Paddy from Peru

'You could call him Paddington,' Adam said, casually, 'Don't name him! I said, as if this was self-evident. Names turn situations into responsibilities.

When Mirelle Radley set off for Peru with her cousin Adam, hoping to heal her broken heart, she didn't expect to meet someone who would change the course of her life forever.

Meet Paddy, the Peruvian street dog who met Mirelle one night when he wandered into her eco-cabin – and refused to leave. He returned the next day, and the day after. And before long, he was following her through towns and markets and trekking alongside her through the mountains, never leaving her side.

He was free to go, yet he never strayed more than a few steps away.

As Mirelle's trip came to an end, heartbreak struck. She faced an impossible goodbye.

How could she leave behind Paddy – the dog, she had fallen in love with and named – who had so clearly chosen her to be his human?

What follows is a heart-stopping, globe-spanning adventure that reminds us that sometimes, love finds us in the most unexpected ways.

About the author

Mirelle Radley was born and raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire, growing up surrounded by hills and wild moorland that shaped her love of animals and the outdoors. She studied veterinary research for several years before taking the leap into writing.

Being adopted by a street dog in Peru unintentionally launched an online following, turning a private decision into a shared story that resonated far beyond her expectations. Her narrative blends dry humour with honesty, as she writes about animals, belonging, and the strange ways lives can change course unexpectedly.