An online donation to get a Chinese stray dog to Britain is underway. The creature accompanied a Scottish athlete during a marathon match in the Gobi Desert and has become his true friend. The dog was therefore named Gobi.

The online-funding project, called Bring Gobi Home launched by ultra-runner Dion Leonard, has 393 backers and will end within 45 days. Leonard posted on Facebook and Twitter his many thanks to donors who were affected by the story.

During the 2016 Gobi March 4 Deserts race in China, the dog, about one and a half years old, joined 101 runners from different countries, running most of the 250 kilometers route over the Tian Shan Mountain down to the Black Gobi Desert, in northwest China.

With high temperature and drought, the race was torturous even for professional runners. However, Gobi finished the race and found Dion Leonard.

Gobi ran beside 41-year-old Leonard and followed him everywhere. He shared food and water with her and decided to take her back home after winning the silver medal.

"When she came into camp she followed me straight into my tent, laid down next to me and that was that - a bond has been developed," Leonard was quoted by media as saying.

Adopting Gobi and bringing her from China to Scotland will cost 5,000 pounds for medical care, quarantine in both countries and transport. The process would last four to six months.

To make Gobi a family member, the runner launched the funding project upon his return to Scotland.

Their story attracted media attention both in China and abroad.

At press time, Leonard's activity has raised 11,750 pounds (around 15,472 US dollars), much exceeding the 5,000-pound target.