As part of their 2016 cross-country season, St. Joseph High School cross-country runners “invited” their local shelter dogs to run with them. It was great to see the staff of the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter letting their dogs stretch their legs and let them enjoy the sun.
It was a blast by all accounts, and Luis Escobar said on Facebook, “I don’t know who was more excited and having the most fun… the dogs or the kids.” As soon as I saw the video on Facebook, I couldn’t help but smile, and I wasn’t the only one. In addition to runners and coaches from other schools, hundreds of thousands of people watched the video.
The Santa Maria Times reports that Escobar posted about it on the Santa Maria Times’ Facebook page after getting back. “Almost immediately, it got hundreds of shares and thousands of likes. I got dozens of phone calls from coaches and athletic directors.”
Originally a fun run for shelter dogs, it now appears the event may spread to a number of schools. Also, the students took the dogs for a second run after the run, which was a local success. Getting these dogs out into the community and increasing their chances of adoption is great for them, and I could not be happier.
As Escobar said, “It’s a win-win situation.” The dogs get good exercise, and the kids get exposed to the dogs. Maybe they talk about it with their parents and friends, and maybe the dogs become more adoptable.”
Here’s a video that you won’t want to miss:
This is an amazing idea! The members of the team learn about the needs of animals. Fosters kindheartedness, thoughtfulness, and offers hope to solve the homeless shelter dogs. Fun exercise and just being in a pack. Such joy!
