Seven dogs stolen in Jilin, China, managed to escape from a truck headed to an illegal meat market and stayed together as they made their way to safety. Over the course of two days, the group traveled nearly 17 kilometers, moving through highways and open fields without splitting up, before finally reuniting with their owners.
Drone footage captured the dogs working together in a surprisingly coordinated way. The larger dogs formed a protective circle around an injured German Shepherd, while a corgi took the lead, frequently looking back to keep the group moving at the same pace.
The dogs were already familiar with each other as neighborhood companions, which likely helped them stay united. Locals and rescue volunteers tracked their journey through social media updates, eventually helping bring them home.
If you’d like to see the footage and learn more about their journey, you can watch the video here:
Beyond being an incredible survival story, the incident also sheds light on the ongoing issue of illegal dog meat trafficking in China, as well as the important role online communities can play in rescuing and recovering stolen pets.
