There are so many stray dogs in the world just in need of a little love. While most people just ignore these dogs, others dedicate their entire lives to helping these dogs.
Like this Buddhist monk whose faith has led him to rescue thousands of stray dogs from the streets of China.
Zhi Xiang is a 51-year-old monk who has dedicated his time and money since 1994 to helping stray dogs. In that time, he has helped rescue a whopping 8,000 of them.
He says he is driven by his faith to help the helpless animals: “I have to save them, because if I don’t, they will surely die,” Zhi told AFP.
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Zhi rescues animals from the street and gives them a place to stay, either in his monastery or in a shelter he runs in Shanghai. While he has also rescued other animals like cats, most of his rescues have been dogs.
According to AFP, caring for the dogs costs him $2 million a year. His mission is supported by his parents, fellow monks, and other donors.
China has long had a problem with large numbers of stray cats and dogs, with an estimated 50 million homeless animals.
Zhi says a large part of the problem is due to irresponsible pet owners, who often do not spay or neuter their pets.
“Stray animals are not caused by people who don’t love animals, nor by the government, but by the so-called dog lovers,” Zhi told AFP.
But while the stray animal population remains a big problem, Zhi plays a significant role in reducing the number of stray animals by having the dogs adopted abroad.
Zhi says he often misses the dogs when they go abroad, but he hopes to reunite with them someday.
“I think they are very happy, so I feel it’s worth it,” Zhi said after dropping off a dog at the airport when it was going overseas to Seattle. “But of course, I miss them.”
“I have a dream that one day, when I have some free time, I want to go abroad and visit them, and take photos with every dog I have saved,” he said. “When I am old and can no longer walk, I have these photos to look at.”
Thank you Zhi for doing so much to help these stray dogs! The world needs more people like him.
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