To spare the lives of thousands of canines destined for the meat trade, a Chinese millionaire gave up his entire fortune. Wang Yan chose the theft of his cherished dog three years prior, which he believes was done so that it might be butchered. The 29-year-old had a net worth of several million yuan and formerly controlled a steel enterprise. But all changed in 2012 when his favorite dog, Pooch, vanished.

He looked for his dog at a nearby slaughterhouse, but Pooch was nowhere to be seen. Yan was so horrified by what he saw at the slaughterhouse that he was unable to remain silent about the barbarism of the meat industry.

So he started saving stray dogs from their sad fate by creating a dog refuge with all the money he had earned. He has rescued thousands of dogs by housing them in a defunct steel plant. But there is a cost to his altruism. Yan declines any monetary contributions and does not take adoption fees. Only donations of dog food or supplies are accepted by him.

Nevertheless, there are still many dogs out there every day who need help in China, and Wang Yan is determined to help them all. We hope Yan can continue to rescue as many of these dogs’ lives as he can give his unwavering commitment to them.

No dog should be used for meat production. But regrettably, it is a serious issue all over Asia. Eating a dog is inhumane. Support AnimalsAsia in their fight to eliminate the meat trade if you wish to help put an end to such crimes.