A two-legged Dalmatian has found a loving home after being rescued from a dog meat slaughterhouse where she had both her front paws cruelly cut off.
The brave pooch Emma Roo was rescued in 2017 from a butchers in Xi’an, China, but not before she had her front legs, part of her tail and the tips of her ears cut away.
She was only about eight weeks old at the time, rescuers believe, and may have been given to meat traders because of a small toe defect.
Most of the animals killed for the meat trade in China are stolen or abandoned pets or guard dogs, as well as stray street dogs snatched from towns and cities.
Slaughterhouses in the dog meat industry remove an animal’s limbs without any pain relief as they believe it produces adrenaline, which tenderises the remaining meat.
After being rescued and taken to a veterinary practice in Bejing, Emma was rehomed for two years, before winding up back at the same clinic in 2019.
The Chinese clinic then turned to Dalmatian Rescue, a US non-profit organisation, in their quest to get Emma a loving forever home.
Lifelong Dog lover Misha Rackcliff Hunt, 27, from Charleston, South Carolina spotted Emma online and fell in love immediately.
"I remember first seeing Emma online - she has the most human-like amber coloured eyes. I didn't even think about the logistics of it. I knew this dog was set to me for a reason.
"When I met her, I thought she might be cold or not interested in people from the trauma but she came up straight into my arms.
"By the time we finished our five-hour road trip home, it's like she knew I was her person and that I was never going to leave her."
Misha took the dog in - who is now as playful and loving as any other pet.
She said: “Eventually, Emma arrived in the US on January 28, 2020 – just weeks before the export of animals was banned due to Covid-19.
“When I first brought her home, she would scream at the top of her lungs whenever I left the room. She was always protective over her food and toys. At one point, she would even guard random pieces of my clothing because she was scared that it would be taken away.”
Now safe in the US, Emma has attracted 10,000 Instagram fans, with Misha and Dalmatian Rescue raising funds through social media to get Emma a custom front wheel cart from Eddie's Wheels and to raise awareness about the cruel trade in dog meat worldwide.
Emma loves swimming and running along the beach because the soft sand is good for her legs.
Misha said: “I’m just someone who believes that every dog deserves a chance no matter their circumstances.
“I’ve heard so many people say she should've been euthanised because of her suffering but when I look at this twenty-five-pound, happy and smiling dog, I can't imagine wanting to end her life.”