Nina the Pug

Saturday I became a mother to a full grown female Pug, now named Nina!

Ask Ned, I've been talking about adopting a dog here in China for months now, but have always

curbed my desire due to the fact that I'll probably be returning to the U.S. later this summer. I desire kept coming back because I love animals, have rarely lived without them, and know that having a pet would help the isolation and loneliness I sometimes feel so far away from home. Ned was supportive and so was my friend/student Rita would told me she would take the dog home with her when I leave. Ned's sure that out of the 300+ students I have, I could find a good home with one of them when the time comes.

Still, I felt guilty about my decision, knowing I would be adopting a dog, only to leave it months later.

Cut to Saturday. I am not dog-shopping, just riding my bike, exploring through an open-air market. It's 1pm...almost closed. Just a few vendors left and a row of cages with barking dogs. I pedal down the row of cages, and my eyes catches the most pitiful sight of two big greyhounds cramped in a small cage...their eyes expressed pain and sorrow. There were a lot of different kind of dogs, some barking german shepard aggressive types for guard dogs, two or three glass cages with shampooed puppies for pets, and another couple cages of dirty, assorted full-grown dogs. I assume these dogs are sold for pets, and quite possibly the food industry. Last week we went to dinner with Sun Peng, and he asked us if we wanted to order dog meat with our soup.

"Yeah!" said Ned.

"No!" I said. "You can order dog meat when I'm not around."

Apparently, it's expensive, so I don't have to worry about it turning up in a dumpling and accidently eating it.

So long story short, I saw Nina the Pug in the dog re-run cage, and she looked so sad and tired. I pet her head and she closed her eyes in gratitude. She had a harness on made out of rags, and she looked so pathetic among the other assorted varieties.

I love pugs, and I just had to save this one. I'll probably have to find a home for her in several months, but atleast I can offer her a great life with me, now.

I didn't want her to end up being sent to the butcher, or spend another couple months in a wire cage in the cold. So I bargained, went back home to get money and Ned, and paid a steep price for her, (about $50). After a very excited walk home, a new harness and leash, a warm bath (with shampoo and conditioner) and a long nap, she's a new dog!

She slept with me last night, curled at my side, and didn't get up until I did. She hasn't had an accident in the house besides the first time I brought her inside (which makes me think she had previous owners). She's had babies by the look of her hanging nipples, and funnily enough she was on her period when I adopted her! I don't know if it's possible to get a dog spayed in Tongliao.

She follows me around the house, loves walks, and is the cutest thing ever.

Isn't she adorable?