In August 2016, the running group of St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria, California (USA) decided they wanted to invite local shelter dogs for a running session.
And the staff at the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter was happy to let their dogs soak up some sun and stretch their legs.
Everyone loved it, and team coach Luis Escobar wrote on Facebook: “I’m not sure who was more excited and had the most fun… the dogs or the kids.”
When I saw the video of the running session on Facebook, I couldn’t help but smile, and apparently I’m not the only one. The video was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people, including runners and coaches from other schools.
“After we got back, I posted about it on our Facebook page,” the coach told the Santa Maria Times. “Almost immediately, the post was shared hundreds of times and received thousands of likes. I got calls from coaches and gym teachers from all over the country asking about it.”
What started as a fun run with the dogs from the local shelter could easily spread to schools around the world.
The run was also a success locally, and the students have already taken the dogs out for a second run.
I think it’s fantastic because it’s great for the dogs and it gets them outside, increasing the chance of them being adopted soon.
Coach Escobar said: “It’s a win-win situation. The dogs get good exercise, and the children have interaction with the dogs. Maybe they’ll talk about it with their parents and friends, and maybe the dogs will be adopted sooner as a result.”
Watch the awesome video below:
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What a wonderful idea! The team members learn about the needs of animals. It encourages loving behavior and offers hope for homeless shelter dogs. And it’s just a fun activity. Lovely! Thank you all!
