Blind man was overjoyed when thieves returned his senior service dog — but their note attached to her collar left him stunned

Following the theft, the owner could barely eat or sleep as he mourned the absence of his inseparable companion.

PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGO

(L) Man with visual impairment and his guide dog relaxing in the park, (R)Senior man. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) RgStudio, (R) alvaro gonzalez)

A blind man’s life turned upside down when his senior service dog was stolen by dog thieves. Soon, his tragic story spread across the internet, sparking a national outcry. Tian Fengbo from China had no hope of ever finding his dog again, as dog thefts had grown increasingly common in parts of his neighborhood. However, a miraculous reunion awaited. Days later, the pup, Qiaoqiao, a Black Labrador, was found, but with a note attached to her collar that shocked the owner.

A Blind Man with a Guide Dog. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Mart Production)

Fengbo was out on a walk with his 7-year-old guide dog outside of Beijing when Qiaoqiao became a target for dog thieves. She was reportedly abducted by a group of men who may have noticed the blind owner. Fengbo was devastated following the incident and could “barely eat or sleep” thinking about his missing pet. “Qiaoqiao always accompanied me. She was like a friend to me. Now I feel like I've lost a close friend," he told a local media outlet, as reported by BBC.

Black Labrador Retriever Sitting on Park Bench. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Genadi Yakovlev)

Residents of the neighborhood confirmed that many dogs had gone missing in the recent past. Dog kidnappers would steal pet dogs from streets and even homes to sell them to meat markets. However, Qiaoqiao did not have such a fateful ending, as she was returned to her blind owner the very next day with an apology note placed inside a plastic bag stuck to her collar. “We were wrong... we beg pardon,” the note read. Fengbo was overjoyed when his guide and best friend was returned to him, thankful that Qiaoqiao was safely back home. Meanwhile, the kidnappers’ surprising feat and the motivation behind the theft remain unclear.

Robber breaking in house. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | South_agency)

Fengbo has been living with the dog for the past five years, and the duo is inseparable. When the news reached the masses in China, people took to the internet to share their reactions. “What kind of monster must you be to slaughter a blind man’s dog?” wrote a person on a popular micro-blogging site called Weibo. Another condemned, “Is this the kind of nation China aspires to be? Dogs are man's best friend, not food.” While Fengbo was among the fortunate ones, several pet owners have lost their pets forever to such inhuman practices that directly target dogs.

Man reading note. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Ron Lach) — Man reading note. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Ron Lach)

According to the Humane World for Animals, an estimated 30 million dogs are killed for human consumption each year across Asia, closely interlinked with animal cruelty and criminal activity. China alone accounts for 10 million dogs slaughtered annually. Consumption of dog meat is prevalent in countries like South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, and Myanmar. However, some nations have taken action against the dog meat trade. South Korea plans to phase out the industry by 2027, with a ban on dog meat. In addition to animal cruelty, dog meat can also pose risks to human health. It increases the risk of contracting cholera, rabies, and other zoonotic diseases.