Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/panda-dog-rescue-trash/

When the team at Northeast Animal Rescue goes out looking for strays in China’s most rundown and deserted areas, they know what to expect.

“Stray dogs began to increase with the epidemic,” the team wrote on Facebook.

Visiting street markets and factories that have been shuttered, the team finds that “in the declining industrial areas in northeastern China, the economic depression has made the situation of pets difficult.”

Still, despite the difficult situation and their limited resources, the team celebrates each rescue. One of their newest and “most touching rescue stories” is the story of Panda, who was found in an abandoned area, living in a pile of trash.

The team gave him a quick bath, revealing a beautiful shaggy coat and a healthy pup underneath the dirt. He also got a generous helping of milk and some playtime.

The tiny puppy, whose name fits his black-and-white coloring and quiet demeanor perfectly, was so small that he fit in the palm of a rescuer’s hand!

That didn’t last long, though, as the nurturing care and food Panda received at Northeast Animal Rescue helped him grow big and strong.

Now, adopted and living happily in his forever home, Panda is four times as big as he was when he was first found.

While the pandemic and difficult circumstances in China make success stories like Panda’s rare, the team at Northeast is continuing their mission to not only help animals in need but also encourage social change.

On their YouTube channel, the team writes that their goal is to “finally establish a national animal rescue system” in China.

Learn more about the team at their site here, or watch more of Panda’s story in the video below!

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog