The clip, circulated across multiple social media platforms, showed a group of dogs walking together along a busy highway in Changchun on March 16. As reported by the South China Morning Post, the video was recorded by a local resident who spotted the dogs far from their village.
In the footage, the dogs appeared to move in formation, staying close to an injured German Shepherd, while a Corgi seemed to lead the group, occasionally looking back at the others. This behaviour contributed to the emotional narrative that quickly gained traction online.
However, later reports clarified that the story attached to the video was incorrect. According to City Evening News, cited by CNN, the dogs had not been stolen and were not fleeing meat traders. They actually belonged to local villagers living near the highway.
The clarification revealed that the German Shepherd was in heat, which had attracted the other dogs and caused them to follow it onto the road. Additional reporting by Cover News noted that dogs in the area are often allowed to roam freely and may wander off for days during such periods.
All seven dogs have since been returned safely to their owners, and the German Shepherd has been restrained until its heat cycle ends, dispelling the earlier dramatic claims surrounding the video.
