Borrowed my uncle’s car and loaded it up with dog food, training pads, and poop bags on a beautiful 30-degree Sunday. The weather couldn’t have been better after nearly two months of rain in Shenzhen. We set off at 9:30, picking up Tammy, who is in charge of our customer service . Tammy and I go way back from our English corner days. We’re around the same age, both love traveling, and jamming to English songs—an awesome way to improve our English skills.
After a fun 1.5-hour drive, we finally reached the dog shelter nestled in a lychee forest in Huizhou City. We had to park on the main road and use a wheelbarrow to haul all the donations. Mrs. Zhang, the shelter owner, greeted us. Despite her wealth, she drives a beat-up car and runs this non-profit dog shelter purely out of love for homeless dogs. She helped us navigate the muddy path to the shelter, which is in an old factory building.
The dogs went wild with excitement—barking, jumping, licking, and slobbering all over us. Mrs. Zhang told us the dogs love visitors because it means treats, playtime, and grooming.
We happily donated 100 KGS of dog food, 4 bags of training pads, and 2000 eco-friendly poop bags, and we even washed 5 dogs. As promised to our awesome customers: you order, we donate. We want our customers to know that their orders have a real positive impact on the world, not just for the environment but also for these furry friends.
So, where do these dogs come from? Some were lost and found on the streets, some were rescued from pet hospitals, and some were abandoned by their owners. There are 85 dogs of different breeds, each with unique personalities.
Take Sprite, for example; he loves stealing other dogs’ bow ties. Mooncake, on the other hand, is shy and quiet, just wanting to be a beautiful girl with a poop bag necklace. Coffee is a sassy girl who can sometimes be a bit too feisty with other dogs, but she loves human touch. She’s currently on probation and caged alone for now.
After sorting out the donations, we jumped in to help bathe the dogs. Mrs. Li, a sprightly volunteer in her 70s, is outgoing and energetic. She helps every weekend, loves dogs, and remembers every single one’s name. We had a blast washing the dogs together. We also met two other volunteers, both pet lovers with hearts of gold. We spent nearly two hours grooming Mooncake, and let me tell you, a groomer’s job is no walk in the park!
Finally, we said our goodbyes. Before heading home, we bought some fresh lychees, just picked from trees by the local farmers. They tasted delicious, sweet, and fresh, like the forest. Today was my late grandmother’s birthday. She raised me and gave me a loving childhood. I think it’s a beautiful way to honor her memory by doing something kind, and I miss her dearly.
