"Rock to the Rescue" Animal Welfare Concert to Be Held at Modernista, Mar 4

It'll be an event fun enough to leave a pup panting and its tail wagging. Rock to the Rescue, slated to take place at Modernista on March 4, will feature performances by popular local bands like The Hunters and Disaster Chat, along with raffle prizes and a  "pooch smooch booth" where attendees can snuggle with their four legged friends and take unimaginably adorable selfies. The event will be hosted by local animal rescue NGO A Voice for Animals (AVA), a new organization that is working on animal rescues, coordinating adoptions for strays, and more. Below, AVA co-founder and coordinator of the event Caitlin Cecil tells us more.

What inspired you to put on this event?
As we are a startup organization, we are always looking for new ways to provide opportunities to discuss and educate communities about animal welfare while also raising funds to support our rescues and their path to a better life. I’ve been amazed by the generosity and encouragement of the community here in Beijing. I received a message from someone on WeChat who saw a post about our dogs and wanted to do something to help. He had a connection with a local charity, Giving a Beat, who puts on concerts to support local charity organizations. Despite being in the beginning stages of our project, I couldn’t pass on this wonderful opportunity! When I found out that Modernista would graciously host the event, again I was amazed by the bigheartedness of the community here. I also thought: "What could be more fun than a gathering of music, people and dogs?"

How do you think the event will be beneficial to animals, animal lovers, and Beijing’s animal rights advocacy scene in general?
I think this event will provide useful information regarding the animal welfare situation not just here in China but around the world. I hope that it will shed light on the plight of strays and abandoned animals, and how we can aid in supporting these animals and preventing the situations they end up in.

I want to encourage the idea that adoption is the best approach as opposed to the purchasing of animals, especially based on the conditions from which they come – breeding facilities – while the countless number of strays and rescued animals who are awaiting homes grow. We also want to provide support and guidance to both potential and current pet owners as well as show ways in which you can still be involved even if you don’t own or plan to own a pet. While we are focused mainly on dogs at the moment, we hope to expand our focus to welfare of all animals.

Tell us more about the pooch smooch booth and why it’ll be a big hit with attendees.
Everyone knows dogs just want to give and receive love, and who better to get a smooch from than a pooch! Our dogs are always eager to interact with and receive affection from others so it’s a win for everyone! Give the gift of joy to our furry friends by puckering up for a slobbery kiss while raising money to benefit our rescue dogs!

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in animal rights and animal advocacy.
Growing up I have always been involved with animals. I’ve raised horses, goats, chickens, rabbits, geese, dogs, cats and other small animals. Working with animals has been something I’ve always been passionate about and when I came to Beijing I became more involved specifically with dogs and cats.

I began as most do, searching the web for ways to volunteer and get involved with animals but couldn’t find much at that time. Later on when WeChat became more popular, I joined many animal support group chats. The last couple years I’ve helped with stray rescue, fostering, and supporting others in doing the same but I’ve always wanted to do more. I decided last year that I was going to take time away from teaching and dedicate this year to animal welfare related work. I initially planned to work at a farm sanctuary in the US but during a visit back to Beijing, one evening led me to the place I’m at now.

Here’s that story:

On October 26, 2016 a group of volunteers and us (six girls) drove to a town four hours north east of Beijing. Our purpose was to witness the atrocities carried out by the dog meat trade and document the horrors that take place. Of course, we had a goal in mind: to rescue the dogs, if possible, but it was not an easy task.

Luckily, we were able to secure 25 dogs off this truck of 300, bring them to Beijing and help them recover from the pain and suffering they endured. Our goal is to get all of these rescue dogs healthy and adopted into loving families. So far we have secured six adoptions in Beijing, one adoption in Germany, four adoptions in the UK , six foster families and three awaiting fosters or adopters. Unfortunately, due to unpredictable health risks that come with meat truck rescues, five dogs didn't make it. Many of these dogs are suspected to have had previous owners, as they are tame and friendly, and appear to have been previously vaccinated based on antibody tests.

To support A Voice for Animals' work, be sure to stop Rock to the Rescue at Modernista on March 4 at 9pm. Free entry. For more information, click here or here.

More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
WeChat: 13263495040

Images courtesy of organizers