Trip to China to Rescue Dogs From the Meat Trade

Like many people, I've always wanted to make a difference and help those in need. Unfortunately, I'm also aware that donating money to large organizations usually ends up doing little more than lining some executives pockets. With that in mind, I've decided to give up my time to go to China and volunteer at an amazing rescue that saves dogs from the meat trade. Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors is a non-profit organization that rescues hundreds of dogs, cats and other small animals from meat trucks, slaughterhouses, breeding farms, closing shelters and a variety of other circumstances. They need help from anyone that can volunteer their time and energy (or money) to help them at the shelter and assist with escorting dogs on their Freedom Flights to other countries. I'm working on securing a shelter here in Maine to take in some of the dogs but if that doesn't work out, I'll simply deviate from my own course home to escort them to a shelter in another state that will. I plan to volunteer over Thanksgiving (taking advantage of paid days off from work to combine with the few vacation days I have left) but must fundraise for travel expenses first. I have to get rabies shots (so expensive) as well as Typhoid and Hep A & B well beforehand then book the tickets and accommodations before I can apply for a Visa. I'm hoping to purchase the tickets from JFK to Beijing and back in the beginning of August then will need to work on getting my tickets from Beijing to Harbin and back, book my bus from Maine to JFK and back and book my hotel room then go ahead with getting a Visa.
I keep getting asked: Why go to China to rescue dogs when we have dogs that need help here? My answer to that is that I’ve already volunteered here and will continue to do so in the future but after everything I’ve learned about what’s going on in China and all the good they do every day at HarbinSHS, it makes me want to do more. This is a quote I received from Sharon Brew who is in charge of fundraising. “China has no animal welfare laws like the US; dog meat consumption is not against the law however there are no dog farms so these animals are stolen pets, strays or cast offs from breeders. These animals are typically starved, dehydrated, and kept in diseased prone areas before being slaughtered. The Chinese believe that the meat is better if the animal is scared before butchering so most times the animal is tortured before slaughter. The dogs rescued by SHS go to existing rescues that already have vetted fosters and adopters. The dogs do not go to communities where there is a saturation of animals in need of homes. 3,000 dogs are slaughtered weekly in the area SHS is located. The dogs that are saved each year are in the hundreds.”
Please check out the link below for more information about this wonderful shelter.
https://youtu.be/GycbJkELJuM
One last thing; I plan to itemize every expense and document everything. I will be posting pictures and videos about the experience and any money collected over the amount required for the trip will be spent purchasing necessary supplies for Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors. Please consider helping out and you will know exactly what your money went towards.