With a heavy heart I'm afraid that the weekend has brought no positive news following the cruel slaughter of dogs in Shaanxi Province last week. Our good friend, Chinese animal welfarist Jianghong and her team have just returned from a traumatic trip to Hangzhong city and Yangxian. They saw no dogs alive in the streets of Yanxian - just the broken carcasses of innocent victims, and officials washing their hands of blood, and responsibility, for such a brutal knee jerk reaction to rabies.

The authorities have blindly continued in their cull, despite receiving solid advice from experts in China and across the world who stress that such action will not address the core problem of rabies outbreaks in China. Our letter passed over by Jianghong was virtually ignored by officials seemingly unmoved and uncaring, with their action so damaging
to the image of the country.

We must hold on to hope - because brave citizens like Jianghong are rising higher and higher in defence of the voiceless, and need our help more than ever.

Before leaving, she and her group sadly held a mourning ceremony in Hangzhong city together with over 200 residents in memory of the dogs so savagely slaughtered. Their SOS of candles apparently failed to turn the cold, cold hearts of the authorities, but continued uniting animal lovers everywhere now publicly demonstrating against a regime of heartless brutality towards animals so deserving of our respect.

Read the full update on Jianghong's visit here.