The Viral Video Claiming 7 Dogs Were Kidnapped for Meat Is False.

Social media posts based on sensitive stories are often widely circulated in social media among users. In most cases, these posts are based on a photo or a video, and many people do not pay attention to whether the information is verified or not. Below is a fact check conducted on one such video that was shared.

Social Media Posts :

A video was circulated on social media claiming that seven dogs were stolen by workers from a dog meat shop in China, and while being transported in a truck, the dogs escaped. It was further claimed that the seven dogs travelled 17 kilometers over two days and returned home. This video was also shared by several mainstream social media accounts.

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On March 16, a video showing seven dogs, including Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and Pekingese, walking along a busy highway in Changchun, Jilin Province in China, was uploaded online by an individual. It was mentioned that a corgi leading the group guided the other six dogs, and they travelled 17 kilometers to return to their owner. Following posts were shared praising the bravery of 7 dogs.

Some international media outlets, as well as local English language media, also reported on this story in a similar manner.

We then took steps to verify the accuracy of this claim.

Fact Check :

Beginning of the video

According to Chinese media reports, an individual identified as “Lu” first recorded and shared this video online after spotting the dogs while driving along a highway in Jilin Province, China.

It is further reported that Chinese media outlets obtained the video from a content creator named Feng Wei. The video he shared on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok) received over 160,000 likes.

A report by City Evening News says that a person travelling with Feng initially shared the video, but it did not receive much attention. This person is likely to be “Lu,” although the reports do not clearly identify who accompanied Feng.

Feng later uploaded the video himself, adding automatically selected background music. The video gained rapid popularity as the music unexpectedly matched the visuals well.

According to a report published by Dahe Daily on March 20, Lu told reporters that he saw the dogs around 7 p.m. on March 15. Based on the location and the dogs’ behavior, he suspected that they were not stray dogs, but possibly lost pets.

“They looked like a group of helpless brothers. They also seemed to have a certain formation. A German Shepherd was in the middle, with smaller dogs around it,” Lu was quoted as saying.

Assumptions have spread as facts

According to Dahe Daily, Lu shared the video on social media seeking help, as he feared the dogs might be hit by vehicles or cause accidents as drivers tried to avoid them.

After the video went viral, Dahe Daily reported that Lu suggested that the dogs might have escaped from a vehicle transporting them. However, it is reported that he later clarified that he did not personally witness the dogs escaping from any vehicle or cage.

Reports claiming that the dogs escaped from thieves spread online and were presented as facts, even though they were only assumptions.

A volunteer from a stray dog rescue group stated to Jimu News that after snowfall in Changchun on March 18, she went door to door in nearby villages and put up posters, fearing the dogs might die from the cold. This was confirmed in a video released by the rescue group “Bitter Coffee Stray Dog Sanctuary” on March 21.

A poster published by Jimu News stated that the dogs were seen about 17 kilometers from the Xuan Yang District along the Chuanshuang Highway.

This is likely where the widely shared “17 kilometers” claim originated.

However, the Jilin News Network reported on March 23 that the video was actually recorded about 4 to 5 kilometers away from the village.

Five out of seven dogs have reportedly returned home

With the help of villagers, the volunteer has been able to locate the owner of three of the dogs. Due to concerns that too many people might visit the village, Jimu News have not revealed the identity of the owners.

The owner confirmed that the corgi, German Shepherd, and Golden Retriever belonged to her and that she had allowed them to roam freely. After searching for four days and nearly giving up, the corgi returned home alone on the afternoon of March 18 (dates vary in different reports). She then searched nearby villages and found five dogs locked in another person’s yard.

A video released by the rescue group on March 21 confirmed that five of the seven dogs had returned home after the owner of the corgi was found. The owner was also a neighbor of the other two dog owners. However, the remaining two dogs were not located, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

According to Jimu News and the rescue group, the corgi’s name is “Dapang” (meaning “big boss”). The German Shepherd is named “Sibao” (meaning “four treasures”). Jimu News reported that the Golden Retriever’s name is “Huangmao” (meaning “yellow fur”), while the rescue group said that its name is “Changmao” (meaning “long fur”).

A video showing the dogs reuniting with their owner was also shared on Douyin on March 19, with the owner’s face blurred.

The dogs were not stolen, the Jilin Tourism Bureau says

On March 21, the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism shared a video on its official social media account, which included an audio tape of an interview with Feng.

The video included original footage of the dogs, real scenes of them reuniting with their owners, as well as AI-generated segments, which were clearly indicated. It also addressed claims that the German Shepherd was injured and protected by the other dogs.

Jilin Tourism Bureau

Authorities stated that while the video of seven dogs walking near a highway in northeastern China is real, there is no evidence to support the claim that they escaped from illegal transportation. According to the Jilin Tourism Bureau, the dogs had left their houses while chasing a female dog during mating period, and under the guidance of a corgi, five of them had safely returned home.

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Conclusion :

Our investigation shows that the viral claim mentioning that seven dogs were stolen by workers from a dog meat shop in China, escaped from a truck, and travelled 17 kilometers over two days to return home is misleading.

While the video of the seven dogs is from a real incident, the story that they were abducted for meat is false. According to the Jilin Tourism Bureau, the video was recorded when the dogs had wandered away from their houses while chasing a female dog in mating period.