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.

Tiffany Porter of Britain falls after competing in the women's 100 metres hurdles final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China August 28, 2015. (Photo by David Gray/Reuters)

This photograph taken during a government organised media tour shows College of Science graduates from Tibet University celebrating their graduation at the Potala Palace Square in the regional capital Lhasa, in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on June 1, 2021. (Photo by Hector Retamal/AFP Photo)

A Chinese ethnic Lisu honey hunter holds a large piece of wax from a hive while gathering wild cliff honey in a gorge on May 10, 2019 near Mangshi, in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Italy's Louis Phillip Vito III falls as he competes during the men's halfpipe qualification round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, February 9, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo by Francisco Seco/AP Photo)

Gold medalist Jesper Pedersen of Norway with silver medalist Rene de Silvestro of Italy and bronze medalist Liang Zilu of China are seen during the flower ceremony for the Para Alpine Skiing, Men's Giant Slalom Sitting on March 10, 2022. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)

A row of abandoned oil tanks is filled with creepers on the riverside of Liyun River in Huai 'an, East China's Jiangsu Province, May 9, 2023. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

A tourist visits an ocean park during the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, 2024 in Handan, Hebei Province of China. May 22 marks the 24th International Day for Biological Diversity. (Photo by Hao Qunying/VCG via Getty Images)