These simple dogs were destined to end up as pepperoni pizzas, but instead they managed to escape.
Seven stolen hunting dogs become unlikely heroes after breaking free from a Chinese dog meat factory and setting out on a ten-mile journey together.
The footage, which has gone viral, shows the “band of brothers” driving down a busy motorway in Changchun, Jilin province.
The paw-some pack includes an injured German shepherd, golden retrievers, Labradors and a Pekingese.
The smallest of the team, the Corgi, a favorite breed of the late Queen Elizabeth, proved to be the bravest of them all and led the attack, looking back to make sure none of his canine companions were left behind.
The incredible moment was captured by a local who happened to say: “They look like a group of little brothers in distress, moving in unison – nothing like stray dogs.”
Volunteers from a local stray dog charity said they all came from the same village and had formed close friendships. Everyone was caught safely.
It has been claimed that criminals running a dog meat shop had stolen the animals, but they outwitted them and managed to escape in a truck.
Despite global condemnation, dog meat restaurants still operate in northern China, where the cuisine is considered warming and nourishing.
For many dog meat shop owners, stray dogs and stolen pets are the easiest and cheapest sources of meat.
