‘One of the other volunteers had seen a dachshund on their last trip and not saved it and they regretted that deeply.
‘With that in mind I thought it would be perfect to save this dachshund and for him to have a home if he survived.
‘He would have been sold for meat at the end of the day if nobody came.
‘The sellers don’t care about why we’re buying the dogs; they just care about somebody giving them money.’
Callum paid ¥242 (around £26) for Wally before driving him four and a half hours away to a vet for a check-up in the city of Changchun.Celebrate Your Pet at Every Age. Everyone loves a new puppy or kitten, says Dr. Becker. “They’re wildly kinetic, and humorous. An older pet is thinner, bonier. Their coats aren’t as soft, they might have bad breath.” But, like people, a pet’s needs change with age. They may be less active, preferring a leisurely stroll to a rollicking tug-of-war. “Our old retriever, who’s blind, still wants to retrieve.” Adapting to their changing needs will ensure your old friend remains a healthy and happy member of your family.
On the way Wally began having coughing fits – it turned out the cold had left him with pneumonia. Had he not been found in time he likely would have died from a respiratory infection.
It was ‘tough and go’, but after an IV drip and injections, Wally made a full recovery.
On 4 February he will fly to Florida, along with seven other dogs saved from the slaughterhouse.
Callum said: ‘His new family are dachshund owners and animal lovers… I’m sure he’ll be happy there.‘27,000 dogs end up on the dinner table every day in China, but we’ve rescued over a 1,000 in just two and a half years and we hope to rescue many more.’