Going Beyond for Gobi

Remember Gobi, the amazing dog who followed a long-distance runner across China for 77 miles?




Turns out their story was just beginning. Runner Dion Leonard planned to bring Gobi home to Scotland, but while waiting in quarantine, Gobi escaped and disappeared.

Undeterred, Leonard returned to China and looked for Gobi, launching a social media and poster campaign that eventually brought them back together.

Thanks to Phred’s Mom and Julie H. for sending this in.

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14 thoughts on “Going Beyond for Gobi

  1. AJ August 25, 2016 / 2:19 pm

    I loved this story!!!! I’ve been following their facebook page and I was sooooo thrilled when Gobi was found yesterday. Hopefully Gobi’s quarantine is over soon and Dion can bring him home.

    • Stressfactor August 25, 2016 / 2:32 pm

      As I understand it Gobi actually never even got to quarantine – she escaped right before she was due to go in. The question now is if Dion will put her in quarantine there in China or whether he will go ahead and bring her to the U.K. and quarantine her there. One thing he has promised is that he’s sticking with her until she goes in… Quarantine in China would probably be safe – she’s not likely to escape from it – but it does mean Dion won’t be able to visit Gobi as often…

  2. Saffron August 25, 2016 / 2:30 pm

    It’s good to know people like Leonard are in this world. <3

  3. Stressfactor August 25, 2016 / 2:34 pm

    One thing is very clear – Gobi loves the hooman she picked out.

  4. Gigi the cat lady August 25, 2016 / 2:48 pm

    So happy she was found ❤️❤️❤️❤️

  5. Julie August 25, 2016 / 2:57 pm

    I think Gobi “escaped” to look for Dion.

    I love that in every interview/news article, Dion is the absolute best goodwill ambassador. Many of the social media comments encouraged him to “go negative” and use this publicity as a platform to highlight the abuses of the dog meat trade, but he stuck to the message and focused only on promoting the helpfulness of the locals in Urumqi and their tireless efforts to find a “needle in a haystack”. He also refused to give any details on how Gobi escaped, likely knowing that would fuel the trolls to attack and place blame.

    This guy is the best. They say you should trust a dog’s instincts.

    Gobi chose well.

    • 6rabbits August 25, 2016 / 11:25 pm

      Yay for Dion’s discretion and double yay for the reunion with Gobi!?

  6. Emmberrann August 25, 2016 / 2:57 pm

    Yay for Leonard! Yay for Gobi! (I love happy endings!)

  7. Phred's Mom August 25, 2016 / 3:50 pm

    This story made me tear up. When he found her, and she spotted him,
    she ran to him, danced around him and jumped up to him. *snif*

    • AJ August 25, 2016 / 5:13 pm

      There was another video I saw where she was sitting on a counch with him and someone came over, picked her up (probably to give Dion a break), well she was not having any of that. Jumped right out of the other person’s arms and snuggled back up with her fave hooman. https://www.facebook.com/BringGobiHome/videos/166879813716669/

      • Flowerfanatic August 25, 2016 / 5:40 pm

        I just watched that video and saw what you mean. She just leaped out of that woman’s arms with a yelp and right back onto ‘Daddy’s’ lap. How dare someone try and break them up again!! Bet they don’t try that again.

    • Murray C. August 25, 2016 / 9:53 pm

      I just love all of you, all a bunch of ol’ softies. What a great gang. It is a wonderful story and a great antidote to some of the awfulness in the world.

      • Phred's Mom August 26, 2016 / 7:30 am

        And there is so much that is awful.
        I wonder if NTMTOM uderstands
        how great a service his site is.
        MyMike is addicted to the internet
        news and blesses me frequently
        with the latest bad stuff. “You
        gotta hear this!” I immediately
        run to NTMTOM to rebalance.
        NTMTOM, mille grazie, merci bien,
        spacebo, danke schoen, etc., THANKS!

  8. sugitomo August 25, 2016 / 8:14 pm

    Now that is dedication that would melt anyone’s heart. I love this pair! <3

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