NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A German foreign exchange student in Taiwan has formed an unexpected bond with a stray Formosan mountain dog, altering her travel plans and preparing to bring the dog back to Germany.
Lina, a 22-year-old law student at National Taiwan University (NTU), encountered the three-legged stray dog while visiting Pingxi with her family.
She fell in love with the dog, named "Samy," at first sight, leading her to decide to adopt him despite the disruption it caused to her plans to travel to Thailand after completing her studies.
"All my plans have changed. Because I can't bring Samy to Thailand, I think bringing him back home to Germany is the most convenient for him," Lina said.
According to locals, the dog had been roaming the neighborhood for approximately two years and was taken care of by the community.
It had lost one of its legs, possibly due to a car accident or getting caught in a steel trap, as veterinarians suggested.
Taiwan's animal protection services have been assisting Lina in completing the necessary documentation for Samy, including vaccinations, to ensure a safe journey to Europe.
Samy is now set to embark on a 15-hour flight to Germany with his new owner, marking the beginning of a new life as the Lunar New Year approaches.