After a collective effort between activists, locals and the authorities, 386 dogs are now safe, after a coordinated effort to track a truck travelling around Chinese villages rounding up pups to be taken to Yulin.

In the footage taken on June 21, campaigners Mr Zhao and Vincent Lo from the London-founded charity NoToDogMeat can be seen giving the pets care at a holding shelter close to the city of Xi'an.

The dogs include a huge fluffy white samoyed-type dog, and smaller terrier-types which campaigners say will have been people's pets.

The dogs are now receiving medical care and food, before being transferred to shelters across China, including the charity's two shelters in Hebei and Beijing which Mr Zhao runs.

Mr Zhao, who took part in the operation to locate and track the truck, and has been coordinating efforts at the holding shelter, said: "We are so pleased that these efforts have saved these dogs, hardly anyone has slept at all since this began.

"As soon as we got the ok to take the dogs we started to move them in cars, and then we managed to rent a closed truck.

"It was impossible to get hold of enough cages at short notice, but the dogs still trusted humans and most were unafraid to travel with us.

"We have given the dogs food and water, though a few are suffering severe dehydration and have been taken to a vet.

"Some have also tested positive for parvo, and there will most likely be distemper and all need to be tested and isolated."

All the dogs from the truck were taken to a detention centre run by the Chinese Agricultural Ministry, before being released into the care of campaigners.

The dogs were saved when the truck transporting them to Yulin was stopped at the Tian Jia Toll Station checkpoint, heading from Xian Gaoling to the torture festival.

Campaigners surrounded the truck and alerted authorities, who impounded the vehicle as it did not have the correct permits to transport the animals.

In 2021 the pandemic pushed China to introduce stricter quarantine laws on the transport and slaughter of live animals.

And, since May 2020 dogs are officially on the safe list so not classified as livestock.

Many parts of China are still in lockdown to protect citizens' health with even vegetable trucks being controlled, so the truck, which is making pit stops around other villages to collect more dogs, is in breach of the rules.

Julia de Cadenet, who started the NoToDogMeat NGO in 2009, which now holds United Nations Special Consultative Status, said: "We are so happy that these dogs are safe and receiving the care that they need, but as Yulin has now begun we must also continue our lobbying efforts to ensure that more dogs are safe from slaughter.

"This rescue is an amazing effort encompassing local animal lovers, charity volunteers and the authorities that have supported them, on the ground there are lots of people who are appalled by what is happening to these dogs, and want to change things.

"We will now work hard to care for some of the dogs ourselves, but also ensure that the rest are transported to safe places."

Yulin is an ancient city in China known for holding a dog meat festival from June 21 to 30, purportedly to celebrate the summer solstice where an estimated 10,000 dogs and cats are killed and eaten each year.

Far from being ancient or traditional, this festival, known worldwide as Yulin, was created recently in 2009 to bring business to a place that was economically depressed.

It is estimated that in China alone, 10 million to 15 million dogs are eaten annually - some figures say 50,000 per day and 4 million to 5 million cats.

It is estimated that worldwide as many as 30 million dogs are eaten each year. Many dogs and cats are also used to make medicines and various tinctures or elixirs, which are sold for various health ailments or just as tonics. Their fur is also sold.

The first footage of dogs rescued being made into soup at the barbaric Yulin Dog Meat festival have been revealed.

After a collective effort between activists, locals and the authorities, 386 dogs are now safe, after a co-ordinated effort to track a truck travelling round Chinese villages rounding up defenseless pups to be taken to Yulin.

In the footage taken last night (21/06) campaigners Mr Zhao and Vincent Lo from the London-founded charity NoToDogMeat can be seen giving the pets care at holding shelter close to the city of Xi'an.

The dogs include a huge fluffy white samoyed-type dog, and smaller terrier-types which campaigners say will have been people's pets.

The dogs are now receiving medical care and food, before being transferred to shelters across China, including the charity's two shelters in Hebei and Beijing which Mr Zhao runs.

Mr Zhao, who took part in the operation to locate and track the truck, and has been co-ordinating efforts at the holding shelter, said: "We are so pleased that these efforts have saved these dogs, hardly anyone has slept at all since this began.

"As soon as we got the ok to take the dogs we started to move them in cars, and then we managed to rent a closed truck.

"It was impossible to get hold of enough cages at short notice, but the dogs still trusted humans and most were unafraid to travel with us.

"We have given the dogs food and water, though a few are suffering severe dehydration and have been taken to a vet.

"Some have also tested positive for parvo, and there will most likely be distemper and all need to be tested and isolated."

All the dogs from the truck were taken to a detention centre run by the Chinese Agricultural Ministry, before being released into the care of campaigners.

The dogs were saved when the truck transporting them to Yulin was stopped at the Tian Jia Toll Station checkpoint, heading from Xian Gaoling to the torture festival.

Campaigners surrounded the truck and alerted authorities, who impounded the vehicle as it did not have the correct permits to transport the petrified animals.

In 2021 the pandemic pushed China to introduce stricter quarantine laws on the transport and slaughter of live animals.

And, since May 2020 Dogs are officially on the safe list so not classified as livestock.

Many parts of China are still in lockdown to protect citizens' health with even vegetable trucks being controlled, so the truck, which is making pit stops around other villages to collect more dogs, is in breach of the rules.

Julia de Cadenet, who started the NoToDogMeat NGO in 2009, which now holds United Nations Special Consultative Status, said: "We are so happy that these dogs are safe and receiving the care that they need, but as Yulin has now begun we must also continue our lobbying efforts to ensure that more dogs are safe from slaughter.

"This rescue is an amazing effort encompassing local animal lovers, charity volunteers and the authorities that have supported them, on the ground there are lots of people who are appalled by what is happening to these dogs, and want to change things.

"We will now work hard to care for some of the dogs ourselves, but also ensure that the rest are transported to safe places."

Yulin is an ancient city in China known for holding a dog meat festival from 21st to 30th June, purportedly to celebrate the summer solstice where an estimated 10,000 dogs and cats are killed and eaten each year.

Far from being ancient or traditional, this festival, known worldwide as ‘Yulin’, was created recently in 2009 to bring business to a place that was economically depressed.

It is estimated that in China alone, 10 to 15 million dogs are eaten annually - some figures say 50,000 per day and 4 to 5 million cats.

Far from dying out, the dog and cat meat trade is a thriving, highly profitable industry thanks to a strong network of greedy restaurateurs, meat dealers and butchers who, out to make easy money, have convinced the public that eating dog and cat meat is healthful and fashionable.

It is estimated that worldwide as many as 30 million dogs are eaten each year. Many dogs and cats are also used to make medicines and various tinctures or elixirs, which are sold for various health ailments or just as tonics. Their fur is also sold.

ENDS