Maomao, 27, organiser of a Guangzhou volunteer organisation concerned with dog welfare, explains the strategies it uses to encourage more people to take care of abandoned dogs.
You are a law student. Why did you choose to take care of abandoned dogs?
It was fate. It was March 1, 2004, my first year of university, and two friends and I saw about 20 abandoned dogs in an abandoned stud farm near my apartment building in the Panyu district of Guangzhou. Most of the big dogs were in dirty cages and they had just leftover dry rice to eat. It was very cold, and you could see how miserable the dogs were.
I also saw a small, young dog in the barn. Its back legs were injured and it could not walk properly. I felt I should do something but could not find any staff. When I told the small dog I would come back in a few days I saw tears in its eyes, and I was deeply impressed by its cleverness. I felt I must protect it.
I bought the small dog for 200 yuan (HK$230). With three of my friends' support, we bought all the dogs from their owner, a Taiwanese businessman who had planned to use the dogs as part of the entertainment for visitors to his farm. That was the beginning of our group, the Family of the Pet. Life sometimes is full of unexpected things.
What is the main purpose of your group?