The message was clear - to see companion animals as our friends, rather than food, and to appeal to everyone there never to buy fur or fur trim, which sees millions of animals including dogs and cats tortured each year for the fur trade.
The walk was fabulous - venue, feedback and weather were all marvellous, and the dogs clearly had a rollicking good time.
A big well done to Edwina in our Hong Kong office for the superb organisation and coordination and to all who worked so hard to create the brilliant publicity materials and doggy bandannas, coordinate the media and PR, scrounge the goodie bags, make sure the support services were in place, register the dogs, man/woman stalls, book vet and photographers, carry banners, and help the public and the generous volunteers who gave their time and talents - and anything else I've forgotten.
We were thrilled to have Hong Kong celebrities Anthony and Jocelyn (with me below) bring along their own best friends to join in the walk.
Thanks most of all to all who came along and supported the day - great to see you (and your best friends!), and massive thanks for giving up a little of your Sunday to support the cause.
See our slideshow of the event here.
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What a difference a few weeks make! So many of the "meat market" dogs rescued in mid-October are completely different in both physical and psychological health, that it's fast becoming a celebration every time we visit. No longer terrified, depressed, or thin, but filling out in body, happy in character, and skipping round in excitement whenever staff or visitors arrive.
It goes without saying that both our Chinese and Western staff have fallen in love with so many dogs whose personalities are really coming out, now that they are no longer fearful of people. Curious and playful, desperate for attention, with many of them leaping up at us for nose to nose kisses whenever we walk into the enclosures.
While Qimeng staff have been fabulous, and working with the local vets, our own vet nurse, Wendy (pictured here), has been leading the healthcare of these dogs from the Animals Asia side, and doing a brilliantly professional job.
Vets, bear managers and workers, and translators alike have taken personal time off to help out and at last a corner has been turned where it looks like finally the various diseases have at least been contained.
All the dogs are now fully vaccinated and the "skin" dogs (a merry bunch of hairless, mangy characters who are affectionately called "the crusties") are coming on well. So far, out of the approximately 350 dogs rescued in to Qimeng's care, exactly 192 remain at the Qimeng rescue centre today. Sadly it was too late for many of the dogs who died of their injuries, some were taken in by local vet clinics for treatment, and we euthanised around 20 of the sickest dogs.
Although rescues like these are both praised and criticised in China - considering that groups are actively staking out markets and traders, with the public divided on exactly how far they should go - it has to be said that such initiatives are now happening with rapid frequency.
In the past couple of weeks alone, three truckloads of cats totalling many thousands, have been intercepted by animal welfare groups, plus another two truckloads of over 300 dogs. These groups continue to stand firm against the trade - now going out publicly and stating their view that dogs and cats are our friends, not food. Here are some photos from two recent rescues in Nanjing.
The authorities are helping too. Just this week, the Lan Zhou Animal Rescue Centre has been given permission by the local government to hold the recently confiscated 385 cats for the next 21 days. The trader has been given the opportunity to vaccinate the cats, but must also prove that they originated from an area that has no epidemic problem – i.e., that they came from a legal source. The group is growing ever more confident that the trader will not fight the decision to confiscate the cats - especially considering that nearly 100 cat owners have already been to the site and identified their beloved family companions!
This again confirms our own findings that the trade in dogs and cats is mired in illegal practices, with the majority stolen, and that the groups are right to bring this to the attention of the authorities concerned.
And so back to rescued Qimeng dogs - did I mention favourites earlier? Yes guilty as charged. When he first arrived, he was wounded and thin, and shrank to the back of his cage. As the days went on and some of the dogs began to wag tails and sniff curiously whenever we approached, he remained quiet and depressed and lay with his head on the floor. I nicknamed him Big Eddie, because he resembled previously rescued market dog Eddie (from 2001) - but was more than twice his size. Here he is straight after the rescue (at back).
Over the weeks he changed. You could see the light begin to appear in his eyes, the slight twitch of his tail, and his head looking up in recognition of familiar faces and voices he had at last begun to trust. And, within a couple of weeks, there was no going back.
Today, Wendy describes him simply as "bonkers". And while I know it's probably not the most sensible of decisions considering four other dogs at home, I'm afraid that total adoration has taken over all sense, and I just describe him as...........mine.
With everything crossed he survives the rest of his quarantine, please let me introduce you, fondly, to Muppet.
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On Monday, the floor under the surgery table in Vietnam was puddled with blood. But my goodness did Dream, bear number V100, feel so much better once all her rotten teeth had been removed. Vet Kirsty, along with Caz, Rae and team all worked like troopers following the rescue of our 14 bears; bent double over this poor bear as they drilled, manoeuvred and removed teeth that had been the source of constant pain for at least 7 or 8 years.
Today is a new chapter in this campaign, as the farmer actually surrendered his bears with no expectation or request for funds. Tuan, our Vietnam Director has led a superb rescue and it is with never-ending pride that I pay tribute not only to our Vietnam team but to our Animals Asia staff worldwide so in harmony and impassioned until the very last farm has closed.
Today Dream is slowly improving in her roomy recovery cage and being spoiled rotten. Click here to read about her and the other bears that were rescued last week, with thanks from us all for your faith, help and care as we continue in our never ending goal of ending bear farming in China and Vietnam.
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Our truly amazing Australian ambassador has done it again - lovely celeb Peter Northcote and Bands for Bears member Brydon Stace, singer extraordinaire, were at Lalor Park Primary School special needs class where they had the kids with their hands up for the bears.
Turning this blog over to none other than Peter himself who shows how a little time and a lot of passion can move mountains for the bears.
Peter, Brydon, Robby and Chris, you rock!
"On Tuesday the 22nd of November, myself and Brydon Stace went out to Lalor Park Primary School special needs class to talk about all things moon bears! The kids have been studying and learning all about Animas Asia since I returned from my trip to Chengdu in September.
After seeing the short doco I did, Jill and moon bears have become an incredible passion for them all and being a special needs class it takes special things for these amazing kids to become so involved.
After the BANDS FOR BEARS concert in August, I was given a bear cub to name, so I thought it fit to pass the privilege onto the kids my girlfriend, Robby, teaches. They came up with 3 names.
ARVIE = The peoples friend.
PAXTON = from the peaceful farm, and
PETER ROBERT BAYNES (because Tommy thought it would look good when he signed his name).
Peter Robert Baynes was the obvious winner.
They just LOVE moon bears. Robby and Chris (the teachers) have done an amazing job in teaching the kids and getting them involved in the projects, like poems, letters to Jill (and me), paintings, drawings and a huge mural that usurps the room….all centred around moon bears.
You must understand, all of the kids have varying degrees of autism. Some of the kids don’t really get along with people, but they love animals. They understand exactly what’s going on with the bear farms and they all despise the “Farmers”. One of the kids calls them “Villains”. But what resonates with all of them is they want to help Jill and Animals Asia as much as they can.
This is the wonderful thing about these kids. They only know how to be 100% honest. Mica and Cassy want to go to the sanctuary to volunteer (after Brydon explained what "volunteering" was and how to do it) and somehow I think this may well happen. Their passion is that strong.
I showed some pictures of PETER ROBERT BAYNES and we answered questions then had a sing along with some dancing to Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean". I gave out the ANIMALS ASIA kids school packs and some of my CDs and it was time to go home.
I hear from Robby that days later they are still singing Billy Jean and talking about PRB. Robby and Chris are amazing people. How they have managed to utilize the kids passion and creativity to help them understand just what a dire situation it is for moon bears and animals everywhere, is a testament to what amazing teachers they are. The love is strong in Lalor Park Primary. And as Corey says when he’s happy, “Hands in the air”…!
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Oh how very nice it was to be back in the USA and Canada in the second part of our Roadshow.
It was just weeks previously that I'd joined Morgan and Alice in the first leg and met old friends and new as we updated everyone on progress in China and Vietnam. This time we had the chance to visit Canada too, in a whirlwind tour with a focus on celebrity, which featured an amazing event at Frank Sinatra's house, and a presentation with one of my all-time favourite actresses, Ali MacGraw.
In fact, the whole tour was full of fun and nice surprises - meeting so many passionate supporters who have joined the tide of change in Asia, committing their time and energy..... until the cruelty ends.
Please click here for the full story of those crazy couple of weeks - with grateful thanks more than I can ever say to Morgan, Alice, Maya and Jada, and all those who helped and joined them in making this such a memorable and successful show.
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