When Mirelle Radley set off on a trip to Peru with her cousin, Adam, she was simply looking forward to adventure, culture, and beautiful scenery. What she didn’t expect was to find a lifelong companion within hours of arriving.
After settling into her cabin, Radley strolled into town for lunch, then returned for a quiet afternoon of reading in a hammock.
That’s when she felt a gentle nudge on her arm. Looking down, she saw a small street dog gazing up at her, as if he already knew they belonged together.
“He just appeared out of nowhere,” Radley told The Dodo. “He nudged me for attention and then never left.”
She’d met many stray dogs in her travels, but this one felt different. He wasn’t just passing through — he stayed for hours, content to sit by her side.
She gave him snacks, affection, and company. That night, she went inside, assuming he’d wander off like most strays.
But the next morning, there he was — curled up outside the cabin, waiting.
That’s when her cousin jokingly said, “You could call him Paddington.” With a name came a decision. “And then I had to keep him,” Radley said with a smile.
You can watch that first moment here.
Paddington followed Radley everywhere during her short stay — walking beside her, perfectly in step, as if he’d been trained to heel his whole life. It didn’t matter that he was a stray — he knew Radley was his person.
“I’ve never seen a dog heel so naturally,” she said. “He stuck to me like glue.”
One day, Radley booked a horseback riding tour and left Paddington behind with a treat, hoping he’d stay at the cabin. It worked — at first.
But when her tour passed by the cabin later, Paddington looked up, spotted her, and ran into town to catch up. He just couldn’t let her out of his sight.
Despite his rough beginnings, Paddington was full of love and friendliness — more than any street dog Radley had ever met. “He just wanted to be loved,” she said.
Knowing she couldn’t take him home immediately due to travel restrictions and quarantine rules, Radley made arrangements with a local rescue, Colitas Con Canas, to board Paddington at a safe facility run by Naths of Naths Wasicha. Saying goodbye was heartbreaking.
“As I was leaving, he tried to paw at the gate to follow me,” Radley said. “It was so hard.”
Now in good hands, Paddington is thriving. Naths sends regular updates, showing him playing happily with a terrier friend and settling into his temporary home.
In just a few more months — once his vaccinations and quarantine are complete — he’ll finally make his way to the UK and into Radley’s arms for good.
From abandoned to adored, Paddington’s journey is nearly complete — and his new life is just beginning.
“He’s going to experience everything,” Radley said. “Pet shops, pup cups, road trips — all of it.”
To support dogs like Paddington, you can donate to Colitas Con Canas here.
To keep up with Paddington’s journey home, you can follow him on Instagram.
