bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Zoey Zhang

A celebrity couple in China who adopted an injured laboratory dog have drawn attention to the plight of animals used for research.
On June 23, Chinese actress Huo Siyan posted a video on Xiaohongshu, recounting how she and her actor husband Du Jiang discovered a wounded beagle by the roadside.
In the video, the couple are seen rescuing the shivering dog from bushes and then taking it to a vet, where medical checks revealed it had just given birth and was malnourished.
Vets found a number on its ears, which showed the animal had been used in laboratory experiments. An ultrasound test revealed its spleen was missing.

Online sources indicate that beagles are internationally recognised as a breed used in biomedical research.
Since the US began using beagles for research in 1950, other countries have followed suit, with China officially using them since 1964, according to Beagle Commune, a well-known mainland rescue organisation.
Experiments on beagles range from topical and internal drugs testing to assessing blade sharpness, and in vivo extraction.
Moved by the plight of the dog, the couple decided to adopt it and named it Pearl, because to them it is as precious as a gem.
Du comforted the animal, covering the marking on its ears with his hand, saying: “Pearl, my good girl, let’s forget your past and live well together from now on.”

At the end of the video Huo wrote: “Posting this video wasn’t meant to blame anyone. Animal testing is still a necessary part of human scientific development. We thank laboratory beagles for their contributions and hope more attention is given to the retired ones.”
Research shows that the traits of beagles make them ideal for animal testing.
They endure pain well, recover quickly, are easier to train and their intestinal structure closely resembles that of humans.
On June 27, Du posted another video documenting Pearl’s new life.
It showed her struggling with stairs due to growing up in a cage, and Du noted that Pearl prefers quiet corners for sleeping and shows little interest in the outdoors.
When playing basketball with the dog, their son said: “I heard you haven’t seen sunny lawns. I will show you more in the future.”
The celebrity couple has 18 million followers on Weibo, which has helped raise awareness of retired laboratory beagles.
After the posts about Pearl, topics related to laboratory dogs topped the trending list for several days on mainland social media.
The Beagle Commune’s founder, Spencer, posted on Weibo that the celebrity couple’s influence has led to over 3,000 applications to adopt.

“Retired beagles often carry skin diseases, gastrointestinal problems, and are sensitive, vocal, and socially awkward, often with anxiety,” Spencer said.
“All adopters must consider these issues seriously. Please do not adopt impulsively without full awareness and preparation. This would be unfair and irresponsible to beagles.”
The plight of beagles has sparked a heated discussion on mainland social media.
“If it weren’t for the celebrity couple adopting Pearl, I might never have known about laboratory beagles,” one online observer wrote on Weibo.
“I hope Pearl can live happily in her new home. Thanks to every laboratory animal for their sacrifices for humanity,” another said.


China hero on white horse dubbed ‘Prince Charming’ after rescuing man from river

Chinese man resembling Hong Kong singer Eason Chan approached for photos by eager ‘fans’

China boy behind firecracker sewer blast that destroys luxury cars faces US$39,000 claim

Ancient Chinese dishes still popular today – claypot, dumplings, Peking duck, kung pao chicken

Trending in China

‘Live well now’: China celebrity couple praised for ending lab ordeal of severely injured beagle

A celebrity couple in China have been widely praised after they rescued a badly injured beagle dog which had been used for laboratory research. Photo: SCMP composite/Xiaohongshu

The couple found the dog shivering in some bushes by the roadside and took it in. Photo: Xiaohongshu

An examination by a veterinary surgeon revealed that the dog had been used in laboratory experiments. Photo: Xiaohongshu

Actor Du Jiang and the beagle he and his actress wife called Pearl. Photo: Xiaohongshu

Wei Dongyi, ‘obsessive’ peerless China maths genius who declined US$140,000 prize

Renowned China mathematics genius Wei Dongyi crunches numbers better than anyone, but he also prefers the simple life. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

Maths mastermind Wei has been lauded for his unprecedented academic achievements. Photo: Douyin

The phenomenal number cruncher has debunked exaggerated media reports about his life. Photo: Douyin

Rest in style: ‘mourning’ China models don elegant funeral fashion on expo catwalk

A funeral expo in China has sparked an online debate after catwalk models donned fancy shrouds. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Many older people were stunned by how glamorous the “death” outfits on show were. Photo: Douyin

Clothes for the dead are an important tradition in China, and there are dos and don’ts when choosing them. Photo: Douyin

Youngest China Olympian: skateboarder, 11, aims to ‘fulfil dreams’ of others in Paris

China’s youngest Olympian, Zheng Haohao, 11, is chasing a dream as she prepares to compete in the Paris Olympics this year. Photo: SCMP composite/The Paper/Weibo

Zheng, 11, has been on an upwards trajectory since she began skateboarding when she was just seven years old. Photo: Weixin

Zheng’s fast-paced routines are an intricate combination of flips, tricks and spins. Photo: Weixin

Old wives’ tales: food choices of Chinese mothers-to-be signal baby’s gender

Old wives’ tales: why in China a newborn baby is what its mother-to-be eats. Photo: SCMP Graphic Image

Old wives’ tales: the Post looks into some strange traditional beliefs that persist in China. Photo: SCMP Graphic Image

The belief persists today in China that if an expectant mother craves spicy food, a girl is on the way. Photo: Shutterstock

A significant gender imbalance in China means many men cannot marry or start a family. Photo: Shutterstock

China’s fake Terracotta Army site tricks student, sparks outrage online

The emergence of a fake Terracotta Army site in China has sparked outrage on mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo

The bogus Terracotta Army site lies not far from the real thing, and costs more to get to. Photo: Weibo

The student was told that visitors to the fake site could “take photos and touch” the sculptures. Photo: Weibo

The real Terracotta Warrior site is considered to be one of the world’s most significant wonders. Photo: Shutterstock

News

People & Culture

Breed with high pain threshold is widely used in drug testing research and assessing sharpness of knifes


A well-known actor and actress in China found a wounded, malnourished dog by the roadside and took it home, alerting the public to the plight of beagles used for scientific research.


Animals

Animal rights in China