a great opportunity to bring to the world’s attention the need for change. Great job to all of those involved!
Just horrible stuff for an animal to go through-enough to promote saying no to all meat.