Chinese woman adopts 1,500 stray dogs

A Chinese woman has given up her job, her home and her car to adopt more than 1,500 stray dogs. Ha Wenjin gave up her business career and sold her house, car and jewellery to set up her unofficial dog rescue centre in Tangquan County, Nanjing.

"At first I did this in my spare time, but as I gathered more and more abandoned pets, I had to work full time for them," she said. She has taken on 10 workers to help her look after the dogs - and another two to help care for 200 adopted cats at a second centre she has set up nearby.



But her project was put at risk when local government officials, who don't recognise her work, reclaimed the land for redevelopment. "I had to find a new place which was deserted and not close to any human habitat, as 1,500 dogs are not quiet," she said. "And the place had to be very cheap to rent, as most of our income comes from donations."

Finances are so tight that she partly relies on volunteer days when people bring hundreds of 'pork buns' to feed the dogs. Ha eventually found a site, in Houyu village, Pukou County, but desperately needs funds to get the new animal rescue centre up and running. And she is hoping more volunteers will turn out help her move the dogs on four buses on 4 December - and to clean the vehicles afterwards.