It’s impossible to imagine how anyone could eat a dog, yet unfortunately a dog meat industry still exists in several countries, and many unwanted dogs sadly end up in the slaughterhouse.
But some groups are committed to rescuing these dogs and giving them a second chance… and one dog has turned into a viral sensation after narrowly avoiding the chopping block.
HarbinSHS is an animal rescue dedicated to saving dogs from China’s meat trade, as eating dogs is legal and there are no legislative protections for animals in the country. They shelter them in a safehouse until they can be rehomed through partner rescues.
In October, one dog was rescued that immediately caught the attention of Nikki Carvey of the nonprofit rescue Roadogs. The dog had a very unique, almost alien-like appearance with pointy ears.
He was named Mork Skywalker. “They sent me a photo of Mork, and I said, ‘I love that dog. I will take him,” Nikki told Huffington Post.
Mork was flown out to LA, and is now being cared for by Roadogs.
He quickly became their biggest celebrity. People couldn’t get enough of this uniquely adorable pup, and now he has his own Instagram with over 100,000 followers.
Everyone is saying he resembles “Baby Yoda,” the popular character (and meme) from the Star Wars universe.
Like Baby Yoda, Mork is a special creature that requires some special treatment. He is still underweight and suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, and has to eat a special diet of four meals a day.
And while everyone agrees Mork is cute, it’s best if he remains one-of-a-kind: his breeding has left him with a few health issues. Nikki said she’s declined to do a DNA test to find out his breed.
“I don’t want people to replicate him and breed him,” she said. “He’s got so many congenital issues. He’s got an undershot jaw, and he can’t breathe very well. He’ll have surgery to help him breathe.”
“The last thing I want people to do is re-create Mork because he is ‘cute.’”
Despite those issues, Mork is still mostly healthy, and Nikki hopes that he will become a therapy dog once he is well enough.
He’s come so far that it’s hard to imagine how close he came to being slaughtered. Mork’s story is a reminder of all the dogs that are killed in the meat trade and the importance of rescuing them.
“Who would have thought this little #chubbychibbychops rescued from the meat trade in China would become the #babyyoda IT dog,” one of his captions reads.
What a precious dog! We’re so glad he’s alive and doing well, thanks to his rescuers. Share this inspiring story!
