A woman who once claimed she “never liked dogs” is now biking and walking around the world with a rescue dog she found neglected and covered in fleas.
The dog, named Butch, is an Australian cattle dog and may be one of the most well-traveled dogs in the world. He was adopted by Heike Pirngruber, a former camerawoman for Germany’s largest TV station, ZDF.
Pirngruber left her media career behind 12 years ago to live on the road full-time. Since then, she has traveled to more than 104 countries across every inhabited continent.
In March 2020, she had planned to travel through the Americas with a donkey. But during a break in Baja, California the following year, her plans—and feelings about dogs—took a turn.
While staying in a beach hut, Pirngruber was cooking grilled chicken when a shy stray dog wandered up to her door. She had often been chased by dogs while traveling, which made her wary of them. But her friend Ronny persuaded her to let the dog, named Max, stay the night.
The next day, Max returned—this time with two canine friends.
That simple moment opened the door to a deep connection between Pirngruber and the dogs. Eventually, she adopted Butch, and the pair have been inseparable ever since—exploring the world together, one country at a time.
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