Stray Dog Runs 1,700 km Across China to Follow Rescuer
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Xiao Sa
A lonely stray dog moved by an act of human kindness has won thousands of fans after following the man who fed him on a grueling 24 day, 1700 kilometer cross-country journey.
Cyclist Zhang Heng, 22, was competing in a punishing, multi-day mountain bike race when he happened upon a small, sad stray dog in Sichuan province on May 4th. Feeling for the hungry animal, he offered the only thing he had to give it: a chicken drumstick.
That simple gesture, offered without expectation, had a profound effect on the dog. From that moment, it would not let Zhang Heng out of his sight. When the race resumed, the determined little dog joined the cyclists and ran beside them.
“She was lying, tired, on the street,” Heng told reporters. “So we fed her, and then she followed our team.”
The dog didn’t just join the race – she ran the remainder of it, keeping pace with cyclists for 24 days over 1200 arduous miles, following them to the finish line in Tibet.
“At first we didn’t consider keeping it and thought she just wanted to follow us for a while. But it showed a very strong willpower and followed us all the way here,” said cyclist Xiao Yong.
Nicknamed ‘Xiao Sa’, the dog climbed over 10 mountains during the race without falling behind. Xiao Yong said there were approximately 300 cyclists in the race, but many of them burned out before the final stage and hopped buses to the finish line. Xiaosa, on the other hand, was still fresh despite days spent on the run. She crossed the finish line with three other cyclists to deafening applause from her throngs of admirers.
Her triumphant finish made headlines the world over, but what happened next made for an even bigger happy ending. After 24 days spent pursuing the man who had touched her so deeply, the once unwanted dog won him over. Moved by her loyalty and perseverance, Zhang Heng said he would take Xiao Sa back to his hometown and adopt her.
“I would like to take the dog home and take care of her,” he said. ” She has been a stray on the road for a long time. She needs a home.”
Saw this on the news last night !!!!!!!! = )
I wish all people have a hearth like a dog…
Woof woof!
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Aww how could that dog have been a stray? What an adorable little munchkin!
What an awesome story & I love the happy ending!!!
Just the headline choked me up.
What a wonderful story! A huge Thank you to that very kind man for adopting the dear little dog. Sounds like the dog adopted him first! Much happiness is wished for them!
Any link to her official fb page?
Xiaosa makes the world so beautiful!
wow
Eyes leaking, Big smile on face best way to cry. Thanks
Xiaosa <3
bravoooo
It is really moving to see the lengths animals will go to just to be loved and have a home…..
Saw this last night on YouTube, and fell in love with this adorable little dog. I too think he picked the riders, and his new owner, wishing them many happy hours together!
saw this on the news ad! so Xiaosa reached the finish line?! awesome! thank you Zhang Heng for adopting her.
Looks like this little guy has found a good home.
AWESOME!. i stand by what i believe. Animals are more loyal than humans.
unbelievable
Saw this on our news, such a heartwarming story and such an adorable little dog….so glad she now has a home.
Xiaosa is soooooooo cute and has a soul…that something might not be found in some human beings!!
god bless, getting away from all those cruelty acts happening there in china…great news<3
Thats heartwarming
When we read of so many strays and ill treatment of animals its good to know that sometimes little miracles happen!
YAY !!! Great News. Bless them all.
I suppose if I had only known one decent soul in my whole life, I’d run across China to hang onto it too… That, and the chicken.
Simply amazing!
Good news, blessings to allllllllll”Xiaosa”
I may not be too popular with this comment, but he’s not kind at all. He let that poor little dog run all that way. Why didn’t he get someone (or someone else for that matter) to pick it up and give it a ride. Bloody China has no concern for animals, and, I’m sorry, this story doesn’t convince me otherwise. He only took it coz the dog was famous and he probably wanted the glory. Nothing to do with loving the dog.
Lucky that she wasn’t eaten for dinner. Little girls are thrown away…she was looked upon by the angels. Poor sweet little thing!
Endearing. Can’t believe that lil dog ran so far. Her determination is impressive.
I hope so carmel, I hope so. She’s way to lovely to be taken then thrown away after the glory dies down.
So sweet.
I read a lot if articles on this page, but this one brought a tear to my eye
Amazing the pup wasn’t roasted alive as dinner.
Amazing story…Happy she found a home~but sad for that poor dog..what does that say about those people,they watched her run all the way & not one person picked her up?!
Sweet, but don’t they eat dog regularly over in china?
Stray mixed breed dog on short little legs. Her feat was amazing, her loyalty without limits. She’s a champion!
While the news has used this as the “feel good” story on Memorial Day, let us not forget that China has become an “industrial machine” whereby it determines who is if value to it- pets, for the most part, have none, nor do female children in many provinces.
This little dog was fortunate not to have been packed in one of those trucks headed to slaughter houses to be killed for meat, their fur used for “decoration” on clothing, much of which is sold in the West. The dedicated people who rescue some of those animals are forced to pay, in cash, much more than the “carcass value”, because, in China, the practice of treating what we would consider household pets thus is perfectly legal, and there are no regulations to even make that last journey marginally comfortable.
Think about it: if that little dog had been running for 1200 miles in a European country or the US, anti-cruelty organizations would have interfered. There were vehicles accompanying the bicycle riders in China- she could have, and should have been picked up and taken along in one of those. Any dog, much less one of that size who had obviously not had proper care, would requir medical attention after running such a distance. Would this seemingly less than enthusiastic “adoption” even have taken place if the news media hadn’t been there to make the event into a story?
I sincerely hope that the dog has found a loving, forever home where she will be cherished for her loving heart and indomitable spirit long after the media attention has died down. We can best honor her by continuing to put pressure on China to end their mass abuse of dogs and cats. If that
means paying closer attention to where what you buy is made, then so be it. Every time you choose to buy an item made somewhere other than China, send a letter to their US Ambassador informing him of your action. Choose to be as brave as little Xiao Sa!
Yeah > bought a tear to my eye, I am so happy to read stories like this JUST AWESOME