The world’s most expensive dog

The world's most expensive dog showed he was just as friendly as the average, run-of-the-mill mutt as he met his new master.

The red Tibetan Mastiff, who was sold for 10million Chinese yuan, or £945,000, happily wagged his tail as he was handed over to his coal baron owner at a private breeding base in Qingdao city, in east China's Shandong province.

Mr Yang will need a big house too, as adult Tibetan Mastiffs have been known to weigh as much as 290lb, or more than 20 stone – the same as a sizeable rugby player. However the typical weight for a fully grown Tibetan Mastiff is around 13 stone.

The high price paid for the dog is a sign that the red Tibetan mastiff has become a status symbol in China, replacing jewellery and cars as a way for the super-rich to show off their wealth.

Not only is red considered a lucky colour, but Tibetan mastiffs are thought to be holy animals, blessing their owners' health and security.

Tibetans believe the dogs have the souls of monks and nuns who were not good enough to be reincarnated as humans or into Shambhala, the heavenly realm.

These days there are only around 300 Tibetan mastiffs in the UK, and puppies sell for a more reasonable £850 to £1,000.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367247/Red-Tibetan-Mastiff-million-pound-dog-handed-new-owner.html#ixzz1GzBLjb1O

Tell China: Don't Support Bear Bile Farms

In China, bears are farmed for their bile, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine. The bears are housed in coffin-size cages and the bile is extracted through a tube implanted in their gall bladders. 

Bears farmed for their bile suffer immensely, Many get infections and liver cancer, and they typically only live 5 years compared with 25 years in the wild. 

Now, the Gui Zhen Tang Pharmaceutical Corporation, which produces bear bile, wants inclusion in the Shenzheng Stock Exchange. Allowing this company into the stock exchange will send a message that bear bile farming is okay: We can't let that happen. 

Urge the Shenzhen Stock Exchange not to allow the Gui Zhen Tang Pharmaceutical Corporation into their exchange. » 

Shangai Passed One Dog Law

We did expect something of this sort to happen in China soon. China has been very firm in its one child policy though it is still the most populated countries of the world.

Now, Shanghai has passed the one dog policy law so now all households can keep only one dog. This, they feel will help in controlling the growing dog population in China's leading metropolis. Shanghai's pet dog population is somewhere around 800,000. Only a quarter of this number is registered according to an earlier report. With this step, soon the one dog law will be passed in all the major cities perhaps.

This law will be applicable from May 15th. The Chinese government feels that a tighter regulation was required due to rampant barking, unscooped waste and growing risk of dog attacks, which is negatively affecting the city's sanitation and over all environment.

Now dog owners must give the puppies to no dog households or to government approved adoption agencies before the pups reach three months age. Anyone who already owns two or more licensed dogs will be allowed to keep them though.

The Story Of 2 Legged Lamb

\

In August 2010, a very cute two legged lamb was born in China. The lamb was to be chopped because of his two legs but when the sheep farmer Cui Jinxiu the lamb's determination to live, she dropped the idea. 

Cui said that she was so impressed to see the two legged lamb when he got up and went to his mother to drink milk. Cui hand reared the lamb from that day. Cui is very close to this particular lamb and takes great care of him. She couldn't slaughter the lamb because they are quite attached to each other now.

Cui says that the lamb is quick and follows her everywhere. He is extremely friendly and doesn't even feel that he has a disability.

Though I read in other stories that the doctors felt that the lamb might not survive for long because of his disability. Or as he would grow old he might face difficulties. However, it is quite possible that he would go on living a happy life. Many animals with such disabilities survive.

This little lamb story is quite positive. It shows there is hope for all of us. Many people may feel they are the two legged lambs but they may do just fine.

Stop the Skinning of Live Animals NOW!!

The video is very difficult to watch but you need to watch it so click the link below to view the video and sign the petition. What is happening to dogs and cats overseas is far worse than anything I've seen. It's disgusting, inhumane and emotionally distressing. THIS MUST STOP NOW!!!! There is almost 150,000 signatures already and we can't stop there.

Go to http://www.ptroa.co.il/petitionmovie/petition-English.php sorry, you may have to copy and paste the link.

Tens of millions of animals are slaughtered and butchered in China each year. Animal fur is in high demand, and the Chinese deliver. What does not get exported outside of China usually ends up on a dinner plate. The sad fact is that the animals suffer horrendous torture. They are captured on the streets, and packed by the dozens into small cages, without ability to move. They are then tossed like inanimate objects from the trucks, onto the ground, hitting each other and the steel cages. These cages are later stacked, and the real nightmare begins. The animal is brutally pulled out of the cage, and tied to prevent resistance. It is lightly stunned by a blow on the head, but still alive. If the animal is not heavy, the worker holds it by its hind legs, waves it in the air and then bashes its head against the ground. Once the animal is subdued, a new and incomprehensible stage in this ongoing nightmare begins. The worker cuts a tiny incision in the animal's rear, and then methodically peels away the skin. This skinning process takes about a minute, during which the worker actively keeps the animal alive, as it is believed that it is easier to skin the animal while it is still warm and blood flows through its veins. The nightmare does not end here. The final stage in this unbelievable horror is when the animal is tossed aside, and slowly, amidst a heap of its dying friends, it perishes as it is no longer able to withstand the pain. In other cases, when the animal's fur is not needed (mostly with cats), the animals are put in a sack, and are then cooked alive in a barrel of boiling water.

This process is extremely hard to digest, but we believe it is not propelled by cruelty, but rather by ignorance and lack of awareness to animal needs. The workers do not think to kill the animal before they begin, and are not aware of the animal's suffering. Our commitment is to provide enlightenment. It is our moral obligation to these animals. If we shut our eyes this will not go away!

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop_the_skinning_of_live_animals_now

Dog risks his own life to protect his dying friend

We have heard too many stories about the loyalty of dogs but this one is heart wrenching.

A dog was being knocked down by the car on one of the busy roads in China but his companion risked his own life. He didn’t leave his friend even though it must have been really scary for him to protect his dead buddy on the road.

Well nothing else is known about the loyal pooch but he wasn’t been hit by any car. Eventually the dead dog was taken off the road.

I’ve seen that animals actually make us, humans, speechless. They go beyond the boundaries. They don’t care about their own safety when they are being loyal to someone. But we live in a world where they are all the time targeting these innocent beings. Instead of learning anything from them, humans prefer to stay evil.

Put a Stop to Bear Bile Farming

Bear bile farming is an alarming practice taking place in China, whereby Asiatic black bears are captured and used to provide bile from their gall bladders. The bile is found in popular ancient Chinese medicine.

The bile extraction process is extremely painful for the bears, and is hardly ever performed in a sterile manner. In fact, about half of all bears caught for their bile end up dying from complications of the procedure. We need to end this inhumane act of torture immediately. Send a letter to the World Society for the Protection of Animals to support their efforts to abolish bear bile farming forever.

http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces;jsessionid=ED7BC3D65596B269097509734D86C0EA.ctg-a?siteId=4&campaign=BearBileFarms

Help Save the Endangered Giant Panda

Deforestation is the primary cause of a loss of habitat for pandas over the years. Humankind continues to log the forests in which these majestic animals live, making way for development or harvesting the trees for palm oil. There are only around 1,500 giant pandas left in the world, and the count is still declining.

China, where the majority of the world's pandas live, has set aside reserves that are designated protected areas for pandas. This is no doubt a step in the right direction, but the panda still remains in danger of extinction. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is working with China to establish reserves and helping to develop a program that will make giant strides toward securing the panda's survival.

Sign the petition in support of the WWF's work in China and its mission to save the giant panda's natural habitat.

http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=4&campaign=SavethePanda

Tell China's Largest Online Retailer to Stop Selling Dog and Cat Skin Products

On Taobao.com, China’s largest e-commerce web site, more than 6,000 items – including coats, vests, boots and cushions – are for sale that are made from the skin of cats or dogs.

Although Taobao’s policy does not allow the sale of these items, the punishment for the sellers is a deduction of their ratings points, which makes them less popular.

According to the China Small Animal Protection Association, many of the cat products, such as a mattress stuffed with cat fur, are from dealers who catch strays off the street and skin them. Other items are from animals that have been bludgeoned and skinned, some while still alive.

Animal welfare advocates in China have launched an online campaign asking Taobao to take stronger measures to remove and ban these sellers as well as the dog and cat skin products from its web site.

Help them in their campaign by signing the petition.

http://animals.change.org/petitions/view/tell_chinas_largest_online_retailer_to_stop_selling_dog_and_cat_skin_products

In Music China November-December 2009 Photographed by Steven Klein

Harper's Bazaar China April 2006 Photographed by Solve Sundsbo

Harper's Bazaar China October 2003 Photographed by Regan Cameron

Elle China July 2008 Photographed by Tom Munro

Elle China February 2001 Photographed by Gilles Bensimon

Elle China March 2006 Confessions Gilles Bensimon