BEIJING: The tale of seven dogs from China allegedly fleeing captivity from a dog meat restaurant won hearts globally, but the reality has recently come to light, taking an unexpected turn.
Local media and official fact-checks later revealed that the German shepherd in the video was in heat, attracting the other six dogs who followed it.
This dramatic and heartwarming story began with a video captured by a road user in Changchun, Jilin province, northeastern China, showing seven dogs walking along a highway.
Moved by concern for the animals, the individual urged local traffic authorities to intervene.
The footage quickly resonated on mainland social media and beyond, garnering over 230 million views online.
Some users speculated that the dogs had “fallen off a truck” or had been “stolen by a dog meat shop,” while others leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to create posters portraying an epic narrative of their journey home.
In these imagined tales, the dogs were cast as loyal, brave, and unusually intelligent heroes.
A local stray dog rescue shelter also disseminated a video claiming the animals had been “stolen and then escaped,” but this account was based solely on one owner’s speculation rather than any eyewitness testimony.
Tongtong, a local animal welfare volunteer, stated in an interview that her team put up notices, deployed drones, and went door-to-door in nearby villages to help track down the dogs and guide them home. Within days, all seven dogs had returned.
Local state media later moved to debunk the online rumours, clarifying that the German shepherd in the video had not been injured and that there had been no theft or captivity involved.
According to City Evening News, the German shepherd belonged to a villager surnamed Zhang, who explained that village dogs typically roam freely and often go missing for a day or two at a time.
She revealed to the mainland media that her German shepherd, Sibao, had been in heat, which attracted the other dogs.
Sibao has since been temporarily tethered to prevent it from wandering off again.
Once the unexpected turn of events came to light, the episode fuelled fresh discussions online about misinformation, distorted narratives, and animal welfare.
One online observer commented: “Even things you see with your own eyes may not be true. In an age saturated with social media and artificial intelligence, people should remain cautious about what they accept as fact.”
Another remarked: “I never expected this story to turn from a thriller into a love story. Watching the dogs in the latest videos, lazing in the sun, I felt that in a world filled with war, distrust, and anxiety, something ordinary can also be beautiful.”
Tongtong told the SCMP that the tale was so easily believed and widely shared, partly due to the reality of prevalent animal cruelty.
According to the China Pet Industry White Paper, there were over 90 million stray cats and dogs in the country as of 2024.
Animal abuse cases are unfortunately not uncommon.
Last August, a doctor in the eastern Chinese city of Yangzhou was accused of shooting a stray cat with a bow and arrow.
However, the offender may escape punishment because China’s general laws protecting wild animals do not extend to strays.
“To truly care for animals, we need to confront their real living conditions, improve animal protection laws, and promote adoption instead of buying,” said Tongtong. - South China Morning Post
