He spends 260,000 euros a year to feed her

A monk dedicates his life to caring for stray dogs in Shanghai

Djo Siang: I have to save her, or she will die.

AFP

A Buddhist monk, Zhou Siang, in the Chinese city of Shanghai, treats about 8000 dogs in his temple and in a shelter outside China's largest city, where residents often abandon their animals due to changes in lifestyle. Twice a week he goes to a station where the police put stray dogs and takes them with him, and if it weren't for Siang, these dogs would have been euthanized.

“I have to save her, or she will die,” says Djo Siang, 51. According to Buddhist teachings, her followers should help creatures in need.

Djo Siang applies these teachings to the letter, and has been helping stray dogs since 1994, and at that time he was especially concerned with treating some cats that were run over by cars.

"It is not the fault of people who do not love animals or the state, but those who claim that they love animals and do not know how to take care of them," says the monk, who does not hesitate to replace his orange robe with a work suit.

Dju Siang, the custodian of Baoen Temple, is home to hundreds of dogs and cats, as well as chickens, geese and peacocks roaming under the eyes of golden Buddhas amid the smell of incense.

The monk gets up every day at four o'clock in the morning to take care of the animals, and he does not receive public money, and he relies on the generosity of believers, including his parents.

He spends more than 12 million yuan (260,000 euros) a year, buying 60 tons of dog food every month.

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