After experiencing a great loss three years ago when his dog was stolen and believed to be slaughtered, Wang Yan decided that he would use his money and time to save stray dogs.
According to Barkpost, Wang bought an abandoned steel factory and made it a home for the dogs, located in Changchun City in North-east China back in 2012. He was able to rescue thousands of dogs. At 29 years old, he was able to make his fortune in the steel industry.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Wang decided to enter the Chinese steel industry when it boomed 14 years ago, consequently making him a millionaire.
Three years ago, when his dog went missing, he looked for it everywhere, including the slaughterhouse, but unfortunately he did not find his beloved dog. He was shocked by what he saw in the slaughterhouse, which pushed him to build the rescue center.
Currently, he has 200 dogs with him. Wang lost a lot of money and is now on the brink of debt because of the rescue center. He spent his own money building it. He does not accept any monetary donations but asks for food and other supplies for the dogs. These dogs are open for adoption without any adoption fees. Most of the dogs are being adopted by caring families.
China recently made headlines when they celebrated the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Almost 10,000 dogs are slaughtered every year and sold mostly in rural and poor regions in China, such as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The dog meat ends up being eaten by people. Also, the festival sparked international attention because dogs are also being stolen from their owners and being slaughtered without their knowledge. This was believed by Yan as the reason why his dog disappeared and the reason why he continues to save stray dogs and find a better family for them, instead of being killed and eaten.
Aside from China, South Korea and Thailand also have a dog-eating festival that is under fire with animal rights movements.
