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Pic shows: Wang Yan and his adopted dogs in the shelter.nnA former millionaire businessman has been reduced to poverty after spending all his money building a rescue shelter for dogs.nnWang Yan, a former steel factory owner, started his animal shelter three years ago after his own dog went missing and was presumed stolen by butchers at a slaughterhouse.nnThe 29-year-old said the incident devastated him because his pet was like a child to him, and the thought that it had ended up in a Chinese takeaway had been horrifying.nnHe said: "When my pet dog went missing in 2012, some of my friends suggested I should try my luck at the butchers."nnWang said he did not find his pup at the local slaughterhouse in Changchun, capital of northeast China¿s Jilin Province. But what he did find were gruesome scenes of dog killing.nnFrom that day onwards, Wang began pouring money into his operation to save the dogs from the butchers, many of whom had captured strays and kidnapped pets themselves.nnAs his collection of rescued animals increased, Wang emptied out his factory building and founded the Changchun Animal Rescue Base, of which he is the owner and sole benefactor.nnWang said: "We have 215 dogs at the base, mostly rescued from slaughterhouses or saved by volunteers. "nnHe added: "We used to have over 1,000 dogs, but many were adopted."nnWith hardly a cent to his name now, Wang¿s biggest worry is now the coming winter and the harsh conditions that will follow. He says the dogs heat and food, or else they will die in the cold.nnWang, who refuses to be pitied or praised for his work, said: "I don¿t accept money. I only hope that some building materials can be donated to the shelter so we can build more houses for the dogs, and perhaps some food."nn(ends)n