They say nothing can come between a boy and his dog. They were right.
A 17-year-old Syrian refugee named Aslan trekked over 310 miles from Damascus to the Greek island of Lesvos with nothing but a small bag and his precious puppy, Rose.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) interviewed Aslan on camera. The teen said he was told he couldn’t bring a dog with him — though he didn’t elaborate further — but clearly that didn’t stop him.
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Rose, who looks to be a months-old Siberian husky, can be heard yipping sweetly in the background as Aslan shows what looks to be an official passport document for the dog.
“I have food and I have water,” Aslan tells the interviewer in broken English. “I have anything.”
“You have only a small bag, and you bring your dog. Why?” the UNHCR reporter asks.
Aslan giggles at the question.
“I love my dog,” he replies.
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The last shot shows Aslan and Rose, secured in a red pet carrier, continuing on their remarkable journey.
On Monday, NBCnews shared footage of what looks to be the same dog, but a different person, presumably someone traveling with Aslan, was interviewed.
The video is only about a minute long, but it makes a powerful impression. Most of us can’t imagine being forced to abandon all but what we can carry, let alone leave our homes to find refuge in unknown land. But if ever we found ourselves in such a horrific situation, we’d take our dog, too.
Good luck to Aslan and Rose!