Syrian teen refused to flee country without puppy

Video of 17-year-old Aslan and his puppy has gone viral since UNHCR shared it on their Facebook page

A Syrian refugee teen who fled his home in search of safety refused to leave his beloved dog behind.

In a video from the UN refugee agency, 17-year-old Aslan from Damascus says he trekked 500 kilometers on foot to the Greek island of Lesbos. Despite being told he cannot take the dog, Aslan refused to be separated from his puppy, Rose, and he even made her a passport. "I love this dog," Aslan says in the video.

UNHCR shared the video on Facebook and it has since gone viral with more than 3.6 million views and has inspired incredible reactions from social media users around the world.

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People from several countries left comments on the video offering the teen and his little companion a place to stay or a helping hand. Rose Aslan, who shares a name with the teen and his dog, inquired as to how to help.

In the video, the teen appears to only carry a backpack and a small kennel for his dog. He also shows the camera Rose's pet passport, which he brought for the journey. When asked why he decided to bring his dog, while only keeping a small bag for himself, Aslan simply repeats, "I love my dog."

Read: UNHCR plans for 450,000 Mediterranean refugees in 2016

Aslan's story is moving, but UNHCR reminds us that he is not alone in his commitment to his pet.  "When forced to flee home because of war," the organisation wrote in its Facebook post. "Many people would never dream of leaving their pets behind."

The UN refugee agency expects the number of refugees fleeing across the Mediterranean to Europe to hit 400,000 this year and could be 450,000 or more in 2016, it said in a preliminary emergency appeal document published earlier this month.

The United Nations also said there are currently some 30,000 refugees and migrants amassed on the Greek islands, with 20,000 of them on the island of Lesbos alone.