Golden Retriever Spends Two Weeks Walking Over 60 Miles To Find Owners After They Left Her At Friend's House For Temporary Care

Nov 09, 2020 by apost team

When we say that dogs are man's best friend, we're not exaggerating. Dogs are incredibly loyal creatures that would travel to the ends of the earth to be reunited with their human companions. And when a dog's made up their mind to find their owners, nothing's going to get in their way. This is the story of Ping An, a brave dog from China who walked over 60 miles to be reunited with her family again, reports this story from November 2020.

In June 2020, Ping An's owners decided to renovate their home in Qidong City in China, reports The Mirror. During the renovation, they asked a family friend to look after their pooch. They drove to the city of Nantong and dropped off Ping An with their friend, then drove back to their house in Qidong City.

The renovations went on without a hitch. But four months later, the family was devastated to learn that Ping An had escaped from their friend's house. No one had any idea where she'd gone, and at the time, they essentially thought that they'd never see her again.

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What her owners didn't realize was that Ping An didn't run away. She'd embarked on a quest to be reunited with her family, even if it meant traveling 62 miles on foot. Two weeks after she disappeared, a group of people found a dog outside an office in Qidong City, reports The Mirror. They noted that the dog's paws were bleeding and she seemed to be depressed. To locate her owners, the workers shared pictures and information on a popular Chinese app.

One of the pictures showed a sad-looking golden retriever lying in a bed of leaves. The dog looked thin and malnourished and seemed to have traveled a long way. When Ping An's family saw the photo, they recognized her right away. They hurried to the office to pick her up. When they were reunited, someone captured a heartwarming video of Ping An seeing her family again for the first time in over four months.

There's no love like that between a dog and her owner. In the video, Ping An looks lovingly at her owner as he gently strokes her head. Her owner smiles fondly at his beloved pooch. At the end of the clip, she looks up at him as if she can't believe that she's lucky enough to see her family again.

We have no idea what Ping An went through when she traveled from Nantong to Qidong City to be reunited with her family. What we do know is that it wasn't easy. The journey between Nantong and Qidong City is a whopping 62 miles. If you're traveling by car, it's a two-hour drive. Can you imagine how long it would take if you were traveling on foot?

If you were going on a 62-mile hiking trip, you'd probably pack a lot of food and supplies to keep you alert and energetic throughout your journey. But Ping An is just a dog. She had no supplies, no food, no medicine. There was no one to help her or take care of her when she was injured. All she had to survive was her own instincts--and the love for her family that kept pushing her forward.

And the journey wasn't easy. Shortly after they were reunited with Ping An, her family brought her to the vet to take care of her injuries, reports The Mirror. Her paws were sore and bleeding and she was malnourished after days of eating only whatever she could catch or find. It's a wonder that Ping An survived the journey at all.

But never fear: now that they've been reunited, Ping An's family has reassured her that they'll never leave her side again. The bond between Ping An and her owners is one that will last a lifetime.

The owners were heard saying,  "Ping An, you've worked hard. You just stay home from now on. [We] would never send you away."

Of course, Ping An is far from the first animal to undertake this kind of journey. A week ago, another dog in China named Dou Dou walked 37 miles to be reunited with his owners, reports Metro. During a road trip, his owners had accidentally forgotten Dou Dou at a rest stop. Luckily, this resourceful little pooch was able to find his own way home. But the journey didn't come without risks: when Dou Dou was discovered a month later, he was malnourished and covered in grime.

How these dogs manage to find their way home after being separated, we'll never know. Maybe dogs have better memories than we realize. Maybe they have an internal compass that helps them figure out where they need to go. Or maybe they're tied to their families through a spiritual connection that guides them during their journey. Whatever the case, it's clear that there's no animal more loyal than the domesticated dog. If you're lucky enough to have a dog like Ping An in your household, we hope that you hug them tight and give them an extra treat tonight.

What did you think about this heartwarming story of Ping An and her unbreakable bond with her family? Give us your first impressions in the comments. And if you've got a dog lover in your family, send them this article to bring a tear to their eye.