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Pero’s Incredible Journey: Dog Walks 240 Miles to Get Back Home

May 1, 2016 By Nicole 8 Comments

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Yesterday we briefly told you about Pero, the dog who walked 240 miles to get back home, in our April 28th edition of Barking News. This story is so amazing; we thought it deserved a little more attention. This is the story of a journey that seems like it was taken straight out of the 1993 movie Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. In that movie, 3 pets, Chance, an American Bulldog; Shadow, a Golden Retriever and Sassy, a Himalayan Cat, run away from the ranch of a family friend, where they were left by their owners, and trekked hundreds of miles back home to their owners.

The Incredible Journey of Pero: The Dog Who Walked 240 Miles to Get Back Home

In this real-life story, Pero, a sheepdog that lived on a farm in Penrhyncoch, England with 14 other sheepdogs as well as their human owners, Alan and Shan James. Pero was sent to live on another farm temporarily in Cockermouth, England. Shan James said to the Daily Mail about Pero and his temporary move, “We have a lot of dogs, and a friend knew the farmer in Cockermouth was looking for a dog that could round sheep and follow a quad bike. We thought Pero would be ideal for the job.”

A homesick sheepdog made an incredible 240-mile journey back home in just 12 days after running off from his new farmhouse. Farmer Alan James was amazed when four-year-old Pero (pictured) appeared on his doorstep after he was given to another farm more than 200 miles away. Pero's real-life "Lassie Come Home" adventure began when he ran off from his new home in Cockermouth, Cumbria, to make the marathon trek to the country village of Penrhyncoch, Mid Wales. © WALES NEWS SERVICE
Photo Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE

However, just a few days (April 8) after Pero arrived at his temporary home in Cockermouth, England, he went missing while in the midst of herding sheep. Amazingly, just 12 days later on April 20, 2016, Pero showed up back home on the James’ farm. What is so extraordinary is that the two farms are 240 miles apart.

To cover 240 miles in a 12-day period, Pero roughly trekked about 20 miles each day. According to Stan Rawlinson, a dog behaviorist and obedience trainer in the UK said that it was possible for Pero to have made a journey like that. He said that herding dogs like Pero do have a natural compass, and they have a good sense of spatial awareness.

The sheepdog breed of dog is known for being large, athletic herding dogs. They have medium levels of energy and are smart and adaptable. While it is true that these dog breeds have the ability to cover lots of ground in a day, it is unsure if Pero walked that entire way or if he even ate anything during his 12-day journey. However, Shan James said upon Pero’s return, ‘When he came back, he wasn’t hungry or weak, so he must have managed to find food somewhere. He must have stopped in places along the way.”

What do you think of Pero’s incredible journey? Did he have help along the way?

Author

  • Nicole
    Nicole

    Hi there! I'm Nicole, the editor-in-chief and one of the writers here at DogVills. I've been a dog owner for most of my adult life and a dog lover for much longer than that. I grew up with a wonderful German Shepherd named Jake, who I loved SO much that I named my son after him. When I'm not writing for DogVills or my own site, Pretty Opinionated, I love spending time with my teenager (when he actually lets me) and my Pharaoh Hound, Freya. I'm also an avid reader AND a total TV fanatic.

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Tags: Barking News, Incredible Journey, Pero

About Nicole

Hi there! I'm Nicole, the editor-in-chief and one of the writers here at DogVills. I've been a dog owner for most of my adult life and a dog lover for much longer than that. I grew up with a wonderful German Shepherd named Jake, who I loved SO much that I named my son after him. When I'm not writing for DogVills or my own site, Pretty Opinionated, I love spending time with my teenager (when he actually lets me) and my Pharaoh Hound, Freya. I'm also an avid reader AND a total TV fanatic.

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Last Updated on May 1, 2016 by Olfa Turki