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Yan's Rescue Story, XiSanQi:

"On May 24th, I received a disturbing phone message from somebody notifying me that a dog with a broken chin was seen wandering around the east side of XiSanQi in Beijing. The frantic caller had no idea what to do in this delicate situation. I couldn't even go there to help them because I was out of the country at the time. After going through several layers of contacts on WeChat, I got in touch with a girl who lived near XiSanQi and was willing to search for this dog. 

The next evening, her and a friend saw the puppy hobbling down a dirt path, along with two other dogs. The girls quickly bought food from a nearby KFC to attract the two older dogs but the mischevious animals ran away immediately after taking the food. Their determination to rescue these two other dogs distracted the girls' attention away from the puppy with the broken chin -at least until tragedy struck. One girl let out a bloodcurdling scream when she realized what had happened: the puppy was struck by a car. They quickly picked up the bleeding animal and sprinted as fast as humanly possible to the nearest animal hospital. Unfortunately, by the time they reached the medical establishment, it became clear that the puppy was already dead. 

The girls ceremoniously buried the dog's little body. They wished for it to find a safe and warm place in its next life, a place where animal abuse didn't exist, a place that had plenty of food always available, a place for it to run as freely as it pleased, a place that was full of the love it never received in this life. 

I felt personally responsible for this horrific incident. Maybe if I hadn't interfered in the puppy's life, it would have still been alive today. My heart was heavy with guilt and remorse.

On the third day of mourning, I decided I had to pull myself together eventually. I began to think about all of the other stray dogs in XiSanQi. I realized I could redeem myself for my detrimental miscalculation by saving as many animals in this rural area as possible. My friend suggested hiring a professional to tranquilize the feral animals so there wouldn't be a reoccurrence of tragedy. Desperate to conclude this prolonged chapter of grief, I conceded. 

A total of six dogs came from this particular endevour. All six were examined, tested for viral illnesses, received vaccine shots, and got dewormed. The adult dogs of the bunch also got sterilized. A few days later, I received the bill: all of these expenses amounted to a staggering 5094 Chinese Yuan. The following morning, I was greeted with another bill from the clinic in Guangzhou that housed eight of my prior rescues. This one demanded a whooping 7700 Chinese Yuan. 

Its times like these when my rescue efforts feel especially draining. While I'm deeply passionate about what I'm doing, motivation can dwindle sharply when explicit and implicit costs become factored in. 

All of the dogs seen in the photos are those mentioned in this particular recount. They've all been vaccinated, dewormed, chipped, and sterilized (if applicable). They're all very healthy and eagerly waiting for loving families to bring them home."

Update:

Yesterday I received a WeChat message from Dr. Cao who has been taking care of those six rescues from XiSanQi. Dr. Cao said that one of his clients wanted to adopt one. The client's family lived nearby and their 15-year-old dog had just recently passed away.

 

Very quickly, Mr. Li (Dr. Cao's client) contacted me. His previous dog had been adopted when she was only three days old, naming her after this facet of information. The family missed Three Days very much. One of the rescues from XiSanQi looked just like their Three Days, so they wanted to adopt her in Three Days' memory.

 

Mr. Li already came up with a name for the pup: XiaoHeNiu. He assured me that he'd take good care of XiaoHeNiu.  He'd make sure to vaccinate her and spay her when the time came. 

 

I am ecstatic that XiaoHeNiu will begin a happy and stable life so soon. 

Mr. Li perfectly described human's unique connection with pets, "It is fate, the love for animals and respect to the lives that connect all of us together."

 

My heart is deeply touched by Mr. Li. Having done rescue work for many years, tragic experiences often frustrate me. Running into a person with a gentle and kind heart like Mr. Li gives me encouragement and warmth."

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