NEED TO KNOW
- In 2022, Atek was living in Los Angeles, working a steady 9‑to‑5 corporate job
- A local shelter called with an urgent plea: they needed an emergency foster for a puppy who had just been found abandoned in the street
- Three years later, Atek and his partner have traveled to more than 40 countries with the dog
When William Atek agreed to foster a dog, he thought it would be temporary. He never imagined the tiny, trembling pup — rescued from a sealed box in the middle of the road — would change his life forever.
In 2022, Atek was living in Los Angeles, working a steady 9‑to‑5 corporate job. Over Fourth of July weekend, a local shelter called with an urgent plea: they needed an emergency foster for a puppy who had just been found abandoned in the street.
Atek had never owned a dog before — he’d only grown up with cats — but he said yes.
“The shelter basically handed me a crate, some food and this little dog, and sent me on my way,” he recalls with a laugh. “I had no idea what I was doing.”
The pup, a dachshund‑chihuahua‑Jack Russell mix, was shy and skittish, especially around men. But despite the challenges, Atek fell for him instantly. What was supposed to be temporary turned into a foster fail almost immediately.
That impulsive rescue set off a chain reaction that would change everything. Within months, Atek quit his job, packed up his life and booked a one‑way ticket to Thailand, with the dog, whom he named Elko (thanks to an online baby name generator), by his side.
“I had always been terrified of traveling alone,” Atek says. “But then I realized I’d never really be alone again. I had Elko. He gave me the courage to take a leap and completely change my life. He’s been with me through the highs, the lows, the good and the bad.”
Eventually, Atek’s partner, Heather Borngesser, joined him in Thailand. The two began dating, traveling together and have since become full‑time digital nomads, creating travel content as they explore the world, always with Elko along for the adventure.
So far, the couple has visited more than 40 countries with Elko. Recently, they wrapped up a long stretch of adventures in Europe.
“All of this started because of that little dog in a box,” Atek says. “He completely changed my life.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Even after years on the road, each of them has a favorite memory of Elko. For Borngesser, it was hiking through the mountains of Norway.
“Elko loves the outdoors, and he was just in his element there,” she says.
For Atek, Italy tops the list.
“It’s so dog‑friendly there,” he says. “They’ll bring sparkling water for your dog in a glass bottle and pour it at the table. Some restaurants even have their own dog menus. We were ordering swanky meals for Elko that cost more than ours, it was hilarious.”
Everywhere they travel, the couple documents their adventures with Elko on social media. One fan‑favorite video shows the pup in Paris, wearing a tiny beret.
“Behind the cute pictures, we’re usually jumping around with toys to get his attention,” Borngesser says, laughing. “But he’s actually pretty easy; he’s food‑motivated and loves exploring with us.”
While traveling with a dog might sound daunting, Elko turned out to be a natural traveler from the start.
“When I abruptly moved from LA back to Michigan before our big trip, Elko adjusted right away,” Atek recalls. “The first time we brought out his travel carrier, he just hopped in. He’s flown on planes, taken trains, buses, even boats, and he’s so chill. He’s never cried, never panicked. This is just who he is.”
The couple also seeks out dog‑friendly adventures whenever possible.
“We’ve found whale‑watching boats that allow dogs and even visited zoos that let them in,” Borngesser adds. “He’s seen dolphins! We really try to plan trips where he’s part of the adventure, because that’s what this life is all about, experiencing it together.”
The biggest challenges, the couple says, often come not from Elko, but from people.
“We were once in a remote part of Bosnia, and the only hotel for miles suddenly said they didn’t allow dogs,” Borngesser remembers. “We had no car, had been dropped off by a taxi, and were trying to negotiate through Google Translate!”
Ultimately, they paid double for the room to make it work.
“Traveling with a dog is all about over‑preparing,” Atek adds. “Airlines and hotels can be inconsistent. One gate agent might say everything’s fine, another might give you a hard time. You can have every piece of paperwork, and they might never ask for it, or they can make it really difficult. It’s just part of the adventure.”
Europe, in particular, comes with its own set of rules. To travel with Elko, the couple had to secure an EU health certificate, a document that costs about $500 and verifies a pet’s vaccinations and microchip. They later upgraded to an EU pet passport, which logs all of Elko’s vaccines and includes an official health stamp confirming he’s fit to travel.
To visit “high‑rabies” countries, the couple also had to complete a titer test, a blood test proving Elko’s rabies antibodies are strong enough.
“It’s a six‑month process, but it’s worth it,” Borngesser says. “It basically proves your dog isn’t a risk for spreading rabies to countries that don’t have it. After that, the world really opens up to you.”
Despite the paperwork, Atek says traveling with a rescue dog has been one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.
“He’s honestly the best companion ever,” he says. “He’s my little shadow everywhere we go, so chill, so well‑behaved. On trails, he can be off-leash because he never wanders far. He just wants to be with us.”
That bond, the couple says, helps challenge misconceptions about rescue dogs.
“Some people assume rescues will always have behavioral issues or be harder to travel with,” Atek explains. “When we found Elko, he was 2 years old, skittish and scared. It took patience, but now he’s living the most incredible life and he’s proof that rescues can be amazing travel companions.”
Watching Elko’s transformation has been one of the greatest joys of their journey, and they’re far from finished.
Next up: the couple plans to backpack through South and Central America, with Elko leading the way.
“Seeing his full personality come out has been amazing,” Atek says. “He went from hiding from everything to this confident, happy little traveler. The scared dog in the box is long gone — now he’s the heart of our adventures.”
Read the full article here
