~Sherry Chen
In the next two weeks, No Dogs Left Behind (“NDLB”) will be gearing up for the upcoming transport of 30 slaughterhouse dogs from China to New York City. Most of these rescued dogs are adopted – some fostered – by families in the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom. This nonprofit organization works with brave Chinese activists and volunteers to rescue dogs from death in certain parts of China and rehabilitate them for eventual adoption.
This trip comes on the heels of the last transport to NYC – and some to Canada – on Mon., Feb. 15, 2021. The 29 rescued dogs arrived in the US from the controversial dog meat industry in certain China cities, where these animals are barbarically killed for consumption. While this practice is illegal in China, there is currently no legislation in place to rescue dogs.
“There are no animal welfare laws In China,” says Jeffrey Beri, founder of NDLB, formed in 2016. “Sustainability is a major factor in the future of our planet, the reckless slaughtering of animals must come to end. The world has been brought to its knees by this pandemic that was unleashed because of recklessly slaughtering animals.”
Donations are desperately needed to fund the next trip. In the last three months, more than 230 dogs have already been evacuated. Volunteers and local Chinese activists at the two NDLB sanctuaries in China work to vaccinate, treat and rehabilitate 250 dogs, most of which have never experienced human kindness.
“They’re just so badly beaten, tortured, slammed into chicken cages,” says Beri. He believes educating children on why dogs are our friends is the key to change. He often speaks at schools in Yulin, China, to teach young students that dogs are our companions. “Many of them have never even touched a dog before,” he says. Yulin is the site of the annual horrific dogmeat “festival,” where dogs and cats in cramped cages are tortured and eventually slaughtered for food. The next festival is in June 2021.
NDLB alongside local volunteers and brave activists intercept trucks in China bound for this festival as well as slaughterhouses. Money is never used to buy any dogs, says Beri, because “purchasing a dog kills 10 more.” Instead NDLB allied forces demand the trucker to provide proper legal documentation – as well as health and quarantine certificates – for each canine, which they cannot. And because the fines would exceed the cost of the dog, the traffickers eventually hand the animals over to activists.
“I will be leading the way to end – to end – Yulin,” says Beri. “I chose to fight the fight with dogs because dogs to me are my best friends.”
Upcoming plans for NDLB include opening a US sanctuary, purchasing a charter plane to evacuate 500 dogs, and helping China lead the way for change by enacting animal welfare laws. “This is about the future of the planet and our kids, that’s who No Dogs Left Behind is.”
“Change is in order, culture change is in order,” says Beri. “Activists, volunteers, and allied forces are always leading the way. We don’t believe in bringing armies; we believe in growing them. That’s a sustainable solution.”
But even though this New York native has rescued hundreds of dogs, he can’t help but think of the ones he couldn’t rescue. “The dogs that I can’t save are the dogs that haunt me.”
Please consider making a donation today to NDLB at https://nodogsleftbehind.com/.
