Marathon Runner embarks on a heartwarming journey, welcoming two fortunate dogs from China and driving them 500 miles to their new homes just in time to escape the harrowing Yulin Dog Meat Festival. 

Nikki Swannell ( 40), a dedicated dog groomer from Leeds, is not just a marathon runner but a passionate advocate for the NoToDogMeat charity. Her recent completion of the Brighton Marathon is just a stepping stone to her ambitious plan of running three marathons in a row in 2025, all to raise funds for the London charity and its shelter in China for rescued dogs and cats.

When she heard two lucky survivors, Rupert and Daphne, were coming over, she immediately pulled an all-nighter to be at Paris airport the next morning at 5 a.m. to welcome the pups. She was joined by her daughter Shauna, a mannequin designer.

"When I heard the dogs were coming over, I knew I wanted to help. Driving so far was an effort, but with the marathon training, I could do it. Seeing their happy faces, I would have happily sprinted there." 

Daphne, a golden retriever, was rescued by Julia de Cadenet from the charity in 2022 from a brutal slaughterhouse at Yulin, the barbaric festival which takes place every summer solstice in the southern province of Guangxi. For over ten years, the NoToDogMeat charity has campaigned for this event, which sees hundreds of stolen pets slaughtered for the practice to end and for the government to create animal welfare laws.

Rupert, an adorable, cheeky, bear-faced Malamute, was saved a few months ago from a dog meat restaurant north of Beijing.

" Many people believe that the consumption of dogs and cats is declining, and to some extent, it is in parts of Asia, with activists pushing for new laws and the younger generation getting their pets. But we saw in Rupert's case that he was sold to the restaurant as his owner had unsuccessfully tried to get all his teeth removed and did not want him as he was no longer a cute puppy." 

" In China", Julia continued ", the dog meat trade is still an unregulated money-making industry fuelled by criminal gangs. People regularly have their beloved pets stolen without recourse, and many people abandon older animals. Unscrupulous traders can easily load them into trucks and sell them for food and fur. The government also believes that Yulin is a remote destination thousands of miles from Beijing and that a dog-eating festival is an isolated event. However, Julia says this is not true. Yulin is a thriving city, and our evidence shows that dog farms around the area are on the rise."

Bringing dogs to the UK takes time and can be expensive, but two lucky owners will now have the chance to give these dogs a new life. Rupert is currently staying with Nikki, who has three dogs of her own, and she says he is already part of the furry family.

To find out more about the charity, please visit

www.notodogmeat.com

we transfer board link ( all photos credited to Julia de Cadenet/NoToDogMeat)

https://collect.wetransfer.com/board/ssuf7x09owf5v032o20240606091213/latest?token=4bf09f13-f609-4a6d-b663-156e77e8d8d4

more information: press@notodogmeat.com