For any lover of animals, the thought of these defenseless creatures suffering at the hands of humans is often too much to bear. For one woman living in China, she has made it her life’s mission to use every ounce of her being to save the lives of hundreds of dogs who desperately need her (and our!) help. Starting in 2009 in Yulin, China, a new “tradition” has begun–known as the Yulin Dog Meat Festival.

Click HERE to sign a petition to help put a stop to the Yulin Dog Meat Eating Festival

To celebrate this disturbing “event” thousands of stray dogs (and sometimes even owner’s dogs!) are captured and served up as meals for festival goers to feast on. Shocking, heartbreaking, cruel… so many words can describe this unethical treatment of man’s best friend. But for this sweet woman who takes her love for animals to what some people would consider extreme, she used her own money to rescue over 300 animals last year from being slaughtered and served up as food at the festival. And she’s determined to do it again!

Yang Xiaoyun began her work rescuing stray dogs and cats shortly after retiring from teaching, and if it wasn’t for these animals she doesn’t even know if she’d still be here. After Yang’s husband passed away she became very depressed, and she feels as if these rescue animals that needed her so badly actually rescued her from taking her own life.

Watch this video below of her previous efforts, showing the safe haven she has created for her precious pets that she loves so dearly:

https://youtu.be/0zYnQCw9gYY