Very few dogs have such loving owners who can offer them unlimited walks. Such a lucky dog is Savannah from Austin, Texas in America who was accompanied by her master, Tom Turcich on a walk around the world
Tom Turcich has become the 10th person to go around the world on foot and his four-legged friend, Savannah, the first dog to do so. Instagram/@theworldwalk
Very few dogs have such loving owners who can offer them unlimited walks. Such a lucky dog is Savannah from Austin, Texas in America who was accompanied by her master, Tom Turcich, from New Jersey, on a walk around the world.
According to CNN, the pair ended the seven-year, 48,000-kilometer journey on 21 May as Turcich became the 10th person to achieve this remarkable feat, while his four-legged friend was the first dog to do so.
How it all started
The inspiration behind this trip stemmed from a tragic loss in 2006, when Turcich’s long-time friend Ann Marie died in a jet ski accident at the age of 17.
“It [her death] was very formative for me,” he said, as quoted by CNN.
“She was a much better person than me. And it sunk in that I was going to die [one day] and it could happen at any moment. And I started re-evaluating everything.”
He found inspiration to take up a walk around the world in Steven Newman, who is listed by Guinness World Records as the first person to walk around the world, and walking adventurer Karl Bushby, who has been circumnavigating the globe on foot since 1998.
“It [walking] seemed like the best way to understand the world and be forced into new places,” he said. “I didn’t just want to go to Paris and Machu Picchu, I really wanted to understand the world and see how people were living day to day.”
The loyal companion
Right before his 26th birthday, Turcich set off on 2 April, 2015 with a baby stroller full of hiking gear, a sleeping bag, a laptop, a DSLR camera and a plastic crate, which he used to store his food.
Even though the New Jersey resident started out alone, he soon realised he needed some sort of protection while camping in unknown areas around the globe. Initial days of his journey with this thought in mind took him to Austin, which is where he found Savannah.
Savannah was adopted from Austin Pets Alive! when she was 3-months old.
As per a blog, The World Walk, that Turcich started to recount his journey, the two protected each other along the way whether it be by Turcich taking Savannah to the vet due to a tick or Savannah growling to make Turcich aware of a nearby boar.
“We’ve spent nearly every minute of every day together and from navigating chaotic cities and strange new environments Sav and I are totally in sync,” Turcich said in a Reddit post.
The pair developed a close friendship over the last seven years, helping each other out in times of need and offering support only true friends can.
With inputs from agencies
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