• ABOUT
  • ADVERTISE
  • SUPPORT
  • CONTACT
  • WORK
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Shanghaiist
8 °c
Shanghai
7 ° Sat
6 ° Sun
6 ° Mon
5 ° Tue
5 ° Wed
9 ° Thu
  • NEWS

    The “world’s tallest swing” is now open in Chongqing and it looks absolutely terrifying

    Kid falls from second story while imitating Kobe Bryant’s fadeaway

    Guy wearing police uniform for “safety” pulled over by highway cops

    Dalian to test 190,000 residents after 3 new confirmed cases are reported

    One-legged Chinese baller inspires others with his hard work and three-point shot

    Chinese courier company caught using mannequins as security inspectors

    China opens another world’s longest glass-bottomed bridge in Guangdong province

    3-year-old girl and her grandma beaten with shovel in horrific “revenge” attack

    Workers spotted burning documents as US orders China to close its Houston consulate

    LOOK: Massive landslide blocks river in Hubei province

    IKEA to open new downtown location in Shanghai this week

    Hunan bus drivers block road to pass bag of betel nuts across opposite lanes

    Jilin driver delayed by 20 minutes by wild Siberian tiger relaxing on the road

    6-year-old boy drowns to death during first swimming lesson at public pool

    Neighbor smoothly catches toddler falling from 5th floor

    Dude spotted chillaxing on self-made raft on river in Chongqing during flood season

    Shanghai dude gets part of ear bitten off while stopping drunk guy from assaulting woman

    Woman mysteriously disappears from home in Hangzhou, leaving behind no trace

    Two women get stuck in elevator at home for 4 days, drink their own urine to stay alive

    Urumqi goes on lockdown as fears rise of a new coronavirus outbreak in Xinjiang

  • L!FE
  • FOOD
  • GALLERY
  • VIDEO

    WATCH: Colorized footage of life in Beijing a century ago

    Hunan high school turns gym into cafeteria to keep students separated

    Kung fu school reopens teaching students how to swing bricks from their balls

    Dancing aunties and uncles return to Wuhan sidewalks

    Xi Jinping actually made a joke!

    Shanghai dad builds Death Stranding like safety pod to protect baby from coronavirus

    Tag along on food tour of Lanzhou, the hometown of hand-pulled noodles

    Man smashes bus window, jumps out after being stuck in traffic for 20 minutes

    Scooter driver somehow survives being squashed by massive panes of glass

    How students at a Xuzhou primary school have taken jump rope to the next level

    How this Chinese martial arts master “jumps on water”

    Bringing your date to your studio apartment of great shame

    Male designer loses 25 kg, goes viral modeling women’s clothing

    Take a look inside Taiwan’s “most luxurious university dormitories”

    Racers take the stairs in 119-floor vertical marathon up the Shanghai Tower

    Meet China’s captivating “roly-poly girl” who defies gravity with a smile

    Awful Chinese propaganda rappers take on Hong Kong protests, sample Trump

    Trying the food at a Chinese Muslim wedding in Kaifeng

    What it’s like visiting home after living in China

    Watch this Chinese teen jump rope 228 times in just 30 seconds

  • TICKETS
    • FAQ
  • ★ BE A PATRON
    • ★ DONATE
No Result
View All Result
Shanghaiist
No Result
View All Result
Shanghaiist
No Result
View All Result

British man adopts stray dog that ran right beside him in 250-kilometer marathon through Gobi Desert

by Shanghaiist
May 5, 2018
in News

gobi-2.png
A British man set out to run a grueling seven-day, 250-kilometer marathon across the Tian Shan mountain range in northwestern China called the “Gobi Desert March.” Dion Leonard had his sights set on racing to the finish line as fast as he could, or at least that was the goal until he met a friend along the way…
gobi-6.png
A stray dog — aptly named “Gobi” after the race — immediately developed a fondness towards the runner. So much so that the loyal companion did not leave Dion’s side throughout the entire week-long event, matching every stride the runner took.
gobi-3.png
Leonard had nothing but kind words to describe his running partner:
“She’d actually been with us the day before running through one of the largest sand dunes in China, so she was well-versed in running with all the competitors there, but on day two she decided to stick with me,” he says. “She would run ahead of me and wait for me 20 or 30 meters down the road and then I’d have to catch up with her…she’s such a small dog but had a massive heart.”
gobi-7.png
Leonard even sacrificed precious time in the race in order to assist the dog when crossing over difficult terrain.
“There were times during the race when, you know I’m there to race and compete and I’m trying to do my best to win the race but we had to cross some really large rivers where I would have to carry her over them,” he says. “I didn’t actually have the time to do it but I realized then that I had to take her with me and the bond was made.”
gobi-5.png
After completing the race, Leonard couldn’t possibly fathom having to say goodbye to his newfound pal.
In the end, he did have to say goodbye, but it won’t be for good. Upon arriving back at home, Leonard quickly launched an appeal on Crowdfunder to raise the £5,000 needed to cover the medical and quarantine costs in order to “Bring Gobi Home.”
The story has pulled at the heartstrings of many and the target has already been reached with total donations now up to £11,590. Gobi remains in the care of a friend as Leonard awaits the processing of medical tests and quarantine to be completed in Beijing.
gobi-4.png
He hopes that Gobi will be able to join him in Scotland by Christmas time.
“That would be amazing”, he says. “That would be the best Christmas present ever. I’m hopeful that will happen and I’m really thankful for all the support funding-wise because that’s certainly made things a lot easier.”
By Robin Winship
[Images via Crowdfunder]

Share this:

  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Print
Shanghaiist

© 2005-2018 Shanghaiist - China in bite-sized portions!

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Be a Patron
  • Join the Community
  • List Your Event
  • Be a Venue Partner
  • Submit a Gallery
  • Work with us
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • L!FE
  • FOOD
  • GALLERY
  • VIDEO
  • TICKETS
    • FAQ
  • ★ BE A PATRON
    • ★ DONATE

© 2005-2018 Shanghaiist - China in bite-sized portions!