Yulin, a city in southern China, celebrates the summer solstice by throwing a festival that involves the slaughter and consumption of as many as 10,000 dogs. Not everyone in China supports such practices, however; 65-year-old Yang Xiaoyun, a retired teacher who runs an animal shelter in Tianjin, traveled more than 2,400 km (1,500 miles) and spent more than 7,000 yuan ($1,100 or €990) to save 100 dogs from certain death.

“I was born in the United States in 1985. As early as I can remember I’ve been a “doodler”. From even the early days I’ve always loved strange, offbeat, beautiful, and slightly melancholy things. Something about the mixed grabbed me. My love for sketching carried on throughout my high school days. Which is when I took a small class on watercolor. Watercolor is what birthed my passion for mixing colors and how a color can tell a story. In year 2009 I discovered digital painting and my new found passion for the medium. It’s been the favored medium for the past years since. I’ve used online tutorials and videos to help me learn along the way and then in late 2011 I took a workshop called Becoming a Better Artist. The beginning of 2013 I won a class from The Art Department which will start this spring.”

Photographers April Maciborka and David Wile teamed up to create their recent series Pucker. In each instance babies were handed their very first lemon and encouraged to take a bite. Just looking at their images will make your lips twitch.

Twin baby panthers Remaong and Ferra cling to their basket while being presented to the media at Tierpark Berlin zoo on July 13, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. The two panthers were born in captivity on April 26. (Photo by Sean Gallup)

Actress Anne Hathaway attends the “The Dark Knight Rises” World Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on July 16, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman)

Dancers of the English National Ballet perform “Strictly Gershwin” at the Coliseum on January 10, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

A hostess sits at a restaurant with paintings depicting Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej hanging on a wall in Bangkok, Thailand, June 6, 2016. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)