Seven dogs stolen in China walk miles home together after escaping meat trade thieves
Footage showed the dogs moving as a group, with several appearing to shield an injured German shepherd, while a Corgi at the front repeatedly looked back as if checking the others were still following
Seven stolen pet dogs in north-eastern China have gone viral after reportedly escaping thieves linked to a dog meat shop and making their way home together.
Listen to this article
The animals were filmed walking along a busy highway in Changchun, Jilin province in China.
Footage showed the dogs moving as a group, with several appearing to shield an injured German shepherd, while a Corgi at the front repeatedly looked back as if checking the others were still following.
The group included Golden Retrievers, Labradors and Pekinese dogs.
A passer-by surnamed Lu, who recorded the video, told outlet Dahe Daily: “They resemble a band of little brothers in distress, moving in unison – nothing like stray dogs.”
Read More: Pet prescription fees to be capped after watchdog finds owners overcharged
Read More: 'I saw things I can’t unsee': TV dog expert boycotts Crufts over welfare concerns
Seven dogs stolen from their owners have gone viral after escaping from an illegal transport truck and making their way home.
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) March 23, 2026
They traveled around 17 km together, led by a corgi across highways and fields, now safely back with their respective owners..🐶🐾🥺❤️ pic.twitter.com/H5VB9BQkGB
Lu said he tried several times to lead the dogs to safety, but they ignored him. He then posted the video on Douyin and called for help.
The Bitter Coffee Stray Dog Base later said the dogs all came from the same village and were known to roam around together, having formed close bonds.
Volunteers were sent out, along with a drone, to track the animals and help them get back safely.
One volunteer claimed the dogs had been stolen by people linked to a dog meat shop, and suggested they may have escaped from a truck, although no-one saw them get away.
On March 19, a volunteer told Jimu News that all seven dogs had been returned to their owners, from three different households.
The highway where they were first spotted was about 10 miles (17km) from their village.
One owner said after two of his dogs returned: “We are so lucky they came back, not to be eaten.”
Some online users have questioned whether the footage is genuine, pointing to what they say are visual inconsistencies in the dogs’ shadows, paw movements and body shapes.
Others have suggested the animals’ unusually coordinated behaviour looks too perfect, fuelling speculation that the clip may have been created or altered using AI.
On March 21, Jilin’s provincial culture and tourism bureau confirmed the clip was real and said the dogs had not been stolen, but had wandered off by themselves after being drawn away by a German shepherd that was on heat and known to go missing for several days at a time.
State media said the episode “reflects the shortcomings of online information dissemination – a mixture of true and false information, where subjective speculation is easily taken as fact and spread”.