A kind-hearted woman told how she rescued an injured Border Collie that was sold to a butcher to be slaughtered after its cruel owner decided to swap the hound in exchange for 20 kilos of pork.

The woman, named Ms Liu, found the poor pup that had been tied up in a sack and left in the corner of a butcher's shop in Hulun Buir, in Inner Mongolia, northern China.

Moved by the sad sight, Ms Liu inquired with the owner and learned that it was a Border Collie that had been given up by its owner and was destined for slaughter.

The Collie had previously been used to help herd cattle, but after it suffered a broken leg in a car accident, its owner decided to get rid of it rather than pay for the vet's bill.

He took the injured dog to the butcher and exchanged it for 20 kilos of pork, seemingly not worried about its fate.

Heart-breaking footage shows the poor creature lying on the floor with only its head sticking out of the sack as the young girl petted its head.

Ms Liu said although its previous owner let down the pup, she had decided to give it a new chance of life.

She spoke with her parents and got them to agree to buy the dog from the butcher. Medics at the nearest vet clinic gave it pain medication, and Ms Liu was then free to take it home.

She gave it the name Xin Xin, the Chinese word for 'new' to mark its new beginning. With the help and constant care of its new family, Xin Xin gradually began to recover.

They made sure it was always well-fed and groomed, and it soon made a complete turnaround.

Now, Liu said that with the help of professionals, they had devised a physical therapy plan that would help Xin Xin walk again.