Vita’s Story: From a Dog Slaughterhouse to a Loving Home

Animal Equality investigators will never forget their trip to China in 2013, when they witnessed the plight of dogs exploited for meat firsthand, and met a dog who would change their lives forever.

PLEADING FOR HER LIFE: Investigators spotted the dog, which we later named Vita, while visiting a slaughterhouse in Zhanjiang—one of the many dog slaughterhouses across China. While the other dogs cowered in the corners of the cage vita came up to the bars to greet the investigators. She seemed to be pleading for her life, and somehow, she knew that our team was there to help.

THE HARROWING RESCUE: One of Vita’s rescuers recalled the risks he took to free Vita from the slaughterhouse. “When the slaughterman was killing the other dogs, her eyes begged me to get her out of there. We gained the trust of the workers, we then tricked them and managed to smuggle Vita out with us.”

EXPOSING THE TRUTH: It broke the investigators’ hearts to have to show no emotion while the other dogs were left behind to be killed, but they had to maintain their cover for their own safety and to be able to obtain the footage that exposed the truth about what goes on inside these horrific places.  However, their emotional journey was not in vain. We shared the footage widely with media outlets across the world and we continue to work to ensure that the dogs’ suffering will not be forgotten. We will never stop until the dog meat trade—as well as the slaughter of ALL species—has ended.

VITA TODAY: Once our team was safe and Vita was out of harm’s way, a veterinarian checked her out and discovered that Vita was pregnant! Vita was adopted by into a loving home and gave birth to eight healthy puppies. All of the dogs are now living their best lives, far away from the horrors of a slaughterhouse and Vita has been spayed.

HELP ANIMALS LIKE VITA: Vita’s nightmare may have ended years ago, but countless animals are still living in hell in slaughterhouses and live-animal markets, also known as “wet-markets” around the world. If you’re saddened by Vita’s ordeal, please consider leaving all animals off your plate, and share Vita’s story with your friends and family.

SHARE VITA’S STORY AND SIGN OUR PETITION TO END THE DOG AND CAT MEAT TRADE