Thanks to a legend, the dog is treated as a god

Villagers in southeast China gathered over the weekend for the annual festival dealing with dog worship. The animal dressed as a man is paraded on the streets of the village. “The Day of the Light of Being” has been celebrated for centuries by the Miao people of the village of Jiaobang, located in the province of Guizhou.

At the height of the festival, locals use a basket chair to parade their dog dressed in a custom-made shirt; with a silver necklace and hat. Legend has to do with a column of people dying of thirst, and the dog led them to a source, broadcasts the Albanian newspaper. Since then, the festival was held in honor of the animal.

Lack of water in this area is common, and the community believes that the dog is a miracle sent from heaven. People gather on the appointed day to watch the parade and pray to the dog for good harvests next year. It's unclear what the qualities of being selected for the annual event are. Some people criticise the festival, saying the dog is treated cruelly during the parade because it has a chain tied around its neck.