This is the shocking moment a pack of seven missing pet dogs were stranded on a busy highway trying to find their way home.
The herd traveled more than 10 miles together before eventually being reunited with their owners.
The footage showed the animals roaming in a tight group on a street in Changchun, the capital of north-east China’s Jilin province, which immediately went viral online.
The video, which was first posted online on March 15, shows the dogs – including golden retrievers, Labradors, German shepherds and Pekinese – running on the highway as nighttime temperatures dropped below 0C.
The group was led by a corgi later identified in Chinese media as Dapang, meaning “big fat one”.
The footage shows the dogs walking in a group, several of which appear to be rescuing an injured German shepherd who was limping.
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The corgi in front kept looking back every now and then as if checking to see if the others were still following.
A golden retriever can also be seen walking along the outer edge of the group as if keeping watch.
The clip was recorded on March 16 by a passerby surnamed Lu, who saw the animals traveling together on the Changshuang Expressway.
He later shared the video on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, and appealed for help from local authorities.
Lu told mainland Chinese media outlet Dahe Daily: “They resemble a group of little brothers in distress, moving forward in unison – nothing like stray dogs.”
He said he tried several times to guide the animals to safety, but they ignored his calls.
As the video spread online, volunteers and animal welfare groups began searching for the dogs.
A volunteer at a local stray dog rescue center named Tong Tong said she began knocking on doors and posting missing dog flyers in nearby villages after seeing the footage because she feared for the animals’ welfare in the cold weather.
Tong Tong said in a video posted by the rescue center: “On the morning of March 18, I woke up to find that it was snowing in Changchun.
“I was particularly worried about the seven dogs, afraid they might not have eaten or drunk anything.
“So I borrowed a drone and went looking for them.”
Volunteers also deployed a drone to track the animals’ movements and help guide them back.
The dogs were eventually traced to three houses in a nearby village.
Reports said that all the animals were neighbors from the same village and were known to hang out together after forming a close bond.
The three dogs, including Dapang, belonged to a woman who had been desperately searching for them for four days.
She told Chinese media that she had almost given up hope when the Corgi suddenly returned to her home on March 18.
He then searched the nearby villages and found that the remaining dogs had been taken by another villager.
By March 19, volunteers confirmed that all seven dogs had been reunited with their owners.
Reports suggest that the animals had traveled for about two days as they covered the 10-mile journey.
One owner, who was looking for a German shepherd and a golden retriever, said: “We’re very lucky they came back, not to be eaten.”
Initial reports circulating online claimed the dogs may have been stolen from three homes and sent to the illegal dog meat trade before escaping.
Some suggested that the animals had escaped from their cages and jumped from a moving truck carrying them on the highway.
In China, dog theft is considered a criminal offense, although cases of pet theft have been reported in cities including Changchun, Harbin and Dalian.
Dog farms are relatively rare due to the high cost of raising animals, meaning that stray dogs and stolen pets are sometimes seen as cheap alternatives to meat suppliers.
A small number of dog meat restaurants also operate in parts of northern China, where some people believe that eating dog meat helps them endure the harsh winters.
However, officials later said that these claims were false.
On March 21, Jilin’s Provincial Culture and Tourism Bureau confirmed that the viral clip was genuine, but said that the dogs were not stolen.
Instead, officials said the animals had wandered off on their own after being pulled in by a German shepherd, who was in heat and was known to go missing for days at a time.
State media later said the incident “highlights the shortcomings of online information dissemination – the mixing of true and false information, where subjective speculations are easily taken as fact and spread”.
The remarkable story has sparked huge debate online, with the original footage reportedly receiving over 230 million views on Chinese social media.
Some users also joked that the dogs’ adventure could be adapted into a movie or a real-life version of Paw Patrol, a Canadian children’s cartoon about a boy and his pack of rescue dogs.
One Weibo user wrote: “This made me cry. Dogs are always friends with humans.”
Others also shared their reactions.
One wrote: “Oh my god, this is the kind of story that restores your faith a bit.
“These dogs went through something terrible, and instead of falling apart, they stuck together, trusted each other, and found their way home like a little family.
“Also led by that little corgi… I can’t even explain how cute it is. It shows how loyal, smart, and deeply connected animals are – they don’t give up, and they don’t leave each other behind. Honestly, they’re better than most humans in moments like this.”
Another joked: “Meanwhile humans get lost with Google Maps, a tank full of gas, and still call AAA. But a Corgi runs 17km from 6 houses through highways like it’s nothing. We really are the inferior species in this world.”
A third said: “Seven dogs, 17km. Led by a Corgi. This isn’t just a story of animals finding their way home; this is a story of loyalty, leadership and a pure heart on four legs.
“Imagine being kidnapped, scared, and yet traveling together to get back to the people who love you. Meanwhile, humans get lost in their own neighborhoods. Courage, coordination, bonding…that’s what next level. Someone please give that Corgi a medal.”
A fourth said: “Think about the communication involved. Seven different dogs from seven different homes decided, “We’re staying together until everyone is safe.” That’s better teamwork than most corporate offices. Glad to see they’re home safe.”
