Bay Area Woman Saves Dog From Being Slaughtered For Meat In China
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – Thursday marks the Lunar New Year. For a growing number of animal lovers, here and in China, they hope the Year of the Goat will be the time to remember the story of a little dog that inspired a movement.
Her name is "Duo Duo," and she's one lucky dog.
"She made it over. It was a long journey," said Martha Lackritz.
Two years ago, duo was a test dog at a vet school in China. When the students were finished with her, the little dog was about to be sold, for her meat.
"She was probably a day away from being sold to a butcher and eaten," Lackritz told KPIX 5.
But good fortune shined upon Duo, thanks to a Bay Area woman. Andrea Gung of Sunnyvale spotted the dog looking out of a small window at the school. When she heard Duo was about to be butchered, she bought the dog, and then brought her, first by bus, then by plane back to the Bay Area.
Duo now lives with her best friend Boomer, and Lackritz, an East Bay attorney.
"She's doing wonderful," Lackritz said.
Eating dog meat is legal in China, but it's unregulated, and some say, unsafe. Not only that, a growing number of animal lovers in China and Taiwan believe it's just plain brutal.
"For all of the people in China who are actively fighting against this, we stand with them," Lackritz said.
Many of the dogs appear to be stolen pets. Some are still wearing their collars, as they're stuffed into tiny crates to be shipped off to the butcher. In June, 10,000 dogs are slaughtered for a traditional dog meat festival.
"She's in a small minority of dogs that make it out alive," Lackritz said.
On Thursday, Duo Duo will join Lackritz and Gung at a rally in San Francisco to show support for those in China who are seeking to stop the dog meat as well as cat meat trade. The hope: to raise awareness and to encourage China to pass new laws protecting pets.
