Zhi Xiang is no ordinary animal rescuer: he is a Buddhist monk and has given nearly 8,000 dogs a new life, either at his ancient monastery or at a shelter he runs in Shanghai.<br /><br />He already has nearly 8,000 dogs to feed and care for. A few hundred will eventually be resettled in Europe or North America.<br /><br />"I have to rescue them because if I don't, they will die for sure," said the 51-year-old, who temporarily discards his monk's robes for an orange workman's suit as he gives vaccinations to dishevelled dogs fresh off the streets.<br /><br />Driven by his faith, Zhi has been rescuing animals -- mostly dogs but also cats and other strays -- since 1994.
