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Puppy saved from meat trade in China now living in Indiana

WARSAW, Ind. (WANE) – The meat trade in Asia has horrified many. It’s the trading and selling of dogs and cats for food. Just this week Taiwan outlawed the practice. There are thousands of activists working in the countries to save these animals, and one of those saved dogs is now in Northeast Indiana.

“You can see how cute he is,” American Greyhound President Jeff Coggins said. “Everyone wants to meet Pang Pang.”

Cute is right, and he’s happy. Pang Pang, pronounced Ping Ping, doesn’t seem to have a care in the world as all puppies deserve. But his life was almost very different.

While pregnant with him, Pang Pang’s mother was nearly sold into the meat trade in China.

“The activists had taken some of the dogs from a breeding farm before the dog meat people got a hold of them, and one was a greyhound whippet mix who they found out was pregnant and had a litter of four puppies the next day,” Coggins said.

An activist in the states was familiar with the American Greyhound organization, and asked Coggins if he could care for one of the puppies. This is the first request of its kind for the organization, which usually focuses on rescuing greyhounds from the racing tracks.

Coggins agreed and Pang Pang arrived in Chicago two weeks ago. Now he stays with foster parents in northwest and northeast Indiana.

“It makes me proud of our organization that someone would have that faith in us,” Coggins said.

Pang Pang has his forever home with a family in Wisconsin. He’ll go there once he’s neutered at the beginning of the summer. For Coggins, Pang Pang’s journey has taught him more about the meat trade in Asia.

Like Taiwan, China is showing signs the trade could end in years to come.

“With the good work these activists are doing plus the changing mind sets of young people who are not as interested in eating dog they think in five to ten years it will be illegal in mainland China as well,” Coggins said.

When it comes to the other puppies in Pang Pang’s mother’s litter, one was stillborn and two more were given homes in China. For more on Pang Pang’s story, click here. The Duo Duo project is the group that saved Pang Pang’s mother. For more on that organization and the meat trade, click here.

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