“We are aware of several false statements made by Mrs. Yang about HSI’s China Policy Specialist, Dr. Peter Li. Without exception, her allegations are without any foundation.

Dr. Li is a well-respected and prominent voice within China’s animal welfare movement, and as such, is called upon by many people and organizations for advice on what is happening within China on animal welfare.

Serious animal welfare concerns have been expressed by animal groups in China about Mrs. Yang’s dog shelter.  One way for her to deflect those concerns is to make inflammatory claims in cyberspace about other individuals and organizations.

HSI is member of the Asia Canine Protection Alliance,  a leading coalition campaigning to end the cruel dog meat trade.  We are also proud to partner with a great many animal shelters in China that are striving to meet our Ten Standards of Animal Welfare (below).

We and others have attempted to determine if Mrs Yang’s shelter meets these standards but have been unable to do so because of a regrettable lack of transparency.”

Ten Standards of Animal Welfare for Shelters

  1. Adequate and proper food and clean water available for all animals on a daily basis;
  2. Provision of adequate shelter for all animals in a secure, warm and dry environment, with protocols in place to avoid overcrowding and fighting;
  3. Quarantine facilities for all incoming animals to avoid spreading disease;
  4. Provision of regular veterinary care including emergency veterinary aid;
  5. Hygiene protocols to maintain a clean environment;
  6. Vaccination and sterilization of animals for disease and birth control;
  7. Maintenance of a regular, trained workforce with appropriate skills to take care of the animals;
  8. A rehoming programme in which animals are individually assessed for adoption, and actively promoted for rehoming;
  9. Transparency and accountability of shelter management: shelters should be open to view by potential adopting families, volunteers, donors and visitors to see for themselves the welfare conditions of the rescued animals and the quality of shelter management.
  10. Transparency and accountability of fundraising procedures: donations received must be accounted for with an annual report to disclose the funds received and expended. Shelters receiving public donations are obliged to be transparent to the donating public about the number of animals in their care, how donations are to be used, and what outcomes/improvements have resulted from donor support. Shelter owners should be able and willing to provide feedback to the donor community on request.

Peter J. Li, Ph.D.
China Policy Specialist
Humane Society International