1400 cats and dogs found hidden in Chinese ‘death truck’
WARNING - CONFRONTING CONTENT: More than 1400 dogs and cats were found hidden in what’s been labelled a ‘death truck’ by authorities.
Horrifying footage was released by Humane Society International after police intercepted the vehicle in the central Chinese province of Hubei, on October 1.
The charity believes the animals, a mixture of stolen pets and strays, were headed to slaughterhouses and markets.
Sadly 370 were found to have already died as the driver was stopped approximately halfway through a gruelling 1200km southward journey from Fucheng to the southern city of Yulin.
Many of the animals had open wounds and were suffering from broken bones, respiratory disease and dehydration, according to Capital Animal Welfare Association which attended the scene.
A spokesperson for the Beijing-based activist group Hao Da-yue said although she has attended countless rescues, this was the most “shocking”.
“This was a death truck, crammed full with desperate, frightened, traumatised animals caged up with their dead and dying companions,” she said.
“The smell of death, diarrhoea and vomit was overwhelming, and the sound of the animals whimpering and crying for our attention was just heartbreaking.”
What happens to the rescued cats and dogs?
Although activists provided care to the surviving animals, some were already severely traumatised and died on the roadside.
Originally housed in a local school, the dogs and cats were later distributed between local shelters.
Is dog and cat meat widely consumed in China?
Two truck drivers have been detained by authorities, and they along with an animal trader could face charges for transporting sick animals across provincial boundaries.
They will not face animal welfare charges, as only two mainland cities, China–Shenzhen and Zhuhai, have banned dog meat consumption,
While most Chinese don’t eat dogs or cats, the country still has a niche trade which results in an estimated 4 million felines being killed a year.
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