One of the dogs rescued and her puppies Photos: Courtesy of Di Zhaoli

Walking into a room at the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in East China's Zhejiang Province, one can find eight neatly arranged indoor pet lockers, ample food supplies, toys, and an impressive multi-layer cat climbing frame. This is a new temporary shelter for stray animals that are found around the airport, the first one among all domestic airports.

Stray animals pose a potential threat to aviation safety. Some travelers abandon their pets near the airport, and if these animals enter the runway area, they risk being sucked into aircraft engines or collide with planes, potentially causing catastrophic accidents and loss of life, Di Zhaoli, manager of the central order management module at Hangzhou Xiaoshan  International Airport campus, told the Global Times.

Thanks to this shelter, stray animals do not pose a danger anymore and have received a warm welcome at the airport. Di mentioned that even though the shelter has not been around for long, he has already seen and experienced many heartfelt moments.

Changing lives

These days, in one of the pet lockers, a rescued dog can be seen guarding her five puppies, born just a week ago. A month ago, the dog was wandering near the airport terminal. Luckily, it was rescued and it was among the first to join the shelter. Now her little ones can sleep peacefully next to her, their furry bodies rising and falling gently with each breath.

Di said that their story doesn't end there. A netizen messaged the airport after seeing an online post about them and said the dog might be their lost pet; thus, arrangements for a "reunion" are being made. In Di's eyes, this is one of the purposes of the shelter's existence.

In Hangzhou, where it has been significantly hot for days, the airport's indoor temperature has been kept at a cozy 26 C. On top of that, staff members clean and disinfect the pet lockers every day and each rescued stray dog is provided with regular outings to go for walks and get some fresh air. 

Although only eight pet lockers are currently available, Di and his colleagues have already bought roomy cages for larger dogs. They are also working on setting up equipment to provide bathing and health checks for the stray animals. Di said the shelter can now hold more than ten animals, and they will keep improving and upgrading the facilities to better care for and protect the animals in the future.

An airport staff member cares for a rescued dog.

Kindness and care for all

The shelter is only a temporary stop for stray animals; its ultimate destination is to find adoptive families and forever homes. To this end, the airport regularly posts adoption information on its social media accounts. Many kind-hearted individuals have responded, and within a week, five stray animals have already been adopted.  

One traveler, after getting off the plane that very day, went straight to the shelter to apply to adopt a stray cat, stating he wanted to take the cat abroad to accompany his parents living overseas.

Zhu Shuilin, president of the Zhejiang Small Animal Protection Association, said that the animal shelter not only provides high-quality rescue conditions for small animals but also promotes the implementation of professional rescue and adoption processes at the airport.

The association has begun to cooperate with the airport to run the shelter. The main focus is on collaborating with associations and veterinary clinics to provide assistance in animal epidemic prevention, sterilization, and treatment. They also plan to encourage social participation to adopt the stray animals at the airport. Additionally, they will raise awareness through campaigns in the airport area centered around the message "Do not abandon your furry friends."

Since the shelter was established, Di has witnessed many people's deep respect for life. Whether it's people voluntarily donating cat and dog food or coming to apply for adoption, animal lovers demonstrate that they deeply cherish and care for the animals' well-being and the airport is even planning the establishment of a volunteer team to better care for these stray animals.

Animal rescue has become an increasingly important matter of social concern. Different regions across China are exploring various solutions to better serve animals and potential adoptive families. For instance, a stray cat rescue center in Shanghai is functioning as a stray animal education demonstration base, aiming to both provide shelter for animals and a platform for the public to learn about animal care, disease prevention and adoption. The public can visit the center to learn about scientific feeding, as well as disease prevention and control measures for stray cats and dogs. 

"We want to name each rescued stray animal at the shelter to build a connection with them. All lives deserve to be treated with kindness," said Di.