Saving China’s Cats and Dogs: Ha Wenjin’s No-Kill Animal Shelter

June 1, 2009

Rescued dogs gather for feeding time at Ha Wenjin’s animal rescue farm outside of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. About 1000 animals, both dogs and cats, live at the no-kill shelter where they have spacious indoor and outdoor living areas. At times other than feeding time, the animals are not as crowded as this picture depicts.

Volunteers ride a rented bus and prepare food for animals at Ha Wenjin’s dog and cat rescue farm outside of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. Volunteers travel to the farm, a no-kill shelter for stray, injured, and unwanted animals, at least once a week, bringing food and other necessities for the animals.

Volunteers leave a rented bus after arriving at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

Volunteers carry food, blankets, and other necessities for the dogs and cats at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

The cats are provided a small farmhouse and a outdoor playing area at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

Volunteers feed cats in a small farmhouse at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

Cats inhabit a small farmhouse at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

A volunteer inspects cars for signs of illness and cleans their ears at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

Sick dogs occupy a small farmhouse at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The sick dogs are kept separate from the rest of the dogs at the shelter.

A caretaker tends the bedding provided for cats in a small farmhouse at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

Volunteers carry food, blankets, and other necessities for the dogs and cats at Ha Wenjin’s no-kill dog and cat rescue farm outside Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

An hour or so out of Nanjing, well away from the factories and cars of the bustling city, a small farm houses hundreds of dogs and cats. The animals are sick or injured or have been abandoned, but it's no matter to Ha Wenjin or the army of volunteers who care for the animals. Connected with a small clinic in the city, the farm takes Nanjing's unwanted pets and strays and gives them a life of leisure and freedom. The no-kill shelter, a rarity in the country, provides the animals with shelter, food, love and care in a city known as a source for dog and cat meat for southern China's exotic food needs. You can license these images or purchase prints at my archive: Saving Nanjing's Cats and Dogs