Chinese cyclist and his dog cycle through 23 countries to promote animal rights

A Chinese cyclist and pet photographer has cycled through 23 countries in one year - accompanied by his dog.

He says that the trip - and resulting photos - are intended to promote animal rights.

Xiaoyu (and his Spanish Water dog Harry) have cycled over 25,000 km, visiting more than 100 animal rescue centres.

All the whole he has written a book, with the eventual proceeds going to dog rehoming centres.

Back in 2012, Xiaoyu took his adopted dog and started biking through Sichuan and Tibet, crossing the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and making it to Mt Everest and even Nepal.

He has now covered Asia, Europe and North America, even managing to cross the whole of the USA, starting in the East Coast’s New York before stopping finally in Los Angeles on the opposite side, before finally arriving back home in Guilin.

In the foreword to his new book, he said of his dog Harry: "I could go further because of you. The most precious gift in life is not the beautiful scenery along the way, but your company.”

Back in 2012 we reported the case of a small white dog  who became an unlikely web celebrity after completing an amazing feat of endurance accompanying a group of long distance cyclists across China.

Xiao Sa - "Little Sa" managed the journey in 3 weeks on foot/paw following a team of cyclists.

Various reports described the cyclists she hooked up with as taking part in a race to Lhasa with a field of 300 that was finally whittled down to six riders… and a dog.

Xiao Sa's journey began when she was spotted by a 22-year old student, Zhang Heng riding as part of a team cycling from Kangding in the Chinese province of Sichuan to Llhasa in Tibet across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

"She was lying, tired, on the street around Yajiang, Sichuan province," he said. "So we fed her, and then she followed our team.

"We felt she might want to come along with us, so we decided to bring her along to the end." Zhang said.