I was walking home from my job as a primary school teacher, on a hot summers afternoon, when I spotted a White Male Pekingese dog that appeared to be wandering the streets alone. Pekingese Dogs are one of the world’s oldest breeds of dog and here in China they are a symbol of good fortune. I looked around for a few minutes from a distance and couldn’t be sure whether or not he had an owner nearby.
Some owners will let theirs dogs off lead in city communities here, they wander off for an adventure and return to their home later. I followed him for half an hour, he returned to close to where I first saw him and hid under a car. He was dirty and his coat matted. I asked a few locals nearby whether they recognised this dog and nobody did.
It was time to attempt a rescue! Usually, I only attempt a rescue if an animal looks sick or desperately in need of help. In this case I made the choice because he didn’t appear to be in a stray pack and fending for yourself all alone is tough with busy city traffic, people and the real threat of starvation and dehydration on a hot summers day.
By now he was aware of me hanging around. I crouched down close to him and he wagged his tail, I let him sniff the back of my hand, edging slowly close, but not close enough to shock him and accidentally get bitten. It always warms my heart when it doesn’t take long for an animal to trust you. Most likely this dog was abandoned after having had a home because he didn’t fear human’s much. Long-term strays usually fear humans a lot more and it takes time to build trust.
I had no lead or anything to put him in so I decided to see if he would follow me to a vets or pet shop. There I could get him a lead or put him into the vets to check his health. I searched for a local vets and slowly began the journey. The dog was following me, slowly but surely. Every now and then I would whistle or make a sound to encourage him to continue following me. Around the first corner he made friends with a group of young children with skateboards who thought he was cute.
After some persuasion, but mostly because his new friends had left, the journey continued. The first pet shop I found had closed down so I continued on towards another. Crossing roads was most challenging, He ambled along slowly across roads, but thankfully waited with me for the light to change to green. I felt relieved that he continued to follow me, if he decided not to, I couldn’t do much more to help him without backup. It was hot though and I was thirsty, I hope I could get him to safety quickly but the nearby vets didn’t seem to exist either. I found another vets a few KM away and we continued on until he decided it was time to hide under a truck for shelter.
I realised I had some cat treats in my bag, I’d bought them on my lunch break. I soon found out that dogs love cat treats too and his slow walk became much faster. Why hadn’t I remember the treats earlier!? Oh well, I was just glad he hadn’t got bored of following me a few KM’s in the heat already. After another half an hour or so I spotted the vets. He followed me right inside, pretty much having rescued himself! I didn’t need to touch him, only lead the way. Once the door was shut, he realised that he wasn’t so keen to be inside and kept pawing on the door to be let out.
There was no way I was letting him go after this long journey. People kept opening the door and like a goalkeeper I dived from side to side stopping any escape attempt. The vets asked for a name and I found the Finnish name for snow, Lumi, sounded pretty good. Lumi had a clean bill of health and began his stay in the vets, where over the next month or so, he was vaccinated against deadly diseases. Lumi’s story began with his self-rescue! but this is only the beginning of the story of Lumi the dog, things took a turn for the worse a few months later and he currently has some challenges to face. The YouTube video below is one I took on my phone while rescuing Lumi, showcasing the journey in this article.
From the bustling streets to the quiet safety of the vet’s office, Lumi’s journey is a testament to the silent language of trust and the loud call of compassion. As we continue to support Lumi through his upcoming challenges, we invite you to join us in making a difference. Your support can transform the lives of many more like him. If Lumi’s story touched your heart, please consider donating to help us continue our mission, using the donate box form below the video. We’d also love to hear your thoughts or your own stories of rescue and companionship. Together, let’s keep spreading love, one paw at a time.
Boarding costs for Lumi are more than $100 per month and we currently have expenses for boarding, food and medical bills of over $500, if you’d like to help please use the form below or contact us.