“We felt chosen by him …”
A Serendipitous Meeting in the Atlas Mountains Leads to a Remarkable Rescue
During a 2024 Christmas trip to Morocco, the McIntyre family from Idaho had an unexpected encounter that would transform their lives. While trekking through the rugged Atlas Mountains—thousands of miles from their home in Boise—they came across a stray dog who looked strikingly like their own rescue dog, Bodhi.
“We were stunned by the resemblance,” Aidan McIntyre shared with The Dodo. “We jokingly started calling him ‘the Moroccan Bodhi.’”
Though surprised to see the dog in such a remote place, the family instinctively offered him water and affection, greeting him with “Azul,” the Berber word for “hello.” What they didn’t expect was for the limping pup to trail them for the entire 5-mile, 3.5-hour hike.
“We thought he’d wander back to wherever he came from,” McIntyre said. “But he stuck with us the whole way.”
What began as lighthearted chatter about taking him home soon turned serious. By the time they reached their hotel and the dog was still at their side, the family began to consider adoption as a real possibility.
They consulted the hotel manager, who often fed local strays, but she didn’t recognize the dog. With her consent, they brought him to their room for the night and started looking into international pet adoption.
The next day, they took him to Ranch Beldi Sterilisation, a shelter dedicated to rescuing and preparing street dogs for overseas adoption. Azul, as they’d now named him, would spend the next six months there receiving medical care, vaccinations, and shelter while the McIntyres navigated the complex process of bringing a dog to the U.S. from a high-risk rabies country.
“There were so many hurdles,” McIntyre said. “When his July flight was canceled, I decided to return to Morocco myself.”
After reuniting, McIntyre and Azul traveled from Casablanca to Washington, D.C., where the dog underwent multiple screenings with U.S. Customs and the CDC. A few days later, they set out on the final leg of their journey—a cross-country road trip back to Idaho.
“Despite everything, Azul was upbeat and playful,” McIntyre said. “He was completely different from the tired, wounded dog we met on the mountain trail.”
Back home, Azul was warmly welcomed by Bodhi and his other dog sibling, Renzo. The three quickly bonded, while Azul settled into his new surroundings—soaking in sunshine and sniffing the fresh air.
Now adjusting to life as a house pet with the help of Valor K9 Academy, Azul is thriving. His transformation from a mountain stray to a beloved family member has been inspiring.
“He’s blossoming into the dog he was always meant to be,” McIntyre said. “It took time and effort, but it was absolutely worth it. We’re so thankful—this experience, and Azul, are truly one of a kind.”