(Photo Source: boredpanda.com)
This cross-country team has shelter dogs for mascots
On a nice summer day, no dog wants to stay cooped up indoors. Thankfully, for pent-up pups at the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter, students from St. Joseph High School Cross-Country Team, in California, decided it would be nice to invite them along on their daily workout.
Each student was paired with a dog partner before heading out for a miles-long run and it was probably the best morning ever for both the dogs and the students.
“I am not sure who was more excited and having the most fun … the dogs or the kids,” team coach Luis Escobar shared online. “Either way, it was a great time and I am sure we will do it again sometime soon.”
The St. Joseph High School runners in Santa Maria are training for their second season, so they thought it would be a good idea not only to get in shape themselves but help the shelter dogs get a taste of the outdoors.
Shelter spokeswoman Stacy Silva is grateful her pups get some “much appreciated time out of their kennels.”
The program to take the dogs out started two years ago where Silva connected with now-retired St. Joseph’s coach Luis Escobar to take the dogs out for a run.
The Santa Barbara County partnership has pushed for other schools and shelters to connect and start similar programs in their cities as well.
By: Maytinee Kramer
