URUMQI, CHINA — In a story that could have ended in tragedy, it was a miracle that helped a marathoner reunite with his lost dog in a city of more than 3 million people. <br /> <br />Dion Leonard was running a marathon in the Gobi Desert in March when a little brown pup sidled up to him, according to an article written by race organizers. For the entire 250-kilometer run across difficult terrain, the dog kept up with him and never left. <br /> <br />Leonard called the pup Gobi, and decided to bring her home to Edinburgh with him. <br /> <br />While leaving China and entrusting Gobi with a friend after the race, he began the long and expensive process of taking her home, creating a crowdfunding page to help raise money. <br /> <br />But on Aug. 6, while waiting to be transferred to Beijing for the quarantine process, Gobi went missing. <br /> <br />Leonard flew in from Edinburgh and looked for Gobi all over Urumqi, but for days he failed to find a solid lead. Finally, a man called in to say he had seen posters of Gobi and found a dog at the park matching her exact description. <br /> <br />When Leonard arrived at the man’s house, Gobi ran out and jumped all over him. <br /> <br />Netizens in China and abroad were quick to offer well-wishes for the newly reunited couple, with additional calls for airlines to fly the duo home, reports the BBC.
