ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WPRI) – Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux took some time off of work to take his four-legged pal on the journey of a lifetime.
Heroux’s 10-year-old Japanese wolf dog, Mura, was recently diagnosed with terminal blood cancer and was given only months to live.
After learning of her illness, Heroux said he wanted to make sure her time on earth was well spent. He decided to pack his bags and take Mura across the country.
“Mura doesn’t know she has terminal cancer, so don’t tell her,” Heroux said in a Facebook post, where he is chronicling his adventures with his canine best friend. “Just let her think she is the little princess and that she is going for the best ride of her life. Dogs love to go for a ride.”
Heroux and Mura set out on Oct. 28 and successfully made it back home Friday morning. The pair conquered nearly 8,500 miles together., stopping and taking photos along the way.
The duo began their adventure in Niagara Falls, then traveled west across the United States. They also stopped in British Columbia, where Mura was able to visit her birthplace.
Since becoming the mayor of Attleboro, Heroux has made animal welfare laws a priority. He implemented a “zero tolerance” policy for dog owners who leave their pets in hot cars back in July.
But now that he and Mura have returned home, he’s also set new standards for fulfilling the life of a man’s best friend.
Mura receives chemotherapy every three weeks in hopes of getting more time on earth. But no matter what the future holds, as Heroux posted several times on their adventure, their time together has been priceless.
