ATTLEBORO — The bond between man and man’s best friend spans several states – 24 to be exact – as the mayor of Attleboro, Massachusetts has just proven.

Paul Heroux, who assumed office in January 2018, recently embarked on a 12-day, 24-state road trip with his terminally ill dog, Mura, a 10-year-old Japanese wolf dog.

Upon learning last month that Mura had an aggressive form of blood cancer and had just months to live, Heroux cancelled a planned vacation to the Middle East, packed up his car and hit the open road with his trusty sidekick sitting shotgun.

Together they travelled 8,500 miles, visited his alma mater, the University of South California, and stopped at countless landmarks along the way, including the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Mount Rushmore and the Golden Gate Bridge. They also made a special trip to British Columbia to meet with Mura’s breeder.

On what inspired him to take the trip, Heroux told Lonely Planet: “Other people who have gone through the same situation of losing their dog to cancer told me to give her the best few months of her life, and I took that advice to heart.”

And on what his dog means to him, he added: “Mura is my family and the most precious thing in the world to me. She has campaigned with me and goes to work with me and has been with me through the best and worst times in my life.”

Heroux now hopes to write a children’s book about Mura’s adventures. You can follow Paul and Mura on his Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/paulheroux.org.