Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Thursday 28 March |
Holy Thursday of the Supper of the Lord
Aleteia logo
Inspiring Stories
separateurCreated with Sketch.

These high school cross-country runners are changing the lives of shelter dogs

SHELTER DOGS

Luis Escobar | YouTube | Fair Use

Cerith Gardiner - published on 06/19/19

Caring for all of God's creatures is an important duty and these young people are showing us how...

Please consider a gift for Aleteia!
Help us spread the joy of Christ's victory.
Aleteia depends on your support.

Join our Lenten Campaign 2024.

DONATE NOW

Students at St Joseph’s High School in California have combined their regular cross-country runs with taking shelter dogs out for a run — and the result is magical. Not only do our four-legged friends get exercise, they have the chance of receiving affection.

The students also get a lot from these running sessions — they learn to care for animals as they earn community service credits. One student, Joshua, went so far as adopting his furry training partner, Fred.

The school’s athletic coach, Luis Escobar, has reported that this initiative has proved so successful that thanks to the publicity the training sessions video has garnered, many of these dogs have found a happy home. Better still, other athletic teams have picked up on the idea and are looking to take dogs from their local shelters for runs too.

As Escobar points out to the Santa Maria Times, while the runs are a wonderful opportunity for these lonely dogs, “Anybody can do it. It doesn’t have to a be big thing; it can just be walking a dog.”

The idea of a simple walk is great for families who aren’t in a position to welcome dogs into their homes on a permanent basis. Kids can witness the joy of caring for an animal while these dogs, who are often lacking in affection, get a little bit of love.


BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

Read more:
The Blessing of the Animals: Paw-inspiring photos from around the world


CLASSICAL MUSIC AND PETS

Read more:
What happens when shelter dogs listen to classical music

Tags:
Relationships
Support Aleteia!

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reach more than 20 million unique users per month!

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

Support Aleteia with a gift today!

jour1_V2.gif
Daily prayer
And today we celebrate...




Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.