No dog left behind: Tiny Corgi leads pack of 7 stolen dogs on miraculous 17km journey home — their story is breaking the internet | Watch video

2026 is fast turning into the year animals take over the internet, one story at a time. January had the lone penguin that wandered away from its colony. February brought Punch, the monkey, who was abandoned by his mother and grew up with an orangutan plush toy. And now, March belongs to a video of seven dogs who set off on a remarkable 'Homeward Bound' style journey, covering over 17 kilometres to find their way back to their humans. In a year already defined by viral animal stories, the great escape of the dog pack in China's Jilin province from a butcher is breaking the internet.

Stolen dogs become new faces of animal rights activism

On Tuesday (Mar 24) March 16, footage surfaced of a remarkable pack of pets—including a Corgi (named Dà Pàng / "Da Pang" meaning "Big Fat"), a German Shepherd, and Golden Retrievers—trekking 17 kilometres back to their village after allegedly escaping a dog meat transport vehicle. Moving in a tight military-style formation to protect an injured "brother," the group navigated busy highways and open fields to reunite with their humans.

All seven dogs are now safely home. Their incredible journey out of the bowels of the illegal dog meat trade has reignited a fierce nationwide debate over the lack of a federal ban on dog meat consumption in China, turning these "Homeward Bound" heroes into the new faces of animal rights activism.

Shielding the fallen: How the heartbreaking ‘formation’ protected an injured German Shepherd

The incident came to light on March 16, when a resident surnamed Lu filmed the group walking along a busy highway in Changchun, Jilin province. The video, later shared online, showed the dogs moving in a tight formation, with one detail standing out.

At the centre was an injured German Shepherd. Around it, the others kept close. A Corgi led the group, pausing every few steps to look back, as if checking that no one had fallen behind.

The group included Golden Retrievers, Labradors and a Pekinese. "They resemble a band of little brothers in distress, moving in unison – nothing like stray dogs," Lu told Dahe Daily.

Lu said he tried to guide them away from the road, but the animals ignored him. He later posted the footage on Douyin, asking for help from local authorities. Another passerby captured the dogs wandering through nearby fields, suggesting they had already been moving for some time. Local rescuers soon stepped in.

Watch the video here:

Where did the dogs come from? How a pack of seven stolen pets navigated 17km to freedom

According to a SCMP report citing the Bitter Coffee Stray Dog Base, the dogs all came from the same village and were known to roam together.

One volunteer said the dogs had likely been stolen by people linked to a dog meat shop and may have escaped from a transport vehicle. There has been no official confirmation of that claim, and no witnesses reported seeing the escape.

Stolen dogs and China's dog meat market

In northern China, dog meat is still consumed in some areas, particularly during the winter months. Animal welfare groups say most dog meat businesses do not rely on farms, as raising dogs is expensive. Instead, stolen pets and strays are often targeted.

Cities including Changchun, Harbin and Dalian have reported repeated cases of pet theft.

Three days after the video surfaced, volunteers confirmed that on March 19, all seven dogs had returned home. They belonged to three different households and had travelled roughly 17 kilometres from where they were first spotted.

One owner, whose German Shepherd and Golden Retriever were among the group, said he was relieved to see them return. "We are so lucky they came back, not to be eaten," he said.

Authorities have not released any details about those allegedly involved in the theft. Under Chinese law, stealing dogs can lead to fines or imprisonment, depending on the value of the animal. However, there is no nationwide ban on the consumption of dog meat. Shenzhen became one of the first cities to prohibit eating cats and dogs in 2020.

The story has since spread widely online, with related videos drawing hundreds of millions of views. Many users praised the dogs’ behaviour and called for stronger legal protections, saying the incident highlights gaps in existing animal welfare laws.