Cat photographed in desperate bid to escape from Chinese butcher is saved by American animal shelter

A cat used one of its nine lives after a charity saved it from being slaughtered by a Chinese butcher.

The controversial Yulin Dog and Cat Meat Festival in China claims the lives of thousands of stray or stolen animals each year.

This year, a small white cat was photographed climbing the side of the horrific slaughterhouse enclosure, while dozens of other felines sat in the overcrowded space.

However the Human Society International's rescue workers made sure that her life did not end there after spotting the cat named Huru

Huru will spend some time adjusting to her new life and then be looking for a loving family.

According to the Humane Society, as many as 10million dogs are killed for food annually in China, with up to 10,000 killed for the Yulin festival.

The 'festival' is held to mark the beginning of the summer solstice and was created in 2010 as a way for dog meat traders to boost their flagging business.

Many of the dogs and cats slaughtered are stolen pets who are transported to the event site over several days, often without food and water, according to the Humane Society.