A dog rescued from the Chinese meat trade is enjoying her new life in the UK after being rescued by a charity.
Debbie Hairy, a three-year-old spitz-like pup, was killed at the hands of butchers at the infamous Yulin Dog Meat Festival before workers NoToDogMeat saved her.
Now she’s the first of the festival rescues to arrive in the UK since the pandemic, living in Wendover with Peter and Hayley Finch, who plan to take her out and are about to put the charity in the spotlight to bring.
Hayley, 38, works as a press officer for NoToDogMeat and adopted Debbie after working on the story of the dog’s arrival during the first leg of her journey from Beijing to Paris.
She said: ‘We are so excited to give Debbie a new home, and by sharing her story Debbie will help raise money so that other dogs can come from China too.
Debbie looked thin, frail and unkempt before being nursed back to health by NoToDogMeat after they rescued her
Now the cute little pup is enjoying her new life in Wendover, with her new human companions Hayley and Peter
Hayley Finch (pictured) works for charity and adopted Debbie after working on her story, following the little dog’s travels from China
“NoToDogMeat currently has 750 dogs in its Chinese shelters, and they all need loving homes, which is not always possible in China due to size restrictions and reluctance to adopt.”
Hayley added that Debbie ‘totally loves Wendover’ and that the lucky dog ’can’t believe she now has a garden to laze around in’.
“She also likes a little bit of cheese and having her tummy tickled, very different from the Yulin Dog Meat Festival where she almost got slaughtered to become soup,” Hayley said.
Debbie started her new life in the UK by appearing on the TV news to promote the charity’s work. And she loved being the center of attention at events, including last weekend’s Aylesbury Vegan Fair, where she proudly wore her NoToDogMeat bandana.
But according to her new human companions Hayley and Peter, the dog has “seen some horrible things” on her journey to safety, and “struggled initially with trusting men, after she was mistreated by meat-trade butchers in China.”
Charity worker Peter, 53, said: ‘It was hard at first because Debbie didn’t like me at all, and as a dog lover it felt sad when she didn’t want to interact with me. But over time we have built up a bond of trust, which makes it all the more special.’
Last week Debbie also took a big step when she visited the newly opened Clips grooming salon at Dobbies Garden Center in Wendover, where caring stylist Courtney Hearsum provided much-needed grooming, a first experience for the brave dog.
Hayley added: ‘We have been completely blown away by Debbie’s strength and resilience.
HAPPY: Debbie Hairy’s new life in the UK is a million miles from the brutal realities of China’s dog meat trade
“She’s so willing to try new things, and it’s great to see her take such a genuine approach to her safe and happy life.”
“Courtney at Clips was fantastic and understood that Debbie needed patience and kindness, and now she looks like a million bucks.”
London lawyer Julia de Cadenet founded NoToDogMeat in 2009, after witnessing the horrors of the meat trade herself.
According to the charity, it empowers people in meat-trade countries who want to make a difference, and provides a safe home for dogs rescued from an unspeakable fate.
‘BLOWN AWAY’: According to Hayley (pictured), she and Peter are overwhelmed by the little dog’s courage and resilience
According to Peter Finch (pictured), it took Debbie a while to feel comfortable with him, having been abused by men in the past, but the pair now share a special bond
NoToDogMeat also has special consultative status with the United Nations and regularly reports on its findings to help ban the inhumane and unsanitary slaughter of dogs and cats around the world.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, the charity had to put its relocation plan on hold, but now there is hope that more Westerners will consider a meat trade rescue like Debbie.
Julia said: ‘We are so happy that Debbie has found her safe and loving forever home, and her progress is just amazing. This dog has been through so much, but as with all of our rescues, the strength they display puts humanity to shame.
“However, Debbie is just the tip of the iceberg and we desperately need people to help us give more dogs a happy life, whether that be by registering to adopt themselves or by making a small donation.”
You can learn more about Debbie’s progress on Instagram by going to @debbiehairydog.