Stray dog treks miles with extreme sports team; finds his forever home

(WITI) -- A stray dog found a better life after following  an extreme sports team during a grueling 430-mile race through the Amazon rainforest.

According to the YouTube video, it all started during the final stages of the Adventure Racing World Championship in Ecuador, one of the hardest races in the world. The team captain Mikael Lindnord thought nothing of sharing a meatball with a stray dog. However, after a few kilometers, the team realized the dog was following them.

The dog, which they named Arthur, stuck by their side throughout the strenuous race. The team tried stop Arthur from following them, primarily for his own safety, but he refused to go. After racing for six days, the team crossed the finish line with five members instead of four. After the race, Mikael adopted Arthur.

"I came to Ecuador to win the World Championship. Instead, I got a new friend,"Mikael  Lindnord said.

Click the video above to see pictures from Arthur's amazing journey.