HX-Online Magazine 海翔个人期刊
THE HOME OF LIFE
THEY AND THEIR STORIES
The current situation of rescuing stray animals in China presents a combination of severity and complexity. At present, the number of stray animals in China has exceeded 40 million, accounting for a quarter of the global total. These animals are mainly abandoned or bred in disorder and live on the streets, facing survival threats such as extreme weather, traffic accidents, poaching, and poisoning. Their average lifespan is only about 2 years, far lower than keeping pets at home.
At the same time, China's rescue system is dominated by non-governmental organizations, with about 10000 non-governmental rescue institutions nationwide. However, they generally face funding shortages. For example, a rescue station in Qingdao frequently faces a "food shortage" crisis due to monthly dog food expenses exceeding 8000 yuan, and some rescuers even exhaust their personal savings to maintain operations
The eRescue faces many difficulties and challenges
1. Shortage of funds and resources
Civil organizations have long relied on uncertain social donations due to the prohibition of for-profit activities. Many rescuers also rely solely on their own wages to maintain the operation of the rescue station.
The kitten waiting for treatment
2. Low adoption rate and insufficient sense of responsibilityDespite the increasing call for adoption, the actual adoption rate is less than 2%. Some adopters abandoned their pets due to subsequent responsibilities such as medical care, cleaning, and allergy issues, resulting in secondary abandonment. Strict adoption agreements, such as providing home addresses and accepting follow-up visits, also discourage some potential adopters
The personal stray animal rescue stations in Qingdao are mostly spontaneously established by individual philanthropists, and the rescuers are mainly female (about 80%), with an age range of 40-60 years old, and some are retired or self-employed. For example, Ms. Ding from Shibei District has been taking in over 80 stray cats and dogs at home since 2018, but was forced to relocate to a suburban warehouse due to inability to afford rent; Ms. Zheng from Laoshan District relies on her own salary and her family's frugality to save money, and relies on online fundraising to maintain the operation of the base. These rescuers generally have strong emotional drive, and the vast majority lack professional management skills and resource integration experience.
Volunteer: Ms. Ding
Volunteer: Ms. Zheng
VIDEO
Individual stray animal rescuers in Qingdao interpret the weight of life through silent actions - they use their retirement funds to buy dog food, protect sick furry children on cold nights, and even give up a peaceful life for stray animals. The extraordinary choices of these ordinary people are the warmest footnotes of urban civilization: the constant snoring in Aunt Wang's warehouse, the disabled puppy gradually regaining vitality under Xiaolin's live streaming camera, the persistent feeding on the streets at night... Every persistence speaks of reverence for life.
On the streets of Qingdao today, the fate of stray animals not only depends on the bravery of rescuers, but also requires the help of the general public: perhaps by donating a bag of food, forwarding an adoption message, or treating community rescue stations with tolerance. When we stop complaining about 'why are there always people feeding stray cats and dogs' and instead think about' what can I do for them ', goodwill has the soil to grow.
I hope society can jointly light up this spark that protects life, so that every life can find a home in respect and care. Because the attitude towards the weak measures the temperature of a city; The gathering of countless hearts will eventually weave a beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between humans and animals.