Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
Seven Kidnapped Dogs Become Viral Sensation After They Escape Captors To Make Brave Journey Home Together
In a story that feels straight out of a movie, seven kidnapped dogs have captured hearts worldwide after making a daring escape and embarking on an incredible journey back home, together.
The incident took place in Changchun, Jilin province, China, and gained widespread global attention after a viral video shared on March 16 captured the dogs’ 10-mile (17 km) journeyback to their owners.
Highlights
- Seven kidnapped dogs captured global attention after escaping their captors and completing a remarkable 10-mile journey home together.
- From a corgi leading the way to the group protecting an injured companion, their coordinated journey left netizens calling it a real-life movie.
- While the dogs’ reunion moved millions, the incident also reignited conversations about the illegal dog trade and the urgent need for stronger laws in China.
The clip sent the internet into a frenzy, with netizens drawing comparisons to a real-life animated film, and many even urging filmmakers to turn this “Oscar-worthy movie idea” into a feature film.
One amused viewer wrote, “They made it home. The Secret Life of Pets Part 3.”
RELATED:
The seven pet dogs were reportedly kidnapped for the illegal dog meat trade in China earlier this month
Image credits: cswb_jl
According to multiple reports, the story first came to light when a social media user surnamed Lu recorded and shared a video of the dogs walking closely together along a busy highway in Changchun.
The group included several breeds, including a corgi, a German Shepherd, golden retrievers, Labradors, and a Pekingese.
In the clip, which has since garnered over 230 million views on Chinese social media platform Douyin, a corgi was seen leading the pack, frequently pausing to look back and ensure no one was left behind.
Image credits: Bernd Dittrich/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Several witnesses also claimed that the group moved in a remarkably coordinated formation.
In the video, a German Shepherd appeared to be injured, and the other dogs adjusted their pace and formed a protective circle around it to shield it from traffic and potential danger.
It has been reported that the dogs belonged to three neighboring residents and were stolen from their homes for the illegal dog meat trade.
Image credits: news.qq
Image credits: KirscheVerstahl
They were being transported in an illegal truck when they managed to break free, either by jumping or falling from the vehicle, miles away from their homes.
Their homebound journey lasted approximately two days and nights, and they were safely rescued after local groups, including the “Bitter Coffee” Stray Dog Rescue Station, used drones and volunteers to track them.
A video circulating on Chinese social media platform Douyin, which has garnered over 230 million views, further aided the rescue of the dogs
Image credits: cswb_jl
Image credits: lilfreakygoblin
By March 19, all seven dogs had reached their home village and were reunited with their owners.
According to Chinese media outlet Dahe Daily, the man who originally recorded the video found the group fascinating due to their resemblance to “a band of little brothers.”
He said, “They resemble a band of little brothers in distress, moving in unison—nothing like stray dogs.”
Image credits: news.qq
Image credits: PeterMmuo
Social media was flooded with a mix of awe, deep emotion, and calls for legislative change in response to the dogs’ heroic escape.
One user wrote, “It is heartwarming news, and China should prevent dog meat trade, considering it as ground. Everyone wants to live their life.”
Another user said, “Meanwhile, humans get lost with Google Maps, a full tank of gas, and still call [help]. But a corgi leads 6 homies 17km through highways like it’s nothing. We really are the inferior species in this world.”
Image credits: cswb_jl
Image credits: the_addressor
A third netizen added, “Dogs don’t get enough credit for how smart they are,” while another commenter wrote, “Oh my god! Make this into a movie and I’ll watch it.”
“This adorable doggie adventure is worth making a Doggie movie ‘Magnificent Seven’ or better still, ‘Dognificent Seven,’” read another comment.
“We don’t deserve dogs, fr,” wrote one saddened netizen, while another added, “That corgi said, ‘We’re leaving, and nobody’s getting lost’”
Image credits: Jie Zhao/Getty Images
Image credits: Joy_whynot
Others urged the owners of the dogs to “register this story before Disney starts making movies for money with this story.”
One person said, “If they made this into a movie, the money should go to the owners, or to help other dogs out of the meat trade.”
Another netizen expressed, “Seven dogs. 17 km. Led by a corgi. This isn’t just a story about animals finding their way home; it’s loyalty, leadership, and pure heart on four legs. Imagine being kidnapped, scared, and still traveling together to get back to the people who love you.”
Image credits: news.qq
“The courage, the coordination, the bond… this is next-level. Someone give that corgi a medal, please.”
The story also reignited fierce debate and condemnation of illegal dog trafficking.
Many commenters called for the immediate establishment of stronger animal protection laws.
Image credits: news.qq
In China, there is reportedly no nationwide ban on the consumption of dog meat, but it is increasingly restricted and widely considered controversial.
In 2020, China’s Ministry of Agriculture reclassified dogs as “companion animals” rather than “livestock.”
The incident sparked widespread debate surrounding the illegal dog trade, which remains prevalent in China
Image credits: 香港01
This effectively means they cannot be legally raised, slaughtered, or sold as food on a commercial scale.
Some major cities, such as Shenzhen and Zhuhai, have implemented explicit, permanent bans on the consumption of dog and cat meat.
While eating such meat may not be a crime in all regions, dog theft is a criminal offense punishable by fines or imprisonment.
View this post on Instagram
Additionally, because there are no official quarantine or slaughter standards for dogs, selling their meat often violates food safety laws.
Despite these restrictions, an estimated 10 million dogs are still ki**ed for meat annually in China.
“They need to find who did this, arrest them with WHATEVER they can!!! And create laws nationwide that actually address this issue,” wrote one netizen
Image credits: tiredfeminist_
Image credits: jrid6996
Image credits: RoRoVerus
Image credits: BiLoSelHaaay
Image credits: getrichordietri
Image credits: ScottWi92107364
Image credits: theisabelb
Image credits: emzanotti
Image credits: molsjames
Image credits: LilithDatura
Image credits: Sergio_fer7_
Image credits: DreCourtSilver
Image credits: PamelaS87139634
Image credits: beursact
Image credits: ochiengachie
Image credits: michelle511
Image credits: fx_sleek
Image credits: vuyelwachabs
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Floeckchen 1 hour ago
Of corse animals communicate with each other... shouldn't be news to anyone
Anony Mouse 1 hour ago
So nobody read the truth part? This whole narrative was constructed based on a 30-second tiktok clip and doesn’t have an ounce of fact in it. Surprised BP included the real story then went ahead and had AI write this fake article.
JB 34 minutes ago (edited)
Hard to say which story is “the truth”. OTOH the TikTok generated initial interest resulting in animal protection group(s) tracking the pack with drones, presumably all the way home. It should be possible to approximate their location from the video and where the person who shot it said they were at the time. This could also be cross-referenced with cell tower data. It’s definitely possible to verify the location where active tracking with drones started. This data would either support or discredit the claim of distance travelled. Other people besides the titktokker would have seen the pack and, due to the video going viral, commented that they had also seen the dogs - granted, not all of them honest. OTO the reporter has one owner’s assertion it didn’t happen. The dogs were a mere 2km away, trailing after a bıtch in heat. Watching the video, the visual evidence doesn’t really support the owner’s version of events. As for your ounce of truth: there’s no question there were 7 dogs, their breeds, that they walked along that stretch of road and how they were recorded acting. Maybe the popular tail (yes, that’s deliberate spelling) has been wildly embellished, but if it serves to reduce the misery of dogs sold for meat, I’m happy to accept a greater “truth” that dogs are wonderful creatures capable of remarkable feats, anything that encourages people to turn against the cruelty of illegal trade is a good thing.
Load More Replies...
Floeckchen 1 hour ago
Of corse animals communicate with each other... shouldn't be news to anyone
Anony Mouse 1 hour ago
So nobody read the truth part? This whole narrative was constructed based on a 30-second tiktok clip and doesn’t have an ounce of fact in it. Surprised BP included the real story then went ahead and had AI write this fake article.
JB 34 minutes ago (edited)
Hard to say which story is “the truth”. OTOH the TikTok generated initial interest resulting in animal protection group(s) tracking the pack with drones, presumably all the way home. It should be possible to approximate their location from the video and where the person who shot it said they were at the time. This could also be cross-referenced with cell tower data. It’s definitely possible to verify the location where active tracking with drones started. This data would either support or discredit the claim of distance travelled. Other people besides the titktokker would have seen the pack and, due to the video going viral, commented that they had also seen the dogs - granted, not all of them honest. OTO the reporter has one owner’s assertion it didn’t happen. The dogs were a mere 2km away, trailing after a bıtch in heat. Watching the video, the visual evidence doesn’t really support the owner’s version of events. As for your ounce of truth: there’s no question there were 7 dogs, their breeds, that they walked along that stretch of road and how they were recorded acting. Maybe the popular tail (yes, that’s deliberate spelling) has been wildly embellished, but if it serves to reduce the misery of dogs sold for meat, I’m happy to accept a greater “truth” that dogs are wonderful creatures capable of remarkable feats, anything that encourages people to turn against the cruelty of illegal trade is a good thing.
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
33
4