Seven dogs escaped kidnappers to walk 12 miles home, and everyone is crying at the new details

Twitter, TikTok – hell, the whole internet – is currently enthralled by the story of seven dogs who escaped kidnappers to walk 12 miles home to their owners in China.

The internet can be a pretty dark place at times, but once in a while, a story emerges that saves your faith in the world. This go around, it was the viral seven dogs in China that allegedly escaped a meat factory.

It all started on March 15, when Chinese social media platforms were flooded with videos and pictures of the pack. They showed the dogs, led by a Corgi, walking along the highway in Changchun, the capital of China’s north-east Jilin province. One post alone amassed 230 million views.

“They resemble a band of little brothers in distress, moving in unison – nothing like stray dogs,” the original poster said.

Though it took a full two days, the dogs were able to get home across highways, fields, and traffic.

Seven dogs stolen from their owners have gone viral after escaping from an illegal transport truck and making their way home.

They traveled around 17 km together, led by a corgi across highways and fields, now safely back with their respective owners..🐶🐾🥺❤️ pic.twitter.com/H5VB9BQkGB

— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) March 23, 2026

The seven dogs were led by a Corgi

In all the videos and pictures flooding social media, there’s a Corgi at the head of the pack. His name is Dapang, which translates to “big fatty” or “big fat.”

Dapang and three other dogs all belonged to one woman living in the village of Changchun. She’d been searching high and low for her furry friends for days and was about to give up. Thankfully, Dapang wandered into the house on March 18, and the other dogs were found at a neighbour’s house.

A German Shepherd and a Golden Retriever belonged to another person, who said: “We are so lucky they came back, not to be eaten.”

They were protecting an injured friend

The Corgi was the one leading them home
The German Shepherd was injured
The dogs kept a protective formation around the German Shepherd
The Corgi stopped often to make sure they were still okay
It took them 2 days to get home
They are neighbourhood friends
I’m going to cry😭😭😭 https://t.co/fJaDb4Qgfx

— Luna M (@tiredfeminist_) March 23, 2026

In one video on Twitter, and as reported by Chinese media, the German Shepherd was injured in the escape. His compatriots shielded him with their bodies, protecting him as a Golden Retriever stood “sentry.”

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Did the dogs escape a meat factory?

There are currently numerous reports, both in the UK and abroad, that have alleged that the dogs were kidnapped for their meat. Despite that, Jilin’s provincial culture and tourism bureau refuted the claims.

Instead, the officials claimed that the dogs were attracted to the German Shepherd, who was in heat, and wandered off on their own accord. State media also warned that the incident “reflects the shortcomings of online information dissemination – a mixture of true and false information, where subjective speculation is easily taken as fact and spread.”

The dogs have become icons on Twitter

Get Disney on the phone right now https://t.co/QcgeeniVxW

— Robbie Fox (@RobbieBarstool) March 23, 2026

Over on Twitter, entire thinkpieces are being composed about the seven dogs and then 12 mile journey back to their owners.

One person said: “Their journey could be the premise for a movie. The Golden Retriever positioned itself closest to traffic to shield the others. The Corgi kept checking back to ensure no one was left behind. The German shepherd, showing natural leadership, remained central like a general.”

I know she ran a tight ship on the way https://t.co/bz3KphRMAI pic.twitter.com/RtI0vf0CUN

— oatmeal influencer (@acechhh) March 23, 2026

“This is an epic story, the canine equivalent of Xenophon’s Anabasis, when 10,000 Greek hoplites made a perilous journey back to the Black Sea from Persia,” someone else said. “In the centuries to come, doggy bards will sing of their heroism.”

“Dogs exemplify loyalty to their companions; humans who harm them show far less humanity,” another person wrote.

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Featured image credit: Twitter