How it all started
Lynne Fisher is a passionate animal lover who has dedicated her life to saving dogs from the cruel meat trade in China. She runs a charity called Paws2Rescue, which helps to find loving homes for the rescued dogs in the UK. Lynne, who lives in Aberdeenshire, has been working with local shelters and volunteers in China for over six years, and has helped to save more than 100 dogs from slaughter.
Lynne Fisher with some of the dogs she rescued from China (Image: Daily Record)
The backlash
However, not everyone is happy with Lynne’s efforts. She has been receiving death threats and abusive messages from some people who accuse her of stealing the dogs from their owners, or of interfering with the culture and traditions of China. Lynne said: “I’ve had messages saying they hope I die, they hope I get cancer, they hope my family die. They say I’m a dog thief, a dog smuggler, a dog killer. They say I’m disrespecting China and their culture. They say I’m wasting money and resources that could be used for humans.”
Lynne said she has been targeted by trolls and haters online (Image: Daily Record)
The truth
Lynne said she is not stealing or smuggling any dogs, but rather working with legal and ethical channels to rescue them from the meat trade. She said: “The dogs we rescue are either strays, or they are taken from the meat trucks, or they are surrendered by their owners who can’t keep them anymore. We don’t take any dogs that have a microchip or a collar. We work with the local authorities and the customs to make sure everything is done properly. We also pay for all the vet bills, the transport, the quarantine, and the adoption fees. We don’t make any profit from this, we do it purely out of love for the dogs.”
Lynne said she works with legal and ethical channels to rescue the dogs (Image: Daily Record)
The challenges
Lynne said rescuing dogs from China is not an easy task, as there are many challenges and risks involved. She said: “It’s very hard to see the conditions that the dogs are kept in, and the cruelty that they face. Some of them are skinned alive, boiled alive, or beaten to death. Some of them are sick, injured, or traumatized. We try to save as many as we can, but we can’t save them all. It’s heartbreaking.”
Lynne said rescuing dogs from China is not an easy task (Image: Daily Record)
Lynne also said that the pandemic has made things more difficult, as there are more restrictions and delays in transporting the dogs. She said: “We used to fly the dogs to the UK with volunteers, but now we have to use cargo flights, which are more expensive and less frequent. We also have to deal with more paperwork and quarantine rules. Some of the dogs have been waiting for over a year to come to the UK. We are doing our best to get them here as soon as possible.”
Lynne said the pandemic has made things more difficult (Image: Daily Record)
The rewards
Despite the challenges and the backlash, Lynne said she is determined to continue her mission, as she believes it is the right thing to do. She said: “I love dogs, and I can’t stand the idea of them suffering. I want to give them a chance to live a happy and healthy life. I want to show them that humans can be kind and loving, not cruel and evil. I want to make a difference in the world, even if it’s just for one dog.”
Lynne said she is determined to continue her mission (Image: Daily Record)
Lynne also said that the rewards of rescuing dogs are immense, as she gets to see them transform from scared and broken animals to confident and joyful pets. She said: “It’s amazing to see the change in the dogs, how they learn to trust and love again. They are so grateful and loyal, they give you so much love and happiness. They are the best companions you can ask for. They are not just dogs, they are family.”
Lynne said the rewards of rescuing dogs are immense (Image: Daily Record)
Lynne said she has received a lot of support and appreciation from many people who admire her work and adopt her dogs. She said: “I’m very thankful for all the people who support us, who donate, who volunteer, who foster, who adopt. They are the ones who make this possible. They are the ones who give these dogs a new life. They are the heroes.”
Lynne said she has received a lot of support and appreciation from many people (Image: Daily Record)
