Syrian teen refugee carries puppy 300 miles to safety

Updated


Teenage Refugee Walks Hundreds of Miles with His Puppy
Teenage Refugee Walks Hundreds of Miles with His Puppy



There's a reason dogs are called man's best friend: the bond between them can never be broken.

A Syrian refugee brought new meaning to the old adage when he carried a puppy over 300 miles with him to Greece.

For most refugees, fleeing the country means leaving most of your precious belongings behind. But when 17-year-old Aslan Al Hakim left his home in war-torn Syria for Greece, he made one small exception to the rule.

%shareLinks-quote="The teen was able fit all of his belongings in a backpack but he also brought with him a Siberian Husky puppy named Rose to keep him company." type="spreadWord"%

But Aslan and Rose aren't entirely alone.

Amnesty International estimates that out of the 11 million people who have been displaced since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, four million of those have taken refuge in neighboring countries. Many of these refugees end up in crowded camps in these countries.

However, some see little future for their families in the camps and set their sights father north, in Europe.

That's where Aslan was heading when photographers ran into the 17-year-old and his canine companion at a registration camp in Lesbos, Greece. The camp usually receives 1,500 people arriving a day, according to the United Nations. 69 percent of all arrivals into Greece this year are Syrian refugees.

"I love this dog," Aslan said to photographers. "I need him."

Aslan even showed off Rose's own passport. The teen estimated that the duo had walked around 310 miles during their adventure together.

We wish them the best of luck, wherever their journey may take them.

More from AOL.com:
Selfie deaths now outnumber shark attack deaths
Woman freaks out after spotting spider in car, crashes into school bus
Man stabbed after he finds wife in bed with her father

Advertisement