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A pack of dogs rescued from a Chinese slaughterhouse are recovering at a Montreal shelter this Christmas Eve.

The 32 dogs landed in Montreal late Friday after being rescued from the Yulin meat festival in China last summer. Though they were rattled and skittish when they arrived at the Montreal SPCA that night, the dogs adapted quickly and were all sound asleep as of Saturday morning.

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“They’ve been through so much, it’s good to know that they feel safe enough to let their guard down,” said Anita Kapuscinska, a spokesperson for the Jean-Talon Ave. shelter. “It’s been a long, traumatic journey for them and it will take some time to know what kind of programs they need to be socialized and, eventually, adopted out.”

More than 100 dogs destined for slaughter at the annual Yulin meat festival were intercepted last June by the Humane Society International (HSI) Canada. The festival was launched in 2010 to boost dog meat sales but has attracted criticism from animal rights groups around the world.