Meet the Chinese Monk who Helped Rescue Over 8,000 Strays

• Zhi Xiang had started caring for animals as part of his spiritual journey as a Buddhist monk.
• He and his team of volunteers are now in charge of a total of more than 8,000 strays.
• They make sure to provide them the basic necessities while finding them forever homes around the world.

Chinese monk Zhi Xiang has made animal rescue a part of his spiritual journey, as well as his life’s mission.

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Back in the 1990s, Zhi started caring for injured street cats in his neighborhood. Since then, the number of animals he has taken in has grown into a large community. The animal shelter he runs in Shanghai currently houses more than 7,000 rescue dogs.

Zhi Xiang observed that the number of abandoned dogs has risen not because of “people who dislike dogs, or by the government, but by so-called dog lovers who don’t have proper animal-caring knowledge.”

Over 50 million stray animals wander the streets of China. Thanks to Zhi and other dedicated animal rescuers, thousands have found a safe haven.

“I have to rescue them because if I don’t, they will die for sure,” Zhi said.

Aside from the Shanghai shelter, hundreds of animals are also housed at Zhi’s ancient monastery. The Bao’en Temple is currently home to hundreds of dogs and cats, as well as several feathered friends.

A total of more than 8,000 animal lives depend on Zhi and his team of volunteers, who make sure to provide them the basic necessities while finding them forever homes around the world.

Thanks to Zhi, thousands of rescue dogs have found loving homes in the US, Canada, and Europe.

Zhi also has the public to thank for assisting him with this massive operation. He hopes that every animal he meets will be given the home they deserve.

“I have a dream that one day, when I have some free time, I want to go abroad and visit them, take photos with every dog that I rescued,” Zhi shared. “So when I get old and can’t walk, I have these photos to look at.”

Learn more about his mission in the video below:

You can also check out their TikTok account to get updates on their work. Each video also shares contact information for anyone interested in adoption.

Source: I Heart Dogs