For stray dogs, chance encounters can easily change the course of their lives completely. Every dog that has crossed paths with Zhou Yusong in Zhengzhou, China has learned that truth first-hand. Over the last eight years, Yusong has rescued over 700 stray dogs – and all of them found home at his animal protection center.

Yusong did not exactly plan to become the “Guardian of Dogs,” as he is now called in his home city. His wonderful adventure saving animals started in 2008 when he found a stray dog that had been hit by a car. The animal was clearly in desperate need of help – and yet was being ignored by all the people passing by on the road. Unable to leave the dog to suffering, Yusong picked the dog up and brought them into the nearest shelter, since his apartment was too tiny to house an animal.

At the shelter, Yusong found himself overwhelmed by the great number of stray dogs already collected from the streets. To help the shelter and its many residents, he began donating 100 yuan (30 dollars) a month for the dogs’ food and medical care.

Soon he was inspired to do even more for the many stray dogs in need of care and a place to live.

Yusong convinced his friend to invest 800,000 yuan (122,000 dollars) in building a new animal shelter on the banks of the Yellow River.

The plan took off – and soon Yusong was in charge of the new facility and quit his job to manage the rescue center full-time.

Yusong has rescued more than 700 stray dogs and many other small and medium-sized animals who needed his help.

In the past eight years, he has not taken a vacation but incessantly kept his priceless work in the shelter to ensure a good quality of life for all the animals living there. Thanks to his dedication and love for dogs, the center’s residents now finally have full stomachs, get medical care, and are out of danger of living in the streets.

All image source: Xwtuotiao