Chinese man marries at the dog shelter he built after bankruptcy — with 200 pups as VIP guests
Pets aren't just animals; they're your family, so of course, they must get a front-row seat at your wedding, too! A newlywed Chinese couple, Yang and Zhao, who have dedicated their entire lives rescuing dogs, understand this profoundly, and that's why they decided to walk down the aisle, flanked by shelter pups on either side, South China Morning Post reported.
Yang, a 31-year-old gentleman from Tianjin City in northern China, was earlier a businessman who went totally bankrupt in 2020 after facing a severe downturn in his construction business. Yang, who was once the owner of assets exceeding 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million), had to sell his house and two cars to pay all his employees. After announcing his company's financial collapse, the man used his entire savings to open a dog shelter and decided to rescue dogs, offering them a second chance at life. "I had only 23 yuan left in my pocket at that time. That was the entirety of the shelter’s funds," Yang shared with the outlet.
Initially, he managed the shelter single-handedly without any help and had only 10 dogs, but over time, the rescue home expanded to accommodate over 200 pups, with more than 8,000 volunteers contributing to it. Besides, Yang disclosed that he has invested more than 400,000 yuan (US$55,000) in the dog shelter over the years, and works a full-time job to keep his life together. But all this couldn't have been possible if Yang hadn't met Zhao, a former volunteer and now his beloved wife. In 2022, Zhao, a university student, joined the shelter and donated her entire part-time earnings to purchase dog food.
Yang fell for Zhao's genuine adoration for animals, and she was head-over-heels with his dedication. As the couple spent time together, their love grew, and after 3 years, they decided to get married. "I didn’t meet Yang at his wealthiest, but I witnessed him at his kindest," Zhao said. Interestingly, the adorable couple decided on their shelter as their wedding venue, perhaps, to honor the cuddle balls who unknowingly played Cupids in their love story. On May 25, when Yang and Zhao walked down the aisle in their wedding attire, they were flanked by cages housing shelter dogs on either side, as more than 300 volunteers of the shelter joined the one-of-a-kind celebration.
On each cage, the volunteers had put a red Chinese character symbolizing "happiness," possibly a testament to what the dogs actually meant to Yang and Zhao. "The fur kids know they now have not just a dad, but a mum, too," Rousong, a volunteer, said, recalling the wholesome moment. Just like Yag and Zhao, a lot of people want their furballs to be actively involved in their wedding day. Notably, as per an interesting report by Newsweek, a poll of 2,000 dog owners, conducted by OnePoll, found that 50% of dogs involved in their owner's wedding played the ring bearer, 17% were flower girls, and 9% of pet parents had their pups play their best man. Moreover, the report claimed that 70% of pet owners would ask if the venue was dog-friendly while looking for wedding locations.