A video of seven dogs roaming on a highway in China’s Jilin province has gone viral, garnering millions of views around the world. The clip shows three dogs, including a golden retriever and a German shepherd and a corgi, walking together on March 15. The dogs became popular on the internet because people thought they were run over by a vehicle.
However, Chinese state media have said the story of the dogs’ long journey home is false. Social media users have made the story of the video even more interesting by adding fictional content to the video.
This short clip became a trending topic on social media platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, TikTok and Instagram. TJ Thomson, Associate Professor of Digital Media at RMIT University, explained that the content attracts viewers because it presents videos of innocent animals that reflect their child-like nature and their need for social connection.
They also observed that animal viral content allows people to avoid negative news, thus encouraging the creation of such content for the purpose of gaining clicks.
Actually, all the seven dogs belonged to the villagers, who allowed them to roam here and there. According to China Evening News report, the German Shepherd was in heat, so there were other dogs around her.
Misinformation, even if it’s aimed at entertainment, can promote negative stereotypes, said Tama Lever, a professor of internet studies at Curtin University, who added that viral videos can distort information thoroughly, making it difficult for people to find accurate information online.
