In my home, strays find respite from an unkind existence

On a cold winter's night in December, I spotted a shivering puppy hiding under a car. It was clearly terrified but appeared to be in good condition.

Mao Yi, as she was later to be known, became the second dog I have adopted since coming to China in 2015.

My other two dogs-a brown and white Pekinese-crossbreed aged around 6, named Hillary, and a 1-year-old black mongrel named Max - were also rescued dogs. Life had not been kind to either of them.